Glioblastoma in patients over 70 years of age

Glioblastoma has in last 20 years seen the steady increase of incidence, which is most prominent in the group of older patients. These older than 70 years have significantly poorer prognosis than other patients and are considered a distinct group of glioblastoma patients. Modified prognostic factors are being used in these patients and this information is lately supplemented with the genetic and epigenetic information on tumour. The therapy is now often tailored accordingly. The aim of our study was to analyse the current treatment of the glioblastoma patients over 70 years of age to determine the impact of clinical prognostic factors

Cognitive functioning in a cohort of high-grade glioma patients

High grade gliomas are associated with cognitive problems. The aim of the study was to investigate cognitive functioning in a cohort of patients with high grade glioma, according to isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) and methyl guanine methyl transferase (MGMT) status and other clinical characteristics

Intermittent Chemotherapy and Erlotinib for Nonsmokers or Light Smokers with Advanced Adenocarcinoma of the Lung: A Phase II Clinical Trial

Background. Intermittent application of chemotherapy and tyrosine kinase inhibitors may avoid antagonism between the two classes of drugs. This hypothesis was tested in a Phase II clinical trial. Patients and Methods. Eligible patients were nonsmokers or light smokers, chemo-naïve, with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the lung. Treatment: 4 to 6 cycles of gemcitabine 1250 mg/m2 on days 1 and 4, cisplatin 75 mg/m2 on day 2, and erlotnib 150 mg daily on days 5–15, followed by erlotinib as maintenance. Results. 24 patients entered the trial. Four pts had grade 3 toxicity. Complete remission (CR) and partial remission (PR) were seen in 5 pts and 9 pts, respectively (response rate 58%). Median time to progression (TTP) was 13.4 months and median overall survival (OS) was 23 months. When compared to patients with negative or unknown status of EGFR mutations, 8 patients with EGFR gene activating mutations had significantly superior experience: 4 CR and 4 PR, with median TTP 21.5 months and OS 24.2 months (P  <  .05). Conclusions. Intermittent schedule with gemcitabine, cisplatin and erlotinib has mild toxicity. For patients who are positive for EGFR gene activating mutations, this treatment offers excellent response rate, time to progression and survival

Long-term survival in glioblastoma: methyl guanine methyl transferase (MGMT) promoter methylation as independent favourable prognostic factor

In spite of significant improvement after multi-modality treatment, prognosis of most patients with glioblastoma remains poor. Standard clinical prognostic factors (age, gender, extent of surgery and performance status) do not clearly predict long-term survival. The aim of this case-control study was to evaluate immuno-histochemical and genetic characteristics of the tumour as additional prognostic factors in glioblastoma