[Combination Therapy with Radiation, Temozolomide, and Bevacizumab after Partial Tumor Removal in Glioblastoma Patients with Low Performance Status].

INTRODUCTION: It is unclear whether or not bevacizumab(Bev)has a curative ability in newly diagnosed glioblastoma(GBM) patients with low Karnofsky performance status(KPS).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four of 14 patients with newly diagnosed GBM received combination therapy with extended local radiation, temozolomide(TMZ), and Bev after partialremovalor biopsy of the tumor.

RESULTS: The average patient age was 77.2 years(range 67-85)and the male-to-female ratio was 1:3. In all cases, magnetic resonance imaging showed that combination therapy decreased tumor volume and peritumoral edema volume. The therapy was successfully administered to 3 patients without decreasing their KPS. However, 1 patient with seeding lesions dropped out of therapy because of deteriorating consciousness and decreasing KPS.

DISCUSSION: Subgroup analysis in a randomized control study(AVAglio)showed that patients with a PS score of 1-2(corresponding to a KPS score of 60-80)tended to have prolonged survival after Bev treatment compared with those with a PS score of 0(corresponding to a KPS score of 90-100). In the present study, radiochemotherapy with Bev decreased lesion and edema volumes in all patients, and led to maintained or improved KPS in 3 patients. These results suggest that the treatment is potentially effective for patients with newly diagnosed GBM and lower KPS.