title: [Survival of newly diagnosed malignant glioma patients on combined modality therapy].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the survival of newly diagnosed malignant gliomas patients on combined modality therapy of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data of 122 newly diagnosed malignant glioma patients on combined modality therapy at our center between 2000 and 2010 were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed. The median age was 40 years old (range: 5 - 75) and median Karnofsky performance status score (KPS) 80 (range: 60 - 100). Combined modality therapy consisted of surgery (maximal safety tumor resection), followed by fractionated focal irradiation for a total dose of 54 - 60 Gy and then 4 - 6 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy including temozolomide or nitrosourea-based regimens or other ones without temozolomide and nitrosourea. The overall and progression-free survivals were analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method and the influencing factors screened by Cox proportional hazard model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were grade IV (n = 70) and grade III (n = 52). The median survival periods were 17.0 months for grade IV patients and 36.0 months for grade III ones. The 2, 3, 4 and 5-year survival rates were 32.0% vs 64.8%, 19.6% vs 47.8%, 11.8% vs 32.0% and 5.9% vs 25.4% (P < 0.01) for grades IV and III patients respectively. The median progression-free survivals were 9.0 vs 12.0 months and 1, 2 and 3-year progression-free survival rates 30.8% vs 50.0%, 12.3% vs 31.4% and 9.2% vs 17.7% (P < 0.01) respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that histologic type was an independent prognostic factor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combined modality therapy of surgery, adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy may improve the survival of patients with malignant gliomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Qun-ying
authors.initials: QY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sai
authors.forename: Xiao-bing
authors.initials: XB
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ke
authors.forename: Xiang-heng
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yong-gao
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Mou
authors.forename: Zhong-ping
authors.initials: ZP
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005910:Glioma / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D011379:Prognosis; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult