The Effect of Radiation Therapy on Oligodendrogliomas

Yoon, Sei Chul; Kim, Sung Whan; Chung, Soo Mi; Gil, Hak Jun; Shinn, Kyung Sub; Bahk, Yong Whee; Kang, Joon Ki; Song, Jin Un

Abstract

From April, 1983 through April, 1989, we have treated histologically proven 21 patients with oligodendroglima using 6 MV linear accelerator at the Division of Radiation Therapy, Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital Catholic University Medical College. These are 8% of the irradiated 246 primary brain tumors during the same period. To investigate influencing factors on the survival of irradiated 21 patients with oligodendroglioma, we analyzed the cerebral location of the nvolvements, initial symptoms, CT findings and survival rates, retrospectively. One case was lost to flow up and excluded from survival data. Of the 21 patients, thirteen were male and 8 female. Ages ranged from 5 to 68 years with a median age of 38 years. Radiation doses varied from 3960 cGy to 6480 cGy and were given for 5 to 8 weeks. All but one were supratentorial. The involvement of the frontal and parietal lobes were 10 (48%) patients in each and temporal lobe in 8 (38.1%). Histological diagnosis was made by stereotactic biopsy in 3 and postoperatively in 18. The type of surgery was divided into partial, subtotal and total resection in 7,9 and 2 cases respectively. In 6 cases, chemotherapy was also tried during or after radiation therapy. Major presenting respectively in decreasing order. In CT analysis, low density (62%), cystic mass (33%), calcification (66%) and positive contrast enhancement (42.8%) were observed as the highest frequency. Mean survival duration after radiation therapy was 38 months (K-M methods). We could not achieve statistically significant factors influencing on the survival rate after radiation therapy for oligodendrogliomas by one or two tail test.