Journal of neuro-oncology
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Journal of neuro-oncology · Aug 1999
Clinical TrialShort-course radiotherapy in elderly and frail patients with glioblastoma multiforme. A phase II study.
To evaluate efficacy of short-course radiotherapy (RT) in elderly (> or = 60 years) and frail [Karnofsky performance status (KPS) 50-70] patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). ⋯ This shortened RT appears to be an effective tool in palliation of elderly and frail patients with GBM. Further studies with more patients are needed before testing it against more aggressive treatment approaches in this patient population.
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Journal of neuro-oncology · Aug 1999
In vitro protection from cisplatin-induced neurotoxicity by amifostine and its metabolite WR1065.
Cisplatin-induced neuropathy is a major dose-limiting toxicity. Counteraction by amifostine and its metabolite WR1065 may reduce peripheral neurotoxicity in a number of patients. Using the nerve growth factor (NGF)-dependent neurite outgrowth from the PC12 pheochromocytoma cell line as an in vitro assay for neurotoxicity, the protective effects of amifostine and WR1065 against cisplatin action on neurite formation by PC12 cells were studied. ⋯ Amifostine in doses of 0.4 and 0.8 mM proved to protect significantly against the cisplatin-induced decrease in neurite formation, when co-incubated with cisplatin. Also the metabolite WR1065 protected significantly against cisplatin neurotoxicity in a dose of 0.12 mM. Our results show a significant protection by amifostine and its main metabolite WR1065 against cisplatin-induced neurotoxicity using an in vitro model.
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Journal of neuro-oncology · Mar 1999
Radiation therapy of metastatic spinal cord compression. Multidisciplinary team diagnosis and treatment.
To evaluate the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary approach to spinal cord compression (SCC) in accordance with prospective protocol, providing a uniform approach to diagnosis, decision making concerning optimal treatment modality in any particular case of SCC, treatment performance and evaluation of treatment results. The SCC patients treated by radiation therapy are described. ⋯ Close cooperation of a multidisciplinary team in diagnosis and treatment according to the above protocol enabled the achievement of good results of radiation treatment in SCC. Early diagnosis and early treatment should further enhance therapeutic outcome.
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Journal of neuro-oncology · Feb 1999
Synergistic cytotoxicity, apoptosis and protein-linked DNA breakage by etoposide and camptothecin in human U87 glioma cells: dependence on tyrosine phosphorylation.
In this study, simultaneous administration of certain inhibitors of topoisomerase I and topoisomerase II produced synergistic cytotoxicity in a series of human glioma cell lines. Camptothecin (CPT) and etoposide (VP-16) produced combination indices (CI) <1.0 in all glioma cell lines tested, including those that were relatively resistant to the two topoisomerase inhibitors individually. In contrast, CPT and VP-16 produced additive cytotoxicity in HT-29 and SW-620 colon carcinoma cell lines. ⋯ CPT and VP-16 also produced a synergistic accumulation of sub-G0 (apoptotic) cells which was blocked by tyrphostin-A23. No significant increase in topoisomerase protein levels could be detected in response to combination treatment. Thus, synergistic effects between topoisomerase I and topoisomerase II inhibitors in U87 glioma cells may depend upon phosphorylation of cellular proteins other than the topoisomerases themselves.