Treatment Information

Back

Brain – Glioblastoma Multiforme treatment details. Radiation, Biologic therapy.

Hoag Cancer Center, Newport Beach, California, United States.

Survival: monthsCountry:United States
Toxiciy Grade:3City/State/Province:Newport Beach, California
Treatments:Radiation, Biologic therapyHospital:Hoag Cancer Center
Drugs:Journal:Link
Date:Jan 2001

Description:

Patients: A total of 40 patients comprised of 36 patients with glioblastoma multiforme (or grade 4 anaplastic astrocytoma), and 4 patients with grade 3 anaplastic astrocytoma.

Treatment: The treatment consisted of interferon-alpha2a (Roferon-A) and 13-cis-retinoic acid with radiotherapy.

Toxicity: During the course of the treatment, several patients experienced some worsening of neurologic symptoms that appeared to be due to enhanced radiation effect rather than progression of tumor. Other toxicities included cutaneous toxicity, elevations of enzymes (SGOT and LDH), elevation of serum triglycerides (grade 3), fatigue/malaise, and alopecia (attributable to radiation therapy).

Results: Median overall survival was 9.3 months for all patients. The authors concluded, “The major conclusion from this trial is that concurrent administration of 13-cis-retinoic acid plus Interferon-alpha2a with external beam radiation therapy is unlikely to produce a survival benefit compared with that observed with radiation plus IFN (interferon-alpha2a) or radiation therapy alone.”

Support: Hoffman-LaRoche provided the 13-cis-retinoic acid (Accutaine) and Interferon-alpha2a (Roferon-A).





Back