title: Management of glioblastoma in Victoria, Australia (2006-2008).
abstract: We describe the management of patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) in a population-based cohort and compare this to a previously studied cohort. We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with GBM from 2006-2008 in Victoria, Australia. Patients were identified from the population-based Victorian Cancer Registry and their treating doctors surveyed by questionnaire. Outcomes were then compared to a study of GBM patients who were diagnosed between 1998 and 2000 using an identical methodology. We reviewed 351 eligible patients. There were slightly more males (62%) and a minority had multifocal disease (13%). Total macroscopic resection, partial resection or biopsy only was performed in 32%, 37% and 24% of patients, respectively. The majority of patients were referred to a radiation oncologist and medical oncologist postoperatively. A total of 56% of patients were treated with postoperative radiotherapy with concurrent and sequential temozolomide and had a median survival of 14.4 months. This was significantly better than patients treated with postoperative radiotherapy alone in the current or earlier cohorts (2006-2008: median survival 6.2 months, p<0.0001 versus 1998-2000: 8.9 months, p<0.0001). This study demonstrates that postoperative chemoradiation has become the standard of care in this Victorian population with an associated improvement in median survival.
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology, Austin Health, 145 Studley Road, Heidelberg 3084, VIC, Australia; Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia; School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia. Electronic address: hui.gan@ludwig.edu.au.
authors.forename: Hui K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Gan
authors.affiliation: The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rosenthal
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology, Austin Health, 145 Studley Road, Heidelberg 3084, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cher
authors.affiliation: Alfred Health, Prahran, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dally
authors.affiliation: The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia; Department of Surgery, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Katharine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Drummond
authors.affiliation: St. Vincent's Hospital, Fitzroy, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.affiliation: Victorian Cancer Registry, Cancer Council Victoria, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Vicky
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Thursfield
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy / Q000379:methods; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000077204:Temozolomide; D014739:Victoria
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D003606:Dacarbazine; D000077204:Temozolomide
keywords: Glioblastoma multiforme; Radiotherapy; Survival; Temozolomide