Radiotherapy and Temozolomide for Glioblastoma
Author Information
Author(s): Komotar Ricardo J., Otten Marc L., Moise Gaetan, Connolly E. Sander Jr.
Primary Institution: Columbia University
Hypothesis
Does the addition of temozolomide to radiotherapy improve survival in glioblastoma patients?
Conclusion
The addition of temozolomide to radiotherapy for glioblastoma leads to significant survival benefits with minimal additional toxicity.
Supporting Evidence
- Patients treated with radiotherapy and chemotherapy had a median overall survival of 14.6 months.
- The two-year survival rate was 26.5 percent for patients treated with radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
- Only 7 percent of patients receiving concomitant chemotherapy experienced severe hematologic toxic effects.
Takeaway
This study shows that giving a medicine called temozolomide along with radiation helps people with a type of brain cancer live longer.
Methodology
Multi-institutional randomized clinical trial comparing radiotherapy alone to radiotherapy plus temozolomide.
Potential Biases
The majority of patients had favorable prognostic variables, which may affect the generalizability of the results.
Limitations
Patients with poor preoperative neurological status may not benefit, and the risk of cognitive deficits from chemotherapy is unclear.
Participant Demographics
Patients were otherwise healthy, mostly under 70 years old, and had good performance status.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p < 0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI 13.2–16.8
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
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