"Instant-mix" whole brain photon with neutron boost radiotherapy for malignant gliomas

From July 1985 through March 1987, 44 consecutive patients with supratentorial, nonmetastatic anaplastic astrocytoma (AA) and glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) were treated with whole brain photon irradiation with concomitant neutron boost at the University of Chicago. All patients had biopsy proven disease and surgery ranged from biopsy to total gross excision. Whole brain photon radiation was given at 1.5 Gy per fraction, 5 days weekly for a total dose of 45 Gy in 6 weeks. Neutron boost radiation was prescribed to a target minimum dose that included the pre-surgical CT tumor volume plus 1 cm margin. Neutrons were administered 5-20 minutes prior to photon radiation twice weekly and a total dose of 5.2 Gyn gamma was administered over 6 weeks. Median follow-up was 36 months. The median survival was 40.3 months for anaplastic astrocytoma (10 patients) and 11 months for glioblastoma multiforme (34 patients) and 12 months for the overall group. Variables that predicted longer median survival included histology (AA vs. GBM), age (less than or equal to 39 years vs. older), and extent of surgery (total gross or partial excision vs. biopsy) whereas tumor size and Karnofsky performance status did not have a significant influence. The median survival of the anaplastic astrocytoma group was better than expected compared to the RTOG 80-07 study (a dose-finding study of similar design to this study) and historical data. Reasons for this are discussed.