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Clinical and dosimetric study of radiotherapy for glioblastoma: three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy versus intensity-modulated radiotherapy

Journal of Neuro-Oncology volume 137, pages 429–438 (2018)Cite this article

Abstract

Background and purpose

We aimed to compare three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for the treatment of glioblastoma.

Materials and methods

Retrospective study of 220 patients with glioblastoma, treated with 3D-CRT or IMRT, with or without surgery. Dosimetric parameters as well as clinical and survival data for the two techniques were analyzed and compared.

Results

The median conformity index was 1.53 (range 0–2.69) for 3D-CRT and 1.25 (range 0.97–2.01) for IMRT, p < 10−4. The median homogeneity index was 0.10 (range 0.03–0.32) for 3D-CRT and 0.07 (range 0.03–0.18) for IMRT, p < 10−4. There were significantly fewer acute grade 1 and 2 neurological toxicities in the IMRT group especially for edema (1.3 versus 12.4%, p = 0.017), concentration disorders (6.6 versus 19.9%, p = 0.003) and consciousness disorders (2.6 versus 13.2%, p = 0.002) although IMRT patients had a significantly worse pre-treatment neurological status than 3D-CRT patients. Median survival was 16.0 months (range 11.9–17.8) for IMRT and 13.4 months (range 11.7–15.7) for 3D-CRT patients (p = 0.542).

Conclusion

IMRT improved target conformity and reduced neurological toxicities for patients with glioblastomas.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Philip Bastable for his review and corrections of the wording in this manuscript.

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiation Oncology, Georges François Leclerc Cancer Center, Dijon, France

    David Thibouw, Gilles Truc, Cédric Chevalier & Céline Mirjolet

  2. Department of Statistics, Georges François Leclerc Cancer Center, Dijon, France

    Aurélie Bertaut

  3. Department of Medical Physics, Georges François Leclerc Cancer Center, Dijon, France

    Léone Aubignac

Authors
  1. David Thibouw
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  2. Gilles Truc
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  3. Aurélie Bertaut
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  4. Cédric Chevalier
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  5. Léone Aubignac
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  6. Céline Mirjolet
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gilles Truc.

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For this type of retrospective study, formal consent is not required.

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Thibouw, D., Truc, G., Bertaut, A. et al. Clinical and dosimetric study of radiotherapy for glioblastoma: three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy versus intensity-modulated radiotherapy. J Neurooncol 137, 429–438 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11060-017-2735-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11060-017-2735-y

Keywords

  • Glioblastoma
  • Intensity-modulated radiation therapy
  • 3D conformational radiation therapy
  • Dosimetric outcomes
  • Clinical outcomes