Analysis of Factors Affecting Survival Period in Glioblastoma

교모세포종 환자의 여명에 관련된 인자 분석

Objectives : The Objective of this study was to analyze the prognostic factors affecting survival in the patients with glioblastomas. Methods : We retrospectively studied 55 consecutive patients with glioblastomas who were admitted to neurosurgery department from January 1988 to March 1998. Fifteen pateients were excluded from the analysis because of follow-up loss and surgical motality. There were 24 male and 16 female patients, with a mean age of 51 years. Surgery consisted of biopsy in 4(10.0%) patients, subtotal resection in 9(22.5%) patients and gross total resection in 27(67.5%) patients. Nine(22.5%) patients received second operation. Twenty-eight(70%) received postoperative radiation therapy. Various levels of radiation dose were used, 6,000 rad over 7 weeks in most cases. The variable factors were examined for their relationship with survival ; age at the time of diagnosis, gender, duration of neurological symptoms, preoperative neurological state(Karnofsky performance score), extent of surgical resection, location of tumor, reoperation, and postoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Result : The mean survival time was 55 weeks, three(7.5%) of the 40 patients survived more than two years. Survival time with biopsy only cases was 24 weeks, for those with subtotal resection 43 weeks, and for those with gross total resection 67 weeks. A mean survival time from the time of reoperation was 42 weeks. Statistically significant survival factors in glioblastoma were extent of surgical resection, postoperative radiotherapy and reoperation. Summary : Results of our series support the views that the extent of surgery, reoperation and postoperative radiation are important prognostic factors. We also recommend radical tumor removal, postoperative radiotherapy and reoperation, if possible.