Postoperatively administered therapy in glioblastoma multiforme: impasse or progress

Abstract

The prognosis of patients with glioblastoma remains extremely poor, this tumour still present the supreme challenge to the local modes of therapy. Clinical research concerning the role and place of radiation therapy has been very active for the last thirty years. All the concepts developed in the laboratories of radiobiology were explored: radiosensitisation of hypoxic tumours, particle therapy, irradiation in hyperbaric oxygen conditions, hyperfractionated radiotherapy and local dose escalation using stereotactic techniques (radiosurgery) or brachytherapy. All this approaches failed to improve significantly the results of treatment of these patients.