[Post-operative radiotherapy of hemisphere gliomas in the adult. A statistical study of 134 cases (author's transl)].

A series of 134 adults patient with hemisphere gliomas who received post-operative radiation after surgical excision, either by conventional radiotherapy or high energy radiation, between 1966 and 1972 in the Léon-Bérard Centre. Overall survival for grade I and II astrocytomas at two years was 15/29, or 51%. Overall survival for glioblastomas was 30/91, i.e. 33% at one year, and 3/91 or 3.3% at two years. High energy radiation gave slightly superior results to conventional radiotherapy. The best results were obtained with concentrated irradiation when two series of irradiation were possible : 8/17 at one year (47%). Analysis of the literature indicates that radiotherapy, whilst remaining controversial for grades I and II astrocytomas, is recognised to be useful by all in the case of glioblastomas. The authors favour the post-operative irradiation 6,00 to 6,500 Rads, localised) for grade I and II astrocytomas with pejorative characteristics and routin- post-operative irradiation for glioblastomas over a wide field taking in almost the entire brain. This may be spread (6,000 Rads) or in a "split course" (two series of 1,800 each). The latter technique has the advantage of a simple protocol, better adapted to lesions in which the final prognosis remains very poor. Finally, the indications for radiotherapy in the case of supra-tentorial ependymomas (3 cases) and oligodendrogliomas (6 cases) are presented, together with an analysis of the complications of radiotherapy for cerebral tumours.