Activity of irofulven (6-hydroxymethylacylfulvene) in the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme-derived xenografts in athymic mice.
OBJECTIVE
This study was conducted to define the activity of irofulven in the treatment of a series of xenografts derived from human glioblastoma multiforme growing subcutaneously and intracranially in athymic nude mice.


METHODS
Athymic mice bearing subcutaneous or intracranial tumors were treated with irofulven at a 10% lethal dose with responses compared to tumor-bearing mice treated with drug vehicle.


RESULTS
Irofulven was active against all tumor lines tested with growth delays ranging from 5.6 to 81.6 days (all values statistically significant, P < or = 0.001). Irofulven also produced a statistically significant (P < or = 0.001) increase in the median survival of mice bearing D-456 intracranial xenografts with a 162% increase in median survival.


CONCLUSIONS
Irofulven is active in a spectrum of human glioblastoma multiforme-derived xenografts and evaluation in patients with this neoplasm is warranted.
Friedman
H S
HS
Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
Keir
S T
ST
Houghton
P J
PJ
Lawless
A A
AA
Bigner
D D
DD
Waters
S J
SJ
D000818:Animals; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous
D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; C102714:irofulven