title: Kinetic evaluation of low-grade gliomas in adults before and after treatment with CCNU alone.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of CCNU chemotherapy alone on low-grade glioma (LGG) growth dynamics.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors measured the evolution of the mean tumor diameter (MTD) in adult patients with LGG before (n=28 patients) and after (n=38 patients) CCNU administration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Natural (spontaneous) growth of LGG in the present study was 4.3 mm/year (range 2.1-6.6 mm/year). The median MTD decrease after CCNU was 5.1 mm/year (range 1-8.9 mm/year). MTD decrease was noted in 30 patients (late decrease in 4 patients, and ongoing decrease in 24 patients with oligodendroglial tumors and 2 with astrocytic tumors). The median duration it took for the MTD to decrease after initiation of CCNU treatment was 619 days (1038 days for oligodendroglial tumors vs 377 days for astrocytic tumors; p=0.003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results show that CCNU as a single agent has a significant impact on LGG tumor growth. The impact of CCNU seems to be comparable to the previously reported impact of temozolomide therapy and of combined procarbazine, CCNU, and vincristine chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Center "Mother Theresa," Tirana, Albania; and.
authors.forename: Gentian
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kaloshi
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Center "Mother Theresa," Tirana, Albania; and.
authors.forename: Ermir
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Roci
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Center "Mother Theresa," Tirana, Albania; and.
authors.forename: Arben
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rroji
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuro-oncology, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Hôpital Neurologique, Lyon, France.
authors.forename: Francois
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ducray
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Center "Mother Theresa," Tirana, Albania; and.
authors.forename: Mentor
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Petrela
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005910:Glioma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008130:Lomustine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009837:Oligodendroglioma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D011817:Rabbits; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D008130:Lomustine
keywords: CCNU; LGG = low-grade glioma; MTD = mean tumor diameter; PCV = procarbazine, CCNU, and vincristine; kinetic analysis; low-grade glioma; mean tumor diameter; oncology