Brain Tumors Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Brain Tumors, including details on symptoms, benign and malignant tumors, gliomas, screening, treatment.

Palliative treatment of poor prognosis patients with malignant gliomas.

Hadziahmetovic M, Lo SS, Clarke JW, Farace E, Cavaliere R

The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Ohio State University Medical Center, 300 West 10th Avenue, Ste 083A, Columbus, OH 43210, USA. mersiha.hadziahmetovic@osumc.edu

High-grade gliomas are the most commonly diagnosed malignant brain tumor in adults. Prognosis can be estimated by examining risk factors, including histology, age and performance status. Postoperative radiation therapy is associated with improved survival and standard treatment includes external beam radiotherapy to a dose of 60 Gy in 30-33 fractions. Patients with poor prognostic features have a more limited benefit from radiotherapy. This article reviews the current state of knowledge on risk stratification and analyzes strategies that can be employed to better individualize treatment for poor-prognosis patients.

Published 21 December 2007 in Expert Rev Anticancer Ther, 8(1): 125-32.
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