[Therapeutic strategies and prospects of gliomas]

Presse Med. 2004 Oct 23;33(18):1278-83. doi: 10.1016/s0755-4982(04)98907-5.
[Article in French]

Abstract

The prognosis and the treatment of gliomas depend on age, performance status and histological grade. Symptomatic treatment relies on steroids against cerebral edema, anti-epileptic drugs for seizures and perioperatively, prevention of thrombo-embolism and digestive complications, physiotherapy. Specific therapies include surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Surgery is necessary for histological diagnosis. In low grade gliomas, it has a significant impact in terms of survival. In malignant gliomas, surgery provides symptomic relief without clearly improving survival. Radiation therapy has been shown to improve survival in malignant glioma, but not in asymptomatic low grade tumors. Chemotherapy has a modest efficacy in glioblastomas, whereas oligodendrogliomas with 1p 19q deletion are chemosensitive tumors.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Brain Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Brain Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Brain Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Glioma / drug therapy
  • Glioma / pathology*
  • Glioma / surgery*
  • Health Status
  • Humans
  • Neoplasm Staging / methods*
  • Prognosis
  • Survival Analysis

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents