Complete response and long-term survival (>20 years) of a child with tectal glioma: a case report.

Tectal glioma is a midbrain tumor. The patient generally presents with symptoms related to increased intracranial pressure and requires treatment for hydrocephalus. No effective pharmacological treatments have yet been introduced.

The response and survival of children with recurrent diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma based on phase II study of antineoplastons A10 and AS2-1 in patients with brainstem glioma.

Background: Brainstem gliomas (BSG) are relatively rare tumors of which recurrent pediatric diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (RPDIPG) comprise a distinct group. Numerous trials have been conducted on RPDIPG, none of which have resulted in identifying any proven pharmacological treatment benefit. This study included 40 patients diagnosed with different types of BSG, but it was decided to describe first the encouraging results in the most challenging group of RPDIPG.

Long-term survival (>13 years) in a child with recurrent diffuse pontine gliosarcoma: a case report.

Pediatric gliosarcoma (GS) is a rare variant of glioblastoma multiforme. The authors describe the case of an unusual pontine location of GS in a 9-year-old boy who was initially diagnosed with low-grade astrocytoma (LGA) that was successfully controlled for 4 years. Subsequently, his brain tumor transformed into a GS.

Treatments for astrocytic tumors in children: current and emerging strategies.

Strategies for the treatment of childhood cancer have changed considerably during the last 50 years and have led to dramatic improvements in long-term survival. Despite these accomplishments, CNS tumors remain the leading cause of death in pediatric oncology. Astrocytic tumors form the most common histologic group among childhood brain tumors.

Targeted therapy with antineoplastons A10 and AS2-1 of high-grade, recurrent, and progressive brainstem glioma.

Background: Brainstem glioma carries the worst prognosis of all malignancies of the brain. Most patients with brainstem glioma fail standard radiation therapy and chemotherapy and do not survive longer than 2 years. Treatment is even more challenging when an inoperable tumor is of high-grade pathology (HBSG).

Long-term survival of high-risk pediatric patients with primitive neuroectodermal tumors treated with antineoplastons A10 and AS2-1.

Primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNETs) are usually successfully treated with craniospinal radiation and chemotherapy; however, difficulties with standard treatment can be encountered in very young children, in adult patients at high risk of complication from standard treatment, and in patients with recurrent tumors. Thirteen children, either with recurrent disease or high risk, were treated in phase II studies with antineoplastons (ANP). The median age of patients was 5 years, 7 months (range, 1-11).

Phase II study of antineoplaston A10 and AS2-1 in children with recurrent and progressive multicentric glioma : a preliminary report.

Objective: To evaluate the response rates, survival and toxicity of treatment with antineoplaston A10 and AS2-1 (ANP) in the first 12 children enrolled in our studies diagnosed with incurable recurrent and progressive multicentric glioma.

Patients And Methods: The patients' median age was 9 years. Six patients were diagnosed with pilocytic astrocytoma, four with low-grade astrocytoma and one with astrocytoma grade 2.

Aging: gene silencing or gene activation?

According to the author's theory of gene silencing, the key process in aging involves reduced expression of a number of genes. Silencing of genes has a complex mechanism, which involves methylation of DNA, histone modification and chromatin remodeling. In addition to deacetylation of the histones and methylation of DNA, recently described RNAi mechanism could initiate formation of silenced chromatin.

Long-term survival and complete response of a patient with recurrent diffuse intrinsic brain stem glioblastoma multiforme.

Recurrent diffuse intrinsic brain stem glioblastoma multiforme carries an extremely poor prognosis and a median survival of less than 7 months. In this article, the authors report good results in a 40-year-old man diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme who received antineoplastons. The patient's brain tumor was diagnosed in May 1999, and he subsequently underwent subtotal tumor resection and standard radiation therapy.

The present state of antineoplaston research (1).

Antineoplastons work as molecular switches, which regulate expression of genes p53 and p21 through demethylation of promoter sequences and acetylation of histones. They also inhibit the uptake of growth-critical amino acids, such as 1-glutamine and 1-leucine in neoplastic cells. Phase II trials indicate efficacy of antineoplastons in low-grade glioma, brain stem glioma, high-grade glioma, adenocarcinoma of the colon, and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Phase II study of antineoplaston A10 and AS2-1 in patients with recurrent diffuse intrinsic brain stem glioma: a preliminary report.

Objective: A phase II study of antineoplaston A10 and AS2-1 was conducted to evaluate the antineoplastic activity in patients with recurrent diffuse intrinsic brain stem glioma.

Patients And Methods: This report describes the results of treatment of the first 12 patients admitted to the study. Patients received escalating doses of antineoplaston A10 and AS2-1 by intravenous bolus injections.

Gene silencing--a new theory of aging.

The aging process involves silencing of the genes through methylation of promoter sequences and the acetylation of histones. This process contributes not only to aging, but also cancer when silencing affects tumor suppressor genes. Antineoplastons work as molecular switches, turning inactive tumor suppressor genes back on through demethylation of the DNA and acetylation of the histones.