Survival and quality of life analysis in glioblastoma multiforme with adjuvant chemoradiotherapy: a retrospective study

Background: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and aggressive primary intracranial tumor. Despite mod-ern therapies, it is still fatal with tremendously poor prognosis with a median survival of 14 months. Even though mean sur-vival and progression-free survival (PFS) are considered as primary response measure, it is important to assess the effects of therapies on disease burden and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Changes in quality of life (QoL) indicates the impact of cytotoxic therapy and may aid in defining response in the absence of quantifiable endpoints like tumor regression. The objec-tive was to assess 2-year survival and quality of life in GBM patients who underwent primary surgery followed by chemo-ra-diotherapy and 6-month adjuvant chemotherapy with temozolomide.Materials and methods: Single-institution retrospective study of 60 patients of GBM from 2015 to 2017. Data regarding patient factors, disease factors, and treatment factors were collected and survival was calculated.Results: 60 patients with GBM were analyzed, male to female ratio was 1.6:1. Patients most commonly presented with head-ache. Most common tumour site is the frontal lobe. The median overall survival (OS) was 10 months. The 1-year and 2-year survival rates were 30% and 6.7%, respectively. Compared to before surgery patients have showed improved emotional, social and role functioning in Post radiotherapy period. There was a decrease in symptoms like pain, headache and seizures.Conclusions: OS and QoL in GBM patients remains poor despite constant research and studies. Maximum safe resection followed by adjuvant temozolomide has shown improvement in OS. Post-surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy patients have shown a decrease in symptoms and better QoL.

Automated summary

A retrospective study of 60 GBM patients showed that the most common symptom was headache and the most common tumor site was the frontal lobe. Patients exhibited improved emotional, social, and role functioning after radiotherapy, and symptoms such as pain, headache, and seizures decreased.