title: Unusual and severe symptomatic impairment of neutrophil function after one cycle of temozolomide in patients with malignant glioma.
abstract: Temozolomide, a recently approved cytotoxic agent for the treatment of malignant glioma, has shown promising results in the treatment studies published so far. However, cytopenia and related infectious complications have been reported in 2-8% of cases. Here we present three treatment-naive patients with malignant glioma experiencing cytopenia and/or infectious complications after the first cycle of temozolomide. Neutrophils obtained from each patient up to 6 weeks after the end of the temozolomide application showed normal phagocytic capacity but decreased oxygen radical production and thus impairment of microcidal activity. Our data suggest that a prolonged impairment of the immunological defense may occur in temozolomide-treated patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine I, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss-Allee 11, 93042 Regensburg, Germany. pia.hartmann@klinik.uni-regensburg.de
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hartmann
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Herholz
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Salzberger
authors.forename: H F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Petereit
mesh_terms: D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D010587:Phagocytosis; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism; D000077204:Temozolomide
chemical_list: D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D013481:Superoxides; D003606:Dacarbazine; D000077204:Temozolomide