Survival in malignant astrocytoma at King Khalid University Hospital.

ABSTRACT

Malignant astrocytoma (Kernohan grade III and IV) still has one of the worst outcomes of all malignant tumors. To determine factors affecting the survival of patients with malignant astrocytoma in Saudi Arabia, a retrospective study of 76 cases that were treated at King Khalid University Hospital over one decade was carried out. Kaplan-Meier survival diagrams were constructed for each prognostic factor. Twenty-eight percent of cases survived two years. A significantly better survival rate was found in females, patients patients who had re-operation for a recurrence. A better survival rate which did not reach significance was found in patients with grade III tumors, patients with a Karnofsky score of >/=70 at presentation, patients who had craniotomy and excision and patients who had radiotherapy. It is suggested that to improve the outcome of patients with malignant astrocytoma, aggressive surgical excision with radiotherapy (and possibly chemotherapy) is required.