title: Procarbazine chemotherapy in the treatment of recurrent malignant astrocytomas after radiation and nitrosourea failure.
abstract: The Brain Tumor Study Group has shown procarbazine (PCB) to be as effective an adjuvant treatment as 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU). We treated 35 patients with recurrent malignant astrocytomas after radiation and nitrosourea failure with successive courses of PCB 150 mg/m2/d for 28 days every 8 weeks. After 2 courses, 2 patients had complete responses, 7 had partial responses, 11 had stable disease, and 15 had progression. Significantly more patients receiving PCB had complete or partial responses or stable disease than a similar group of patients in a previous trial who received intra-arterial (IA) cisplatin (DDP). There is a significant advantage in time to disease progression for those receiving PCB compared with those receiving IA diaziquone (AZQ). Our results suggest that PCB is a more effective 2nd agent than IA DDP or AZQ following radiation and nitrosourea failure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Michigan Hospitals, Ann Horbor 48109-0316.
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Newton
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Junck
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bromberg
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Page
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Greenberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D016371:Cranial Irradiation; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D009607:Nitrosourea Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011344:Procarbazine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012074:Remission Induction
chemical_list: D009607:Nitrosourea Compounds; D011344:Procarbazine