Postoperative irradiation of low-grade astrocytomas: Retrospective analysis of 71 patients

Seventy-one patients (28 females and 43 males) with histologically confirmed grade I or II astrocytomas underwent postoperative megavoltage irradiation at standard doses between 1974 and 1985. Patients were aged 3-72 years (median age, 39). A retrospective analysis was undertaken to evaluate patient and treatment variables that might affect survival in a relatively homogeneous treatment population. Patient variables with prognostic significance were performance status, age, and sex. Important treatment variables were completeness of surgical removal and daily dose. Survival was 42% at 5 years and 26% at 7 years