Coincidence vs Cause: Cure in Three Glioblastoma Patients Treated with Brachytherapy

BACKGROUND: Very long term survival after diagnosis of malignant glioma has been described in individual case reports. Survival of more than 10 years is extremely rare, especially when identified in 3 out of 71 patients assigned to one arm of a randomized controlled trial. PATIENTS: Three patients survived 11, 16, and 18 years following the diagnosis of glioblastoma and treatment with surgery, conventional fractionated radiation, and high-activity iodine-125 boost brachytherapy as part of a randomized controlled trial. CONCLUSION: Despite this apparent cause and effect relationship, statistical analysis shows no relationship between these cures and treatment with brachytherapy. Cure of glioblastoma remains rare.