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VIEW ALL NEWSPostsurgical radiotherapy delay not harmful in glioblastoma
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A moderate delay in starting radiotherapy after surgery for glioblastoma multiforme appears not to be harmful, and may even be helpful, according to Israeli and North American researchers.
Indeed, lead investigator Dr. Deborah T. Blumenthal told Reuters Health, "We were surprised to find that there was a statistically significant improved survival associated with delay of initiation of therapy, comparing early onset of radiation -- 2 weeks after surgery -- to 6 weeks."
Dr. Blumenthal of Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center and colleagues analyzed data on more than 2800 patients with glioblastoma treated in Radiation Therapy Oncology Group clinical trials from 1973 to 2003.
Delays in starting radiotherapy fell into four categories: less than 2 weeks, 2-3 weeks, 3-4 weeks, and 4-6 weeks.
According to their report in the December 29th on-line issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology, there was no reduced survival with increasing delay. Moreover, median actuarial survival in the group with the longest delay was 12.5 months, compared with 9.2 months in patients with a less-than-2-week delay.
"Delaying the initiation of standard radiation treatment for glioblastoma up to 6 weeks," Dr. Blumenthal concluded, "does not have detrimental effect on outcome, and in fact, appears to be associated with improved survival."
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