TREATMENT RESULTS IN 72 LOW AND HIGH GRADE ASTROCYTOMA PATIENTS

72 patients with astrocytoma, treated between 1978-1993 in the department of Radiation Oncology of Vakıf Gureba Hospital, were retrospectively analysed. This study confirmed that age, histological type, initial performance status, time interval between the first symptom and the surgery and treatment modalities were the most important prognostic factors which influenced survival. Patients who are younger than 30, between 31 and 50, and older than 51 respectively had a 3 years overall survival rates of %36.8, %28.5 and %5.5 (P<0.001). Patients with grade I-II astrocytoma had a 5 year overall survival rate of %32.5, versus %7.5 for grade III-IV astrocytoma (P<0.0001). The one year overall survival rate of ambulatory (Karnofsky status >70) patients was %54.8, versus %0 for the non-ambulatory (K.S>20) patients (P<0.001). Five year overall survival for a shorter than 4 months time interval between the first symptom and the surgery was %12.7, while it was %25.5 for a longer than 4 months time interval (P<0.05). Finally, 5 years overall survival in patients treated only with radiotherapy was %0, with surgery and radiotherapy was %20.8, where as surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy was %31 (P<0.02). These results are compared with literature.