Patterns of care and survival of glioblastoma patients: a comparative study between 2004 and 2008 in Lyon, France.

Introduction: The treatment of glioblastomas (GBMs) has changed significantly since 2005. However, the extent to which this change has improved overall survival (OS) of patients treated outside clinical trials remains to be determined.

Methods: We compared the patterns of care and OS of all GBM patients diagnosed in 2004 (n=105) and in 2008 (n=130) in our center.

Results: Younger patients (aged<70 years) diagnosed in 2008 received temozolomide radiochemotherapy as the initial treatment and bevacizumab at recurrence more frequently than those diagnosed in 2004 (69% vs 26% P<10(-4) and 41% vs 3%, P<10(-4), respectively). Elderly patients (aged≥70 years) diagnosed in 2008 received an oncological treatment (radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy) more frequently than those diagnosed in 2004 (67% vs 38%, P=0.006). The patients diagnosed in 2008 had longer OS than those diagnosed in 2004 (10.5 months vs 5.3 months, P=0.001). This finding was true for both younger and elderly patients (15.3 months vs 8.9 months, P=0.02 and 6.4 months vs 3.2 months, P=0.0002, respectively) and when considering only IDH1 wild-type patients (8.9 months vs 5.3 months, P=0.004).

Conclusion: In our center, the change in the patterns of care for GBMs between 2004 and 2008 has been associated with a significant improvement in OS.