Postsurgical Approaches in Low-Grade Oligodendroglioma: Is Chemotherapy Alone Still an Option?

Low-grade gliomas with high-risk features, defined according to Radiation Therapy Oncology Group criteria, receive radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy as postsurgical treatments. Radiotherapy, however, has serious long-term effects (cognitive impairment), which are to be taken into account in these young patients. Moreover, low-grade gliomas with isocitrate dehydrogenase mutation and 1p19q codeletion (oligodendrogliomas) have an extremely long survival and a better prognosis. This study suggests that postsurgical treatments prolong the time before tumor progression in patients with good prognosis as well as those with oligodendroglioma. Moreover, temozolomide alone might not be effective in prolonging progression-free survival.