title: Non-resectable slow-growing meningiomas treated by hydroxyurea.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the benefit of hydroxyurea in the treatment of recurrent and non-resectable slow-growing meningiomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve patients with regrowing non-malignant meningiomas, were enrolled for a protocol of 2 years with continuous chemotherapy with hydroxyurea, 20 mg/kg/day. Response to treatment was evaluated both clinically and by diagnostic imaging using computed tomography (CT) and 201-Thallium single photon emission CT. One minimal response was documented by CT, accompanied by clinical stabilization. Nine patients showed progressive disease, at least by one imaging procedure, with a median time to progression of 13 months (range 4-24). Two other patients were not available for response due to early removal from the study, following abrupt manifestation of grades 3-4 hematological toxicity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this series hydroxyurea has not shown effectiveness in the treatment of non-resectable slow-growing meningiomas: neither for achieving response, nor for arresting disease progression.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Oncology, Ha'Emek Medical Center, Afula, Israel. loven_da@clalit.org.il
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Loven
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hardoff
authors.forename: Zvi Bar
authors.initials: ZB
authors.lastname: Sever
authors.forename: Adam P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Steinmetz
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gornish
authors.forename: Zvi H
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Rappaport
authors.forename: Eyal
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fenig
authors.forename: Zvi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ram
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sulkes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006918:Hydroxyurea / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008579:Meningioma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D006918:Hydroxyurea