The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 272 No 7303 p729
12 June 2004

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American Society of Clinical Oncology: reports (more)

Temozolomide plus radiotherapy improves survival in brain tumour

Patients with glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer that is difficult to treat, show a survival benefit if temozolomide (Temodal) is given along with the standard treatment of radiation therapy following surgery, according to data presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting this week.

In this phase III trial, 573 patients with glioblastoma were randomised to receive radiotherapy plus or minus concomitant temozolomide. The results showed an improvement in overall survival at two years with 26 per cent of patients alive in the temozolomide group and 10 per cent alive in the radiation alone group (hazard ratio 0.63, 95 per cent confidence interval 0.52–0.75, P<0.0001). Side effects of the therapy were mild to moderate, including fatigue and occasional nausea.

Roger Stupp, University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland, and lead author, said that temozolomide is usually used at the time of recurrence of glioblastoma rather than during radiation therapy. “These data will probably change the standard of care,” he said. Dr Stupp added that collaborative research needs to continue to further improve outcome in these patients.

The reports on this page are from the 40th annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology which took place in New Orleans, Louisiana, from June 5 to 8. The Journal attended the congress courtesy of Eli Lilly