Temozolomide: a new oral cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agent with promising activity against primary brain tumours.
Temozolomide, a new oral cytotoxic agent, has been given to 28 patients with primary brain tumours. Treatment was given at a dose of 150 mg/m2/day for 5 days (i.e. total dose 750 mg/m2) escalating, if no significant myelosuppression was noted on day 22, to 200 mg/m2/day for 5 days (i.e. total dose 1000 mg/m2) for subsequent courses at 4 week intervals. A major improvement in computer tomography (CT) scan was noted in 5/10 patients with astrocytomas recurrent after radiotherapy, with a major clinical improvement but minor improvement on CT scan in one further patient. Reduction in the size of the CT lesion was also observed in 4/7 patients with newly diagnosed high grade astrocytomas given 2-3 courses of temozolomide prior to irradiation. 1 patient with recurrent medulloblastoma had a clinical response in bone metastases. Temozolomide was well tolerated with little subjective toxicity and usually predictable myelosuppression and is a promising new drug in the treatment of primary brain tumours.
Department of Medical Oncology, Charing Cross Hospital, London, U.K.
S M
SM
O'Reilly
E S
ES
Newlands
M G
MG
Glaser
M
M
Brampton
J M
JM
Rice-Edwards
R D
RD
Illingworth
P G
PG
Richards
C
C
Kennard
I R
IR
Colquhoun
P
P
Lewis
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D000077204:Temozolomide; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D003606:Dacarbazine; D000077204:Temozolomide