Superfractionation in glioblastoma multiforme--results of a phase II study

A sequential series of 30 patients who were referred to a cancer treatment hospital with glioblastoma multiforme were treated with superfractionated cobalt 60 gamma radiation, three treatments per day, 100 rad per fraction. Their survival was compared to that of a historical group of 90 patients who had been referred for the same disease. Survival of the study patients was significantly longer than the historical patients, both for those who underwent resection (48.6 weeks median survival vs. 35.1 weeks), and for those who did not (35.1 weeks vs. 11.7 weeks). A retrospective survey of the historical group led to the following conclusions about this group: 1. Survival for patients who were well enough to be referred was unchanged after steroids came into general use; 2. Younger patients (under 50 years) did not have a longer survival than older patients; 3. The size of the dose of irradiation did not affect survival over the range of doses employed; 4. The size of the treatment volume employed did not affect survival over the range of treatment volumes employed.