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Quality
of life after radiation therapy of cerebral low-grade gliomas of the
adult: results of a randomised phase III trial on dose response (EORTC
trial 22844). EORTC Radiotherapy Co-operative Group
Kiebert
GM, Curran D, Aaronson NK, Bolla M, Menten J, Rutten EH, Nordman E,
Silvestre ME, Pierart M, Karim AB
MEDTAP
International, London, U.K.
In 1985, the EORTC Radiotherapy Co-operative Group launched a
randomised phase III study comparing high-dose (59.4 Gy in 6.5 weeks)
versus low-dose (45 Gy in 5 weeks) radiotherapy with conventional
techniques in patients diagnosed with low-grade cerebral glioma.
The
primary endpoint of the study was survival.
No
difference in survival was observed between the two treatment
strategies.
A
quality of life (QoL) questionnaire consisting of 47 items assessing a
range of physical, psychological, social, and symptom domains was
included in the trial to measure the impact of treatment over
time.
Patients
who received high-dose radiotherapy tended to report lower levels of
functioning and more symptom burden following completion of
radiotherapy.
These
group differences were statistically significant for fatigue/malaise
and insomnia immediately after radiotherapy and in leisure time and
emotional functioning at 7-15 months after randomisation.
These
findings suggest that for conventional radiotherapy for low-grade
cerebral glioma, a schedule of 45 Gy in 5 weeks not only saves
valuable resources, but also spares patients a prolonged treatment at
no loss of clinical efficacy.
PMID:
10023313 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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