The impact of thrombocytopenia from temozolomide and radiation in newly diagnosed adults with high-grade gliomas.

Temozolomide (TMZ) administered daily with radiation therapy (RT) for six weeks, followed by adjuvant TMZ for six months, has become standard therapy for patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). After several newly diagnosed patients at our institution developed severe (grade 3-4), prolonged thrombocytopenia, we conducted a retrospective review to define the incidence, depth, and duration of thrombocytopenia associated with this therapy. We reviewed the medical records and laboratory data of all adult patients with newly diagnosed high-grade gliomas who started treatment with this regimen between June 2004, when the regimen was first used at our institution, and August 2005.

The effects of sequential versus concurrent chemotherapy and radiotherapy on survival and toxicity in patients with newly diagnosed high-grade astrocytoma.

Purpose: To determine the effects of sequential versus concurrent administration of cranial radiotherapy and cisplatin/carmustine (BCNU) chemotherapy on survival and toxicity in newly diagnosed high-grade astrocytomas.

Methods And Materials: From 1988 to 1996, 101 patients were treated on 2 therapeutic protocols for malignant glioma that used the identical chemotherapy regimen but differed in the timing of cranial radiotherapy. The eligibility criteria for the 2 protocols were identical.

Phase II study of continuous infusion carmustine and cisplatin followed by cranial irradiation in adults with newly diagnosed high-grade astrocytoma.

Purpose: To evaluate the activity and toxicity of carmustine (BCNU) and cisplatin administered as a 72-hour continuous intravenous infusion before radiation in adults with newly diagnosed high-grade astrocytomas.

Patients And Methods: Fifty-two patients with a Karnofsky performance status greater than 60 and no prior antineoplastic therapy entered this protocol. The median age of the patients was 55 years.

Phase II trials of alpha-difluoromethylornithine, an inhibitor of polyamine synthesis, in advanced small cell lung cancer and colon cancer.

alpha-Difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), an irreversible inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, blocks polyamine synthesis and has demonstrated antitumor activity against small cell lung cancer and colon cancer in cell culture and animal tumor models. To evaluate clinical efficacy and further define toxic effects of this new agent, phase II trials of DFMO were performed in previously treated patients with advanced small cell lung cancer and previously untreated patients with metastatic colon cancer. Oral DFMO was administered at a dose of 2.