title: Prolonged administration of temozolomide in adult patients with anaplastic glioma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Prolonged administration of temozolomide is widely used in patients with glioblastoma; whereas the treatment of anaplastic glioma differs between neurooncological centres. The safety, feasibility and efficacy of prolonged temozolomide administration in patients with anaplastic gliomas was evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-two patients with primary, recurrent or secondary anaplastic glioma were retrospectively analysed for the course of their disease. Treatment mostly consisted of surgery, followed by radiotherapy with concomitant and adjuvant temozolomide. In five patients with recurrence of primary anaplastic glioma, chemotherapy was initiated without previous surgery. Temozolomide was administered until evidence of tumour recurrence, appearance of serious side-effects or patients' wish to finish chemotherapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median overall survival (OS) was 39 months with a median cycle number of 7.5 (1-42). Treatment with temozolomide was stopped in 12 patients due to side-effects in general, whereas in only three patients (7.1%) treatment had to be discontinued due to haematological side-effects. There was no evidence of treatment related infections or grade IV toxicity. Extent of surgery had a significant influence on OS in anaplastic gliomas, the number of adjuvant temozolomide cycles showed a positive influence as well on time to progression (TTP) and OS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prolonged administration of adjuvant temozolomide is safe and can be favorable for patients with anaplastic gliomas.
authors: Department of Neurosurgery, Innsbruck Medical University, Anichstr. 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
authors: C F
authors: CF
authors: Freyschlag
authors: D R
authors: DR
authors: Smolczyk
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Janzen
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Schmieder
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Thomé
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Lohr
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Wenz
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Weiss
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Tuettenberg
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Seiz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018450:Disease Progression; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005910:Glioma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D000077204:Temozolomide; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D003606:Dacarbazine; D000077204:Temozolomide