Megavoltage irradiation in the treatment of gliomas of the brain and spinal cord

Curative radiotherapy was attempted in treating 256 patients with unresected or partially excised gliomas of the brain and spinal cord. Survival decreased with increasing age, reflecting the different incidences of tumor types in various age groups. Actuarial 5-year survival ranged from 85% for cerebellar astrocytomas, to 47% for medulloblastomas, to 41% for cerebral hemispheric astrocytomas, and 0% for glioblastoma multiforme. Further improvements in survival utilizing radiotherapy are unlikely until new adjuncts are developed, for higher radiation doses may lead to a disproportionate increase in radiation complications.