Patients with primary brain tumors.
The purpose of this prospective phase II/III trial was to study the effect of therapy intensification when combining procarbazine, lomustine, and vincristine (PCV) chemotherapy with a standard course of radiation therapy (RT) on cognitive functioning for patients with World Health Organization grade 2 low-grade gliomas (LGGs). Initial results of the trial demonstrated a progression-free survival benefit with adjuvant PCV, but no overall survival benefit in the intention-to-treat analysis. Because patients with LGGs have favorable prognostic indicators, the five-year overall survival rates range from 60%-70%. The effect of cancer treatment on neurocognitive function is a topic of increasing interest to healthcare providers and patients. The negative effect is commonly called "chemobrain" and refers to diminished concentration and compromised short-term memory following treatment. Chemobrain has been studied in other populations of patients with cancer (e.g., breast cancer) with associated statistically significant chemotherapy-associated compromised cognitive function when chemotherapy was added to RT.
Department of Nursing, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA.
Susan Weiss
SW
Behrend
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000009:adverse effects; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced; D005260:Female; D005910:Glioma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008130:Lomustine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011344:Procarbazine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014750:Vincristine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055815:Young Adult
D011344:Procarbazine; D014750:Vincristine; D008130:Lomustine
cognitive function; low-grade glioma; primary brain tumors; uncertainty