ASTRO: Temozolomide (Temodar) Offers Long-Term Survival for Glioblastoma
April 30th, 2007 Posted by: Dr. Cox
R. Mirimanoff, M.D.
University Hospital Center in Lausanne
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 30 — More glioblastoma patients are living longer when the oral alkylating agent temozolomide (Temodar) is combined with radiation therapy, found Swiss researchers.
Their four-year survival rate was four times higher than those treated with radiation alone, according to René-Olivier Mirimanoff, M.D., of the University Hospital Center in Lausanne.Action Points
Explain to interested patients that glioblastoma, until recently, was universally and rapidly fatal.
Note that this study suggests that some patients, treated with a combination of radiation and a new drug, can have relatively long-term survival.
This study was published as an abstract and presented orally at a conference. These data and conclusions should be considered to be preliminary as they have not yet been reviewed and published in a peer-reviewed publication.
And the proportion was even higher among patients with a good performance status or a favorable genetic make-up, Dr. Mirimanoff said at the American Society for Therapeutic Radiation and Oncology meeting here.
Temozolomide was granted accelerated approval by the FDA in 1999 for anaplastic astrocytoma in relapse. It was approved in 2005 for glioblastoma after European and Canadian researchers showed that the drug significantly improved survival over the short term.
Over the previous 30 years, science had made “almost no progress” in preventing rapid and universal death from glioblastoma, Dr. Mirimanoff said.
Now, long-term results from the randomized trial of temozolomide and radiation show a clear benefit for the combined therapy at two, three, and four years. Specifically, the overall survival was:
10.9% at two years for patients getting radiation alone, compared with 27.2% for those getting radiation and the medication.At three years, the corresponding rates were 4.4% and 16.4%.At four years, the rates were 3% and 12.1%. The differences were significant at P
Primary source: International Journal of Radiation Oncology * Biology * Physics
Source reference:
Mirimanoff R, et al “Is Long-Term Survival in Glioblastoma Possible? Updated Results of the EORTC/NCIC Phase III Randomized Trial on Radiotherapy (RT) and Concomitant and Adjuvant Temozolomide (TMZ) versus RT Alone” Int J Rad Onc 2007; 69(3) Supplement S:S2.
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