Institutional experience with chloroquine as an adjuvant to the therapy for glioblastoma multiforme.
BACKGROUND
Results of the current therapy for GBM are dismal; the mean survival time of patients is approximately 1 year-and it has been so for several decades. In preliminary studies, we have observed a potentiating therapeutic effect when chloroquine was added to the conventional treatment of GBM.


METHODS
Over the last 5 years, 41 patients with GBM received chloroquine as an optional adjuvant administered concurrently with conventional surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. These patients did not participate in our previous studies on chloroquine administration and were studied retrospectively; 82 contemporary patients with GBM who did not receive chloroquine were included in this analysis as control subjects. The end point observed was time of survival after surgery.


RESULTS
Survival time in patients treated with chloroquine was 25 +/- 3.4 months, as compared with that of 11.4 +/- 1.3 months in control subjects (P = .000; OR = 0.4; 95% CI = 0.26-0.6); the difference remained significant after regression analysis for possible clinical confounders.


CONCLUSIONS
In agreement with our recent reports, chloroquine exerts a strong adjuvant effect when added to the conventional treatment of GBM. In this large cohort of unselected patients with GBM who were treated with chloroquine, the median survival time doubled as compared with that of control subjects.
Briceño
Eduardo
E
Departments of Neuroimmunology and Neurooncology, National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery of Mexico, Mexico City 14269, Mexico.
Calderon
Alejandra
A
Sotelo
Julio
J
D000328:Adult; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000962:Antimalarials; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D002738:Chloroquine