title: Hydroxyurea treatment of meningiomas: a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To present a pilot study of hydroxyurea chemotherapy in the management of surgically difficult meningiomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary referral center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six patients were enrolled: five had symptomatic recurrent or residual WHO Grade I meningiomas and one had an unoperated anterior clinoidal meningioma.
  
  
  METHODS
  MRI volumetry before and after treatment, hematological state, progression to surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hydroxyurea was administered for 1 year, starting at a dose of 15 mg/kg/day. No tumors reduced in size on treatment and one continued to grow rapidly. Three remained stable. Full volumetry was unavailable on two patients. One patient was withdrawn from the study because of myelosuppression and underwent further surgery. Three experienced significant drug-related side effects. Two patients underwent further surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  From this small pilot study we conclude that although hydroxyurea may be associated with disease stabilization in some patients, it did not reduce tumor mass and it caused significant side effects in some of our subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT, St. George's Hospital, London, United Kingdom. Gabrielweston@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Gabriel J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Weston
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Ghulam J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Mufti
authors.forename: Anthony J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Strong
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Gleeson