Response to imatinib as a function of target kinase expression in recurrent glioblastoma.

Background: Despite some progress in the treatment of glioblastoma, most patients experience tumor recurrence. Imatinib mesylate, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor of platelet derived growth factor receptor-alpha and -beta, c-fms, c-kit, abl and arg kinase (imatinib targets), has been shown to prevent tumor progression in early studies of recurrent gliomas, but has shown weak activity in randomized controlled trials. We studied the response to oral imatinib in 24 patients with recurrent glioblastoma who showed immunohistochemical expression of these imatinib targets in the initially resected tumor tissue.

Thalidomide as palliative treatment in patients with advanced secondary glioblastoma.

Background: For its numerous abilities including sedation, we have been using thalidomide (TH) as the 'last therapeutic option' in patients with advanced gliomas. We noticed that a small subgroup, i.e.

Sorafenib for patients with pretreated recurrent or progressive high-grade glioma: a retrospective, single-institution study.

Therapeutic options for patients with pretreated advanced high-grade glioma (HGG) are limited. Sorafenib, a small molecule with multiple potential beneficial actions, appears particularly promising. We reviewed the outcomes of 30 patients with recurrent or progressive HGG treated with sorafenib within a named patient program.

Temozolomide added to whole brain radiotherapy in patients with multiple brain metastases of non-small-cell lung cancer: a multicentric Austrian phase II study.

Background: This multicentric randomized phase II study investigated the feasibility and toxicity of temozolomide (TMZ) added to whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) followed by adjuvant TMZ in patients with multiple brain metastases of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: Patients with multiple brain metastases from NSCLC aged ≥ 18 years, classified according to recursive partitioning analysis class I or II and with adequate organ functions were eligible. Treatment consisted of WBRT + TMZ 75 mg/m² for 2 weeks followed at day 28 by TMZ 100 mg/m²/day 2 weeks on/2 weeks off for up to 6 months (radiochemotherapy, RCT) or WBRT alone (radiotherapy, RT).

Case Report: Pregnancy in a patient with recurrent glioblastoma.

We report the case of a woman with relapsed glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) who recently gave birth. She announced her pregnancy shortly after the sixth cycle of a dense regimen of temozolomide, prescribed for treating the first recurrence of glioblastoma. Three years ago, in April 2008, she had undergone gross total resection of a glioblastoma multiforme in the postcentral region of the right hemisphere and had subsequently received treatment according to the actual standard therapy consisting of radiotherapy up to 60 Gy with concomitant and adjuvant temozolomide.

Neurocognitive training in patients with high-grade glioma: a pilot study.

Although their neurocognitive performance is one of the major concerns of patients with high-grade gliomas (HGG) and although neurocognitive deficits have been described to be associated with negative outcome, neurocognitive rehabilitation is usually not integrated into the routine care of patients with malignant gliomas. In this pilot trial, a weekly group training session for attention, verbal, and memory skills was offered to patients with HGG with pre and post-training evaluation. Eleven patients, six with glioblastoma multiforme and five with WHO grade III gliomas, median age 50 years, with a Karnofsky performance score of 80-100 participated in ten group training sessions of 90 min.