title: Recent developments in chemotherapy for meningiomas: a review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Currently, few medical options exist for refractory and atypical/anaplastic meningiomas. New developments in chemotherapeutic options for meningiomas have been explored over the past decade. The authors review these recent developments, with an emphasis on emerging avenues for therapy, clinical efficacy, and adverse effects.
  
  
  METHODS
  A review of the literature was performed to identify any studies exploring recent medical and chemotherapeutic agents that have been or are currently being tested for meningiomas.
  
  
  RESULTS
  from included preclinical and human clinical trials were reviewed and summarized.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Current guidelines recommend only 3 drugs that can be used to treat patients with refractory and highgrade meningiomas: hydroxyurea, interferon-α 2B, and Sandostatin long-acting release. Recent developments in the medical treatment of meningiomas have been made across a variety of pharmacological classes, including cytotoxic agents, hormonal agents, immunomodulators, and targeted agents toward a variety of growth factors and their signaling cascades. Promising avenues of therapy that are being evaluated for efficacy and safety include antagonists of platelet-derived growth factor receptor, epidermal growth factor receptor, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor, and mammalian target of rapamycin. Because malignant transformation in meningiomas is likely to be mediated by numerous processes interacting via a complex matrix of signals, combination therapies affecting multiple molecular targets are currently being explored and hold significant promise as adjuvant therapy options.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Improved understanding of the molecular mechanisms driving meningioma tumorigenesis and malignant transformation has resulted in the targeted development of more specific agents for chemotherapeutic intervention in patients with nonresectable, aggressive, and malignant meningiomas.
authors.affiliation: Departments of General Internal Medicine.
authors.forename: Alan A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Moazzam
authors.forename: Naveed
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wagle
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zada
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D006918:Hydroxyurea; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008579:Meningioma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015282:Octreotide; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D015282:Octreotide; D006918:Hydroxyurea