Disappearance of gadolinium enhancement in a chemoresistant astrocytoma of the tectum after high-dose interferon beta.
Interferon beta 6 million units per week was administered to a patient with an aggressive astrocytoma in the tectum that was resistant to cisplatin, etoposide, vinblastine, and the oral alkylating agent temozolomide. The tumor was immunopositive for O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT). Interferon beta caused the disappearance of the gadolinium-enhanced lesion in the tectum. Interferons have apoptotic and antiangiogenic effects on tumor cells, and the lesion's disappearance may have been induced by complexes of these effects. Administration of interferon beta might have a favorable effect on tectal gliomas that are immunopositive for MGMT and resistant to chemoradiotherapy including temozolomide.
Matsuno
Akira
A
Department of Neurosurgery, Teikyo University Chiba Medical Center, Ichihara City, Chiba, Japan. akirakun@med.teikyo-u.ac.jp
Fujimaki
Takamitsu
T
Mizutani
Akiko
A
Ide
Fuyuaki
F
Tanaka
Hideki
H
Asano
Shuichiro
S
Miyawaki
Satoru
S
Uno
Takeshi
T
Tanaka
Junichi
J
Nakaguchi
Hiroshi
H
Sasaki
Mitsuyoshi
M
Murakami
Mineko
M
Yamazaki
Kazuto
K
Ishida
Yasuo
Y
D000293:Adolescent; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003287:Contrast Media; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D019853:O(6)-Methylguanine-DNA Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003336:Tectum Mesencephali / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000077204:Temozolomide; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D003287:Contrast Media; D014747:Vinblastine; D005047:Etoposide; D016899:Interferon-beta; D003606:Dacarbazine; D019853:O(6)-Methylguanine-DNA Methyltransferase; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D002945:Cisplatin; D000077204:Temozolomide