title: Effectiveness of interferon-beta therapy for recurrent glioblastoma: a case report.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Glioblastoma has a poor prognosis, with few therapeutic options if it recurs. We report a case in which we were able to inhibit the growth of a recurrent glioblastoma by weekly single-dose administration of interferon-beta.
  
  
  METHODS
  A patient with recurrent glioblastoma after radiation and chemotherapy was treated with nimustine and interferon-beta. After 2 cycles of nimustine, the patient's leukocyte, neutrophil, and platelet counts showed grade 4 toxicity according to the National Cancer Institute's Common Toxicity Criteria. The patient was treated with a weekly single dose of interferon-beta at 6 x 10(6) IU. The tumor showed no remarkable changes after 18 months, and the patient's Karnofsky performance status remained at 50%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The administration of interferon-beta produced long-term control in one case of glioblastoma and may be an effective therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Kitasato University, School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan. utsuki@med.kitasato-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Utsuki
authors.forename: Hidehiro
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oka
authors.forename: Yoshiteru
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miyajima
authors.forename: Kimitoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Sachio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Kiyotaka
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujii
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017567:Karnofsky Performance Status; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D015376:Nimustine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D015376:Nimustine; D016899:Interferon-beta