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Chemotherapy for malignant gliomas of the brain: a review of ten-years experience

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Summary

In recent years, there has been a great improvement in the knowledge of the biological aspects of malignant gliomas of the brain. Conversely, there has been an increase of interest in the multimodal treatment of these tumours.

In this review, we have analyzed the results of the several reports which have appeared in the literature that deal with the chemotherapeutic treatment of malignant gliomas. Furthermore, some areas of biological investigation that could have an impact on pharmacological therapy are discussed.

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Abbreviations

AA:

anaplastic astrocytoma

ACNU:

(l-4-amino-2methil-5pyrimidinyl)-methyl-3-(2-chloroethyl)-3-nitrosourea

AraC:

cytosine arabinoside

AZQ:

aziridinylbenzoquinone

BCNU:

1,3-bis(2-chloroetyl)-1-nitrosourea

BTSG:

Brain Tumor Study Group (USA)

BTCG:

Brain Tumor Cooperative Group (USA)

BUdR:

5-bromodeoxyuridine

CCNU:

1-(2-chloroethyl)-3cyclohexyl-1 -nitrosourea

CDDP:

cisplatin

DAG:

dianhydrogalacticol

DBD:

dibromodulcitol

DTIC:

imidazolcarboxamide

EORTC:

European Organization for Research on Treatment of Cancer

5-FU:

fluorouracil

GBM:

glioblastoma

HU:

hydroxyurea

MeCCNU:

methyl-CCNU

Miso:

misonidazole

MP:

6-mercaptopurine

MST:

median survival time

MTTP:

median time to tumor progression

PCNU:

1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-(2,6-dioxo-3-piperidyl)-1-nitrosourea

PCZ:

procarbazine

RT:

radiotherapy

VCR:

vincristine

VM26:

teniposide

VP16:

etoposide

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  1. Dipartimento di Chirurgia-Neurochirurgia e Centro “E. Grossi-Paoletti” per lo Studio e il Trattamento delle Neoplasie del Sistema Nervoso, IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo, Università di Pavia, Pavia, Italy

    P. Paoletti, G. Butti, R. Knerich, P. Gaetani & R. Assietti

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Paoletti, P., Butti, G., Knerich, R. et al. Chemotherapy for malignant gliomas of the brain: a review of ten-years experience. Acta neurochir 103, 35–46 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01420190

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