Abstract
The management of recurrence in patients with high-grade glioma remains controversial. The lack of clear molecular targets to guide systemic therapy for patients has resulted in the use of various systemic agents with modest efficacy but with significant side effects. Tamoxifen has been used in our centre with some success and excellent tolerability.
Highlights
The management of recurrence in patients with high-grade glioma remains controversial
All patients included in the study underwent initial surgery, radiotherapy and experienced disease recurrence. They were typically heavily pretreated with approximately 60% of the patients receiving at least three chemotherapeutic agents before starting tamoxifen
We observed that patients on tamoxifen had a median overall survival of 24.9 weeks
Summary
The lack of clear molecular targets to guide systemic therapy for patients has resulted in the use of various systemic agents with modest efficacy but with significant side effects. The management of recurrence in patients with high-grade glioma remains controversial. Three approaches to management include repeat surgery, re-irradiation, and systemic therapy used either alone or in combination [1]. Despite advances in molecular diagnostic approaches incorporating predictive markers such as O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter methylation and 1p/19q co-deletion to guide first-line therapy of high-grade glioma, we lack clear molecular targets to guide systemic therapy used in recurrence. Data from a retrospective review and a meta-analysis evaluating various systemic agents for recurrent high-grade glioma show median overall survival (mOS) rates which vary between 28 and 44 weeks [10,11]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
