Prospective evaluation of a prognostic index for intrinsic supratentorial tumours.

A prognostic index for patients with intrinsic supratentorial tumours based on prebiopsy findings was proposed on the basis of data bases of patients presenting between 1975 and 1989. The value of this index is confirmed from data on 76 patients who presented during 1991. Patients classified by the index as having a poor prognosis had a median survival of six months, and those classified as having a good prognosis had a median survival of five years. The expected duration of survival, allowing for this initial prognosis, also depended on whether a patient received resective surgery, radiotherapy, or steroids. Histological grade provided no additional information on survival.