Temozolomide in Elderly Patients With KPS < 70

This trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy, in terms of survival and quality of life, and safety of up-front temozolomide in elderly GBM patients with poor performance status. Patients of 70 years of age or older were eligible to participate in this prospective non-randomised multicentric phase II study if they had newly diagnosed and histologically proven glioblastoma on the basis of the WHO classification, and a postoperative KPS between 30 and 60. Treatment consisted of temozolomide 150-200 mg/m2/day for 5 consecutive days every 4 weeks for a maximum of 12 cycles or until disease progression or prohibited toxicity. Patients were assessed at least every month by means of physical and neurological examinations, KPS, health-related EORTC questionnaires (QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BN20), and MMSE. Complete blood counts and blood chemistry were drawn before each temozolomide cycle; the earlier were also checked every 10 days during the first 2 cycles and every 2 weeks afterwards. CT or MRI studies were repeated every 2 months.