title: Chemotherapy plus radiotherapy versus radiotherapy alone in patients with anaplastic glioma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to answer whether overall survival and progression-free survival are increased in patients with anaplastic glioma who are treated with radiotherapy plus chemotherapy as compared with those who treated with radiotherapy alone.
  
  
  METHODS
  Searches of the MEDLINE (PubMed), Embase and Cochrane Library from January 2001 to May 2012 for relevant trials were undertaken. Selected studies based on the following criteria: First, only randomized clinical trial of adjuvant radiotherapy plus chemotherapy versus radiotherapy alone was permitted. Second, overall survival and/or progression-free survival was compared with patients in the studies. Third, cases were medically confirmed of anaplastic glioma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  4 randomized clinical trials were found eligible for this article (involving a total of 963 patients). The meta-analysis showed a significant increase in overall survival in patients treated with radiotherapy plus chemotherapy (HR = 0.84, 95 % CI 0.72-0.98, P = 0.031).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results of our meta-analysis indicated that adjuvant chemotherapy played a beneficial role in the treatment for anaplastic gliomas. But the role of adjuvant chemotherapy in the treatment for anaplastic astrocytoma or anaplastic oligodendroglioma/anaplastic oligoastrocytoma still needs further large randomized trials to demonstrate.
authors: Department of Neurosurgery, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200003, China.
authors: Lei
authors: L
authors: Zhang
authors: Xiaojun
authors: X
authors: Wu
authors: Tao
authors: T
authors: Xu
authors: Chun
authors: C
authors: Luo
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Qian
authors: Yicheng
authors: Y
authors: Lu
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005910:Glioma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016017:Odds Ratio; D017594:Publication Bias; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D016019:Survival Analysis
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