Back to the future - radiotherapy in high grade gliomas
1989
Radiotherapy in High Grade Gliomas
Editorial
Evidence: low
Author Information
Author(s): M. Brada
Primary Institution: Institute of Cancer Research and Royal Marsden Hospital
Hypothesis
Why does the present treatment fail to eradicate high grade glioma?
Conclusion
Radiotherapy remains the most effective treatment modality for high grade gliomas, but current methods have not significantly improved survival rates.
Supporting Evidence
- The median survival of patients treated with surgery alone is only 14 weeks.
- Following radiotherapy, median survival is prolonged to 40-50 weeks.
- Only 15-25% of patients are alive at 18 months after treatment.
Takeaway
Doctors are trying to treat brain tumors called high grade gliomas, but the treatments don't work very well, and patients often don't live much longer after treatment.
Potential Biases
The selection of patients for certain treatments may introduce bias.
Limitations
Many studies have small sample sizes and may not provide clear results.
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