title: Convection-enhanced delivery in clinical trials.
abstract: The poor prognosis associated with the current management of malignant gliomas has led investigators to develop alternative treatments such as targeted toxin therapy. The optimal method for administering these agents is under development but appears to be convection-enhanced delivery (CED). The direct intratumoral infusion of targeted toxins was first performed in nude mouse flank tumor models of human malignant glioma. After the demonstration of in vivo efficacy, these potent cytotoxic compounds were tested in Phase I and Phase II clinical trials. Using a high-flow microinfusion technique, volumes of up to 180 ml were infused by CED through catheters placed directly into brain tumors. Minor systemic toxicity was seen in the form of hepatic enzyme elevation. Neural toxicity manifested as seizure activity and hemiparesis resulted from peritumoral edema that followed the completion of the infusion. Peritumoral toxicity was believed to be more related to the concentration of the infused immunotoxin than to the infusion volume. In approximately half of patients treated with CED a stable disease course, a partial response, or a complete response was demonstrated in some clinical trials. Targeted toxin therapy has clinical efficacy in patients with malignant gliomas. Convection-enhanced delivery appears to represent an effective method for administering these agents in patients with malignant brain tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: Walter A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rustamzadeh
authors.forename: Anthony L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Asher
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D017321:Clinical Trials, Phase I as Topic; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D018481:Convection; D004058:Diffusion; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005910:Glioma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000922:Immunotoxins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D036502:Infusions, Intralesional / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D051379:Mice; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000922:Immunotoxins