title: "One week on-one week off": efficacy and side effects of dose-intensified temozolomide chemotherapy: experiences of a single center.
abstract: To evaluate in a single center retrospectively the efficacy and tolerability of a weekly regimen, which alternates temozolomide (TMZ) in patients with recurrent or progressive high-grade glioma (HGG). From January 2005 until June 2011, 54 patients with recurrent or progressive HGG were treated with TMZ 150 mg/m²/day on days 1-7 and 15-21 of a 28-day cycle ("one week on-one week off" scheme; TMZ 7/14) with individual dose adjustment depending on toxicity. The majority of patients (n = 48, 89 %) was treated at first tumor recurrence or progression. All patients had received prior radiotherapy with or without concomitantly administered TMZ and, optionally, adjuvant chemotherapy. After initiation of TMZ 7/14, MRI was obtained every 8-12 weeks. Tumor response or progression was assessed according to Macdonald criteria. Blood examinations were performed weekly. Toxicity was evaluated according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE; version 3.0). A total of 434 treatment weeks with TMZ 7/14 were delivered. The median number of treatment weeks was 7 (range, 1-41 weeks). No grade 4 hematological toxicity and no opportunistic infections occurred. Patients with neutropenia were not observed. Two patients developed grade 3 and 4 patients grade 2 leukocytopenia. Thrombocytopenia grade 3 and grade 2 occurred in 4 patients and 6 patients, respectively. The progression-free survival (PFS) rate at 6 months was 43 %. Median PFS from treatment initiation was 18 weeks (95 % CI, 14-22 weeks) and median overall survival (OS) was 37 weeks (95 % CI, 31-42 weeks). The rates for PFS and OS at 1 year were 24 and 28 %, respectively. Our data suggest that treatment with TMZ 7/14 is safe and effective in patients with recurrent or progressive HGG.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50924, Cologne, Germany. norbert.galldiks@uk-koeln.de
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Galldiks
authors.forename: Theresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Berhorn
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Blau
authors.forename: Veronika
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dunkl
authors.forename: Gereon R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Fink
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schroeter
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018450:Disease Progression; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005910:Glioma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D000077204:Temozolomide
chemical_list: D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D003606:Dacarbazine; D000077204:Temozolomide