Convection-enhanced delivery of therapeutic agents into the brain.
CED of therapeutic agents remains a promising strategy for treating malignant gliomas and non-neoplastic neurological diseases. Although initial clinical trials have failed to show survival benefit for new agents delivered via this approach, multiple earlier stage trials have addressed only a fraction of the myriad of technical and technological issues that surround this novel approach. Development of CED has been limited by the fact that both new technologies and novel therapeutic agents are being developed simultaneously.New trials are being planned to investigate agents that can be coinfused with radiographic tracers, as well as novel catheters that avoid problems with backflow and potentially will provide more reliable drug distribution.
Department of Neurological Surgery, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA. vogelbm@neus.ccf.org
Michael A
MA
Vogelbaum
Christopher A
CA
Iannotti
D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018481:Convection; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006801:Humans
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents