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To Treat or Not to Treat?

J. Gregory Cairncross, MD; Normand J. Laperriere, MD

Arch Neurol. 1989;46(11):1238-1239.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

We believe there is insufficient evidence to justify the aggressive treatment (ie, surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy) of all low-grade gliomas of the cerebral hemispheres. The indolent nature of these tumors makes it difficult, in the absence of a properly controlled clinical trial, to evaluate the true effectiveness of intervention. Conclusions and recommendations based solely on the analysis of retrospective data are suspect. Further, the indolent course of these neoplasms raises the possibility that the potential benefits of treatment will, in the long run, be offset by treatment-related toxic effects.

We state at the outset that surgery has an important role to play in the treatment of selected patients and specific types of low-grade gliomas. For example, surgery is the principal treatment for childhood cystic astrocytoma of the cerebellum. Surgery may be lifesaving in patients with large hemispheric tumors or cysts and threatened herniation. Surgery may be necessary to relieve cerebrospinal . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

Author Affiliations

Footnotes

Reprint requests to London Regional Cancer Centre, 790 Commissioners Rd E, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 4L6 (Dr Cairncross).

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