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Brain – Glioblastoma Multiforme treatment details. Biologic therapy.

Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States.

Survival: monthsCountry:United States
Toxiciy Grade:4City/State/Province:Durham, NC
Treatments:Biologic therapyHospital:Duke University Medical Center
Drugs:Journal:Link
Date:Dec 2008

Description:

Patients: This phase 2 study involved 81 patients with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme. The median age was 52 years, ranging from 29 to 81. The majority (63%) were men.

Treatment: Patients were treated with the biological therapy cilengitide. Cilengitide is a small piece of a protein, called a peptide. There were two different treatment groups, receiving different doses.

Toxicity: Five deaths occurred while patients were taking the study drug or within 28 days after stopping. Four of these were from progressing disease and one from aspiration pneumonia. Four patients experienced grade 3 toxicities: transaminase elevation, arthralgia, weight gain and headache. One grade 2 intracranial hemorrhage was reported in a patient with progressive disease.

Results: The median overall survival was 9.9 months for patients receiving the higher dose of cilengitide, and 6.5 months for those receiving the lower dose.

Support: This study was supported by Merck KGaA and EMD pharmaceuticals, which developed Cilengitide.

Correspondence: Dr. David A. Reardon



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