Clinicopathological study of oligodendroglial tumors: the effectiveness of interferon beta, ACNU/MCNU, and radiation (IAR/IMR) for anaplastic tumors.

The retrospective clinicopathological characteristics of oligodendroglial tumors were investigated in patients who underwent surgery, radiotherapy, and/or chemotherapy. Regarding oligodendroglioma and oligoastrocytoma without malignancy, patients who had undergone radiation therapy at a total dose of 40-50Gy had relatively long postoperative survival. Of these 15 patients, 6 showed signs of recurrence, and after additional treatment, 5 patients are still alive. On the other hand, regarding anaplastic oligodendroglial tumors, patients with anaplastic oligoastrocytoma responded well to combination chemotherapy with interferon beta, nitrosourea derivatives (ACNU/ MCNU), and radiation therapy (referred to as IAR/IMR) and survived longer than patients with anaplastic oligodendroglioma. In conclusion, patients with oligodendroglial tumors could survive longer by treatment involving surgery and radiotherapy. As for malignancy, cases of anaplastic oligoastrocytoma could be effectively treated by adjuvant therapy using IAR/IMR after surgery, but in cases of anaplastic oligodendroglioma, the response to IAR/IMR was not good, and another strategy of treatment should be recommended.