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Brain tumors carry a poor prognosis, and newer approaches to their therapy are urgently needed. Natural killer T (NKT) cells are distinct innate lymphocytes with antitumor potentials. Defects in NKT cell function have been observed in patients with other forms of cancer. Here we show that both the frequency and interferon-γ-producing function of NKT cells are well preserved in adult patients with glioma (n = 9) and comparable to findings in healthy controls (n = 9). These cells can be readily expanded in culture using autologous mature dendritic cells loaded with the NKT ligand, α-galactosyl ceramide. The expanded NKT cells from glioma patients are functional and, importantly, kill glioma cells in a ligand- and CD1d-dependent manner. Expression of CD1d is detected both on primary glioma cells as well as endothelial cells in infiltrating new blood vessels by immunohistochemistry of glioma tissue sections. These data suggest that targeting NKT cells may provide a novel strategy for immunotherapy of glioma. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To study the effectiveness of combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy for children with high-grade astrocytomas of the posterior fossa.Patients and Methods: In the CCG-945 study, 250 patients were treated by members of the Children's Cancer Group (CCG). Sixteen children were randomly assigned to one of two chemotherapy regimens, vincristine, lomustine, and prednisone or ‘8-in-1’, using the same involved-field irradiation in both. Six infants received 8-in-1 chemotherapy before involved-field irradiation. All pathologic specimens had central review.Results: Twenty-two patients with an institutional diagnosis high-grade posterior fossa tumors received chemotherapy and/or irradiation. Fifteen were confirmed by central review to have high-grade gliomas. Overall survival for confirmed high-grade astrocytoma of the posterior fossa was approximately 36 ± 13% at 5 years for the children (n = 11) and 25 ± 15% at 5 years for the infants (n = 4).Conclusions: Involved-field irradiation with chemotherapy appeared to prevent extraneural and subarachnoid metastases. We also confirmed the rarity of the tumor (6% of patients registered). Further Phase III trials are necessary to improve survival in this aggressive tumor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]