The effect of temozolomide as consolidation chemotherapy on treatment results of glioblastoma multiforme patients treated with concomittant radiotherapy and temozolomide

This retrospective study was performed to determine the efficacy of adjuvant temozolomide after radiotherapy with concomitant temozolomide in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastome multiforme. Twenty-nine patients (15 in arm I and 14 in arm II) were included in this retrospective trial. Temozolomide (75 mg/m(2)/d x 7 d/wk for 6 weeks) was administered concomitantly with fractionated radiotherapy (60 Gy total dose: 2 Gy x 5 d/wk for 6 weeks) followed by adjuvant temozolomide monotherapy (200 mg/m(2)/d x 5 days, every 28 days for six cycles) or no adjuvant chemotherapy. Overall survival and median disease free survival were 19.4 and 7 months respectively in arm I. Overall survival and median disease free survival were 20.9 and 6 months respectively in arm II. There was no statistical significance (p=0.37 ve p=0.06 respectively). We could not determine any benefit of adjuvant temozolomide following concurrent temozolomide with radiotherapy in this limited number retrospective cohort. Further studies are needed in order to clarify this issue.