Postoperative radical radiotherapy with concurrent weekly intra-arterial cis-platium for treatment of malignant glioma

Twelve patients with histologically proven malignant glioma have been treated with a combination of intra-arterial (IA) cis-platinum (CDDP) and radical radiation therapy (RT). Chemotherapy consisted of intracarotid (IC) CDDP, 40-60 mg/m2, weekly, repeated for 3-5 treatments. Radiation therapy consisted of whole-brain irradiation 5000cGy in 5 weeks, plus a cone-down boost (1000 cGy in one week) to the primary tunour lesion. Ocular toxicity derived from IC chemotherapy was observed in 3 out of 41 procedures analysed (7%). Results in tumour response assessed by computed tomography (CT) showed 5 complete remissions, 6 partial remissions and one patient was not evaluable. The median survival time for the entire group was 10 months. Median survival time in patients with complete response is 17 months, and 10 months in patients with partial response. Four patients are still alive with a follow-up ranging from 6+ to 27+ months (author). 25 refs.; 3 tabs