Chemotherapy of Oligodendrogliomas

Oligodendrogliomas are therapy-responsive tumors, which have better prognosis compared to their astrocytic counterparts. The goal of treatment in such cases is not only prolongation of the patients' survival, but maintaining high neurologic functioning and quality of life. Traditionally, after maximal surgical resection fractionated radiation therapy was given. However, prospective randomized trials comparing irradiation alone and its combination with chemotherapy demonstrated strong impact of the latter on prolongation of overall survival in 1p/19q co-deleted anaplastic and "high-risk" low-grade gliomas. In such cases the median survival of patients is well beyond a decade. The optimal chemotherapy regimen (PCV or temozolomide) remains an active clinical trial question, which may be resolved after completion of the ongoing phase III CODEL study (clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT00887146). Additional investigations should also refine further the prognostic and predictive role of molecular markers in oligodendroglial tumors.