Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of simultaneous postoperative temozolomide radiochemotherapy in glioblastoma patients.
Patients and methods: From February 2002 to July 2004, n = 65 patients from 11 German centers with macroscopic complete tumor resection were randomized to receive either postoperative radiotherapy alone (RT, n = 35) or postoperative radiotherapy with simultaneous temozolomide (RT + TMZ, n = 30). Patients were stratified according to age (< or =/>50 years) and WHO performance score (0-1 vs. 2). RT consisted of 60 Gy in 30 fractions. In the RT + TMZ arm, oral TMZ was administered daily at a dose of 75 mg/m(2) including weekends (40-42 doses). Adjuvant treatment was not given, but in both arms, patients with recurrent tumors and in good condition (WHO 0-2) were scheduled for salvage chemotherapy with TMZ.
Results: The trial was stopped early due to the results of EORTC-study 26981-22981 that showed a survival benefit for the combination of concomitant and adjuvant TMZ compared to radiotherapy alone. In total, 62/65 patients were evaluable. Stratification variables were well balanced (< or = 50 years 26% vs. 20%, WHO 0-1 91% vs. 100%). Neither overall survival (median 17 vs. 15 months) nor progression-free survival (median 7 vs. 6 months) differed significantly between the two arms. In the RT (RT + TMZ) arm, 76% (62%) of the progressing patients received salvage chemotherapy with TMZ, 36% (50%) had a second resection. There was a time-constant trend for increased general quality of life (EORTC questionnaire QLQ C30) and brain-specific quality of life (EORTC questionnaire B20) in the combined arm. Lymphopenia G3-4 was more frequent (33 vs. 6%) in the RT + TMZ arm.
Conclusion: After early closure of this trial, a benefit for progression-free survival for simultaneous TMZ radiochemotherapy alone could not be demonstrated. In both arms, salvage therapies were frequently used and probably had a major effect on overall survival.