Chemotherapy of Diffuse Astrocytoma (WHO grade II) in Adults.

The effectiveness of chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy for diffuse astrocytoma (DA) has been largely unknown until recently. However, a randomized controlled study (RTOG 9802) showed that adding of procarbazine, CCNU, and vincristine (PCV) chemotherapy to fractionated radiotherapy (FRT) in patients with "high-risk" WHO grade II gliomas, including DA, has significant positive impact on both progression-free survival and overall survival. Effectiveness of temozolomide (TMZ) in cases of low-grade gliomas was also reported, and a randomized phase III trial comparing FRT alone or in combination with TMZ in cases of unresectable DA (JCOG 1303) is currently ongoing.