Low-grade astrocytoma--a retrospective analysis of 102 patients.

One hundred and two patients (57 males, 45 females, median age 17 years) with histologically proven low-grade astrocytoma (grades I, II) treated between 1978 and 1994 were retrospectively analyzed at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center. Microscopic investigation showed 50 patients (48%) with grade I tumors as opposed to 52 patients (52%) with grade II tumors. Fifteen patients (15%) had complete surgical excision, 55 (52%) had partial excision and 32 (31%) had biopsy only; 68 patients (66%) received external radiotherapy with a median dose of 54 Gy (range 45-68.5 Gy). With a median follow-up of 3.3 years, the 5 and 10 years, overall actuarial survival rates were 78% and 62%, respectively while the progression-free survival rates at 5 and 10 years were 69%, and 35%, respectively. Age and performance status were significant prognostic factors in terms of overall survival on univariate (p = 0.05 and 0.05, respectively) and multivariate analysis (p = 0.005 and 0.006, respectively).