Final report of a phase I/II trial of hyperfractionated and accelerated hyperfractionated radiation therapy with carmustine for adults with supratentorial malignant gliomas: Radiation therapy oncology group study 83‐02

Efforts to improve local control and survival by increasing the dose of once‐daily radiation therapy beyond 70 Gray (Gy) for patients with malignant gliomas have as yet been unsuccessful. Hyperfractionated radiation therapy (HF) should allow for delivery of a higher total dose without increasing normal tissue late effects, whereas accelerated hyperfractionated radiation therapy (AHF) may minimize tumor repopulation by shortening overall treatment time. The Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) conducted a randomized Phase I/II study of escalating doses of HF and AHF with carmustine (bis‐chloroethyl nitrosourea [BCNU]) for adults with supratentorial glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) or anaplastic astrocytoma (AA). Primary study endpoints were overall survival and acute and chronic treatment‐related toxicity.