title: Combined intra-arterial chemotherapy and irradiation of malignant gliomas.
abstract: Seventy-nine patients with malignant gliomas (19 anaplastic astrocytomas and 60 glioblastoma multiforme) received 4 cycles of infra-ophthalmic carotid injection of 160 mg carmustine, 2 mg vincristine IV and procarbazine orally 50 mg 3 times daily for 1 week, followed by whole-brain irradiation, with a midpoint dose of 54 Gy/6 weeks. Response, judged by CT-scan, was seen in 31 out of 57 evaluable patients with a median survival of 30 months and 40% survival at 3 years. In all patients who responded to the treatment, a tumour regression was seen on CT-scan after chemotherapy before irradiation. In the 26 patients with progressive disease under chemotherapy, the median survival was 5 months. None of the patients who had progressive disease during chemotherapy had benefit from irradiation. The most important prognostic factors were good pretreatment performance status, glucocorticoid dependency and age. Few serious side-effects of the angiographic procedure were seen. Leukoencephalopathy was not observed in this study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Watne
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nome
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hager
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hirschberg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D002330:Carmustine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D005910:Glioma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007261:Infusions, Intra-Arterial; D007968:Leukoencephalopathy, Progressive Multifocal / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D002330:Carmustine