Oligodendroglioma: An analysis of the value of radiation therapy

CancerVolume 60, Issue 9 p. 2179-2188 ArticleFree Access Oligodendroglioma: An analysis of the value of radiation therapy Dennis E. Bullard MD, Corresponding Author Dennis E. Bullard MD Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina A recipient of a Teacher-Investigator Development Award 1 KON 200800 from the National Institute Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke and a Merit Review Award from the Veterans Administration.Box 3128, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710===Search for more papers by this authorCharles E. Rawlings III MD, Charles E. Rawlings III MD Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North CarolinaSearch for more papers by this authorBruce Phillips MD, Bruce Phillips MD Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North CarolinaSearch for more papers by this authorEdwin B. Cox MD, Edwin B. Cox MD Department of Hematology-Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North CarolinaSearch for more papers by this authorS. Clifford Schold Jr. MD, S. Clifford Schold Jr. MD Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North CarolinaSearch for more papers by this authorPeter Burger MD, Peter Burger MD Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North CarolinaSearch for more papers by this authorEdward C. Halperin MD, Edward C. Halperin MD Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina A recipient of an American Cancer Society Clinical Oncology Career Development Award.Search for more papers by this author Dennis E. Bullard MD, Corresponding Author Dennis E. Bullard MD Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina A recipient of a Teacher-Investigator Development Award 1 KON 200800 from the National Institute Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke and a Merit Review Award from the Veterans Administration.Box 3128, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710===Search for more papers by this authorCharles E. Rawlings III MD, Charles E. Rawlings III MD Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North CarolinaSearch for more papers by this authorBruce Phillips MD, Bruce Phillips MD Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North CarolinaSearch for more papers by this authorEdwin B. Cox MD, Edwin B. Cox MD Department of Hematology-Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North CarolinaSearch for more papers by this authorS. Clifford Schold Jr. MD, S. Clifford Schold Jr. MD Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North CarolinaSearch for more papers by this authorPeter Burger MD, Peter Burger MD Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North CarolinaSearch for more papers by this authorEdward C. Halperin MD, Edward C. Halperin MD Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina A recipient of an American Cancer Society Clinical Oncology Career Development Award.Search for more papers by this author First published: 1 November 1987 https://doi.org/10.1002/1097-0142(19871101)60:9<2179::AID-CNCR2820600912>3.0.CO;2-GCitations: 67 AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onEmailFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Abstract The role of radiation therapy in the treatment of supratentorial oligodendrogliomas is controversial. To evaluate the role of radiation therapy, the Duke University Medical Center series was retrospectively analyzed. Clinical history, radiation dosages, and pathologic materials were reviewed. Seventy-one patients were identified as having histologically proven oligodendroglioma. Analysis of the patient population demonstrated it to be similar in all major parameters to other populations previously reported in the literature. Multivariate statistical analysis of the demographic, clinical and radiographic variables of these patients showed that a poorer prognosis was associated with persons of increased age (P = 0.052) and black persons (P = 0.014), and in those with papilledema (P = 0.07), hemiparesis (P = 0.001), intellectual deficits (P = 0.0002), and necrosis (P = 0.041). All patients had a surgical procedure as first treatment while 18 and three patients, respectively, underwent a second and third surgical procedure. Thirty-seven patients had a subsequent course of radiotherapy. Univariate and multivariate statistical analysis comparing the patients treated with surgery alone those treated with surgery plus radiotherapy revealed no significant population or prognostic differences between the groups. The median times until clinical deterioration were 39 versus 27 months, the median times until documented tumor recurrence were 27 versus 28 months and the median survival times were 4.5 versus 5.2 years, for nonirradiated versus irradiated patients. These data, from a large and rigidly evaluated population, demonstrated no statistically significant difference in the symptom-free interval, time until tumor recurrence, or survival between the groups nor did radiation appear beneficial to any subgroup evaluated. The results suggest the need for a prospective clinical trial to evaluate the true role of radiation therapy in the treatment of this tumor. 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