Although larger procedure carries more risk, odds of longer survival are higher
FRIDAY, June 17, 2016 (HealthDay News) — More extensive surgeries may best optimize patient survival in glioblastoma multiforme, according to research published online June 16 in JAMA Oncology.
Michael Glantz, M.D., of the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, and colleagues reviewed data from 37 previous studies to ascertain which approach to surgery produces the best outcomes. The studies included 41,117 patients with glioblastoma multiforme.
The researchers found that gross total resection (GTR) increased the odds of one-year survival by 61 percent compared to subtotal resection (STR). Two-year survival was increased by 19 percent after GTR. Both total and more moderate surgeries increased one- and two-year survival compared with biopsy alone. Overall, the more extensive the surgery, the longer patients survived. The researchers also found that patients who underwent GTR were more likely to have slower disease progression over one year.
“When clinically feasible, the body of literature favors GTR in all patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme,” the authors conclude.
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