title: Pilot study of combination 5-fluorouracil, cisdiamminedichloroplatinum II, and radiation therapy for grade III and IV astrocytomas.
abstract: Nineteen patients with biopsy-proven high-grade astrocytomas received as initial treatment whole-brain radiation and combination chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), 1,000 mg/m2/24 h as a continuous infusion for 96 h, and bolus cisdiamminedichloroplatinum II (CDDP), 100 mg/m2. Chemotherapy cycles were repeated on day 21, then every 28 days until progression or completion of six cycles. All 19 patients completed one cycle of chemotherapy. Toxicity was moderate, with cytopenias, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomatitis, and reversible azotemia. Survival ranged from 2 to 160+ weeks, with a median of 35 weeks. The survival of the pilot group was compared with historical controls treated with radiation plus 1,3,-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU). Controls were similar in histology, age, performance score, and survival, without statistically significant differences. The combination of radiation therapy, continuous-infusion 5-FU, and bolus CDDP as described here for high-grade astrocytomas is moderately toxic and appears to offer no survival advantage compared with radiation therapy plus BCNU.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Harper-Grace Hospital, Detroit, Michigan.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Decker
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kinzie
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abu-Zahra
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Sarraf
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011867:Radioisotope Teletherapy; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011882:Radiotherapy, High-Energy
chemical_list: D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes; D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil