A phase II study of temozolomide and oral VP-16 for adults with recurrent glioma—Final results

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Background: Although temozolomide has proven activity in patients with high and low grade gliomas, many patients do not respond, and for those who do, responses are often short-lived. We therefore undertook a trial of temozolomide in combination with oral VP-16 (etoposide) for patients with recurrent glioma. Methods: Patients were eligible for the study if they had recurrence of a glioma (glioblastoma [GBM], anaplastic glioma, or low-grade glioma), were ≥ 18 years of age, had a WHO score of 0–2, and had not received prior therapy with temozolomide or oral VP-16. All patients received temozolomide, 150 mg/m2/d days 1–5 and oral VP-16, 50 mg/m2/d days 1–12 (based on the maximum tolerated dose established in a previous phase 1 study [Cancer 2003, 97 (8); 1963–68.]). Cycles were repeated every 28 days for up to 12 cycles. All patients received prophylaxis for pneumocystis. Results: Fifty-one patients were enrolled - 32 with glioblastoma, 12 with anaplastic gliomas, and 7 with low-grade glioma. Median age was 52 years (21–76), and 67% were male. Forty-one were enrolled at first and 10 at second recurrence. Fifty had had prior radiation, and 30 of these 50 patients had also received prior chemotherapy. Of the 32 subjects with GBM, 4 had a PR (12.5%), 13 (41%) SD, 13 (41%) PD, and 2 were not evaluable because of deterioration prior to imaging. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 2 mo. (0–51+ mo), and the 6 mo. PFS was 19%. Of the 12 patients with anaplastic gliomas, 2 had a PR (16%), 7 SD (58%), 2 PD (16%) and one was not evaluable. Their median PFS was 5.5 mo, and the 6 mo. PFS was 50%. Of the seven subjects with low grade gliomas, 4 had a PR, 2 SD, and 1 PD. Their median PFS was 5 mo. (0–12) and 6 mo. PFS was 57%. Of the entire cohort, two patients developed fever and neutropenia and died of pseudomonas sepsis. Another two patients were prematurely withdrawn from the study due to toxicity (one for grade 4 neutropenia and a second for grade 2 diarrhea). Conclusions: In this population of previously treated patients with recurrent glioma, the combination of oral VP-16 and temozolomide has only modest efficacy and significant toxicity. The results of this study suggest that in this setting, the combination offers no advantage over either agent used alone.

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Gossypol treatment of recurrent adult malignant gliomas

Gossypol, a polyphenolic compound which depletes cellular energy by inhibition of several intracellular dehydrogenases, has been shown to have antiproliferative activity against human glial tumor cell lines in vitro and in nude mouse xenografts. Human trials of gossypol as a male contraceptive have demonstrated safety of long-term administration. We studied the activity of Gossypol 10 mg PO bid in 27 patients with pathologically confirmed glial tumors which had recurred after radiation therapy. Fifteen patients had glioblastoma, 11 patients anaplastic astrocytoma, 1 patient relapsed low grade glioma. Response was assessed every 8 weeks using CT/MRI scan and clinical criteria including decadron requirement. Treatment was continued until disease progression. Two patients had partial response (PR); 4 had stable disease for 8 weeks or more. One patient maintained a PR with improved KPS for 78 weeks. The other had a PR lasting 8 weeks. Toxicity was mild: 2 heavily pretreated patients had mild thrombocytopenia, 5 patients developed hypokalemia, 3 patients developed grade 2 hepatic toxicity and peripheral edema. Gossypol levels measured by HPLC did not correlate with response or toxicity in this study. We conclude that gossypol is well tolerated and has a low, but measurable, response rate in a heavily pretreated, poor-prognosis group of patients with recurrent glioma. The presumed novel mechanism of action, lack of significant myelosuppression, and activity in patients with advance glioma support further study of gossypol as an antineoplastic agent.

Tracheoesophageal fistula in a patient with recurrent Hodgkin's disease. A case for hope or despair

Tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) is a devastating complication of malignancies; however, those associated with Hodgkin's disease (HD) may carry a better prognosis. We present a patient with recurrent HD and TEF.

Hypersensitivity reactions to procarbazine with mechlorethamine, vincristine, and procarbazine chemotherapy in the treatment of glioma

The authors report the clinical features of hypersensitivity reactions believed to result from procarbazine in eight patients treated with mechlorethamine, vincristine, and procarbazine (MOP) for high-grade glioma. There was one instance of hypersensitivity in 7 patients treated for recurrent disease and seven instances in 16 patients treated with an adjuvant protocol using MOP directly after surgery. Maculopapular rash was seen in seven of eight, fever was seen in four of eight, and reversible abnormal liver function test results were seen in three of four patients. Pulmonary toxic effects were seen in five of eight patients and consisted of isolated interstitial pneumonitis in one, fever and infiltrate after rechallenge with procarbazine after previous rash in two, and cough accompanying rash in two. The toxic effects were mild to moderate in six patients but severe to life threatening in the two who were rechallenged after development of rash. The observed incidence of rash during adjuvant therapy was higher than that previously found by the authors for recurrent disease, and it appears to be higher than has been reported in Hodgkin's disease, lymphoma, and other solid tumors. The findings by the authors suggest that a high index of suspicion be kept for hypersensitivity reactions to procarbazine when treating primary brain tumors and that, contrary to the experience in other settings, procarbazine be stopped if rash develops.