Chemotherapy as initial treatment in gliomatosis cerebri: results with temozolomide.

The optimal therapy for gliomatosis cerebri is unclear, and the rate of response to chemotherapy is not known. Eleven radiotherapy-naive patients received a median number of 10 treatment cycles of temozolomide. An objective response was documented in 45%, and the median time to tumor progression was 13 months with a progression-free survival of 55% at 12 months. These results indicate that radiotherapy to extensive brain regions can be deferred until progressive disease is observed.