AUTHOR=She Lei , Gong Xuan , Su Lin , Liu Chao 

TITLE=Effectiveness and safety of tumor-treating fields therapy for glioblastoma: A single-center study in a Chinese cohort

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neurology

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2022

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2022.1042888

DOI=10.3389/fneur.2022.1042888

ISSN=1664-2295

ABSTRACT=Objective: Tumor-treating fields (TTFields) is a new therapeutic modality for patients with glioblastoma (GBM). However, studies on survival outcomes to TTFields are rarely reported in China. This study aimed to examine the clinical efficacy and safety of TTFields therapy for GBM in China.                                         
Methods: A total of 93 patients with newly diagnosed GBM (ndGBM) and recurrent GBM (rGBM) were included in our study retrospectively. They were divided into two groups according to whether they used TTFields. Progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and toxicities were assessed.
Results: Among the ndGBM patients, there were 13 cases with TTFields and 39 cases with no TTFields. The median PFS was 15.3 (95% confidence interval (CI): 6.5-24.1) months and 10.6 (95% CI: 5.4-15.8) months in the two groups, respectively, P = 0.041. The median OS was 24.8 (95% CI: 6.8-42.8) months and 18.6 (95% CI: 11.4-25.8) months, respectively, P = 0.368. In patients with subtotal resection (STR), patients who used TTFields had better PFS than those who did not (P=0.003). Among the rGBM patients, there were 13 cases with TTFields and 28 cases with no TTFields. The median PFS was 8.4 (95% CI: 1.7-15.2) months and 8.0 (95% CI: 5.8-10.2) months in the two groups, respectively, P = 0.265. The median OS was 10.6 (95% CI: 4.8-16.4) months and 13.3 (95% CI: 11.0-15.6) months, respectively, P = 0.655. A total of 21 patients (21/26, 80.8%) with TTFields developed dermatological adverse events (dAEs). All the dAEs could be resolved or controlled.
Conclusion: TTFields therapy is a safe and effective treatment for ndGBM, especially in patients with STR.  However, it may not improve survival in rGBM patients.