Hypofractionated Stereotactic Radiotherapy Found to Be Beneficial for Recurrent Low-Grade Glioma

In a subgroup of patients who also received chemotherapy with their hypofractionated sterotactic radiotherapy (H-SRT), the median survival time was more than three times longer than patients who only received H-SRT alone, according to Shannon Fogh, M.D., resident in radiation oncology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.

The study included 22 patients with evidence of glioma recurrence. All patients were given H-SRT as salvage therapy, and nine of the patients also received chemotherapy. The most common regimen was temozolomide (Temodar). The median survival time from the time of H-SRT was nine months. Eleven of the patients had a response to treatment at six-week follow-up. In the subset of patients who received chemotherapy, the median survival time from time of H-SRT was 17 months versus four months for patients who only received H-SRT.

The role of chemotherapy needs to be evaluated further, Dr. Fogh reported, since the small number of patients in this study prevented a multivariate analysis that would account for age, performance status, and tumor size. "There really is no standard of care for recurrent gliomas," he said. "H-SRT would be an attractive option because it allows a patient to have a shorter course of treatment. In our study, H-SRT was well-tolerated, and all patients were able to complete the full course of treatment."

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Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson