New drugs in recurrent high grade gliomas.
BACKGROUND
The incidence of Central Nervous System (CNS) neoplasias ranges from 3.8 to 5.1 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. In the presence of recurrence, the treatment is problematic; chemotherapy is experimental, primarily because the response is palliative and of limited duration.


METHODS
This article analyzes the new drugs that have been introduced for the treatment of these patients in recent years, the objective response, the TTP and the MST.


RESULTS
The most encouraging results to date come from studies of temozolomide, which is one of the most active and best tolerated drugs in recent years.


CONCLUSIONS
New approaches to chemotherapy treatment are necessary. Enrollment of patients into rigorous, well-conducted, clinical trials, both at tumor diagnosis and after tumor recurrence, will generate new information regarding investigational therapies and may offer improved therapies for patients with malignant gliomas.
Divisione di Oncologia Medica, Azienda Ospedale, Università, Padova, Italia. brandes@ux1.unipd.it
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Brandes
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Pasetto
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Monfardini
D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002360:Carubicin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004260:DNA Repair / Q000187:drug effects; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005910:Glioma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006072:Gossypol / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D015255:Idarubicin / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077146:Irinotecan; D015474:Isotretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010648:Phenylacetates / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077204:Temozolomide; D059004:Topoisomerase I Inhibitors; D019772:Topotecan / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D010648:Phenylacetates; D059004:Topoisomerase I Inhibitors; D013629:Tamoxifen; C053537:morpholinoanthracycline MX2; D000077146:Irinotecan; D003606:Dacarbazine; D019772:Topotecan; D002360:Carubicin; D015474:Isotretinoin; C025136:phenylacetic acid; D006072:Gossypol; D017239:Paclitaxel; D002166:Camptothecin; D000077204:Temozolomide; D015255:Idarubicin