1. Treatment of malignant gliomas: a new approach.
- Author
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Paccapelo A, Piana C, Rychlicki F, Recchioni MA, Salvolini U, Ducati A, and Bonsignori M
- Subjects
- Adult, Aged, Carotid Artery, Internal, Drug Administration Schedule, Female, Humans, Infusions, Intra-Arterial, Male, Middle Aged, Quality of Life, Survival Analysis, Treatment Outcome, Vertebral Artery, Antineoplastic Agents administration & dosage, Antineoplastic Agents adverse effects, Brain Neoplasms drug therapy, Glioma drug therapy, Nimustine administration & dosage, Nimustine adverse effects
- Abstract
The aim of this study is to describe the authors' experience with intra-arterial ACNU chemotherapy of malignant gliomas. The prognosis of cerebral malignant gliomas remains poor, whatever traditional therapy is applied. ACNU is a well tolerated nitrosourea with a strong antimitotic effect on neurogenic cells both in vitro and in vivo; this drug has enhanced efficacy when used at high concentrations, particularly as an intraarterial infusion. Seventy-six patients have been studied to date, 68 of whom are evaluable; these patients were treated by intra-arterial infusion of ACNU (100 mg/m2) every 6 weeks, with a mean of 2.5 courses per patient. The objective response (OR) was 28% and analysis of pretreatment factors revealed that survival was influenced by histological grade, other types of therapy applied, and age. In general IAC is well tolerated and the response and survival appear to be better than with systemic chemotherapy.
- Published
- 1998
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