Brain Cancer Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Brain Cancer, including details on symptoms, benign and malignant tumors, gliomas, treatment.

Motexafin gadolinium: a novel radiosensitizer for brain tumors.

Forouzannia A, Richards GM, Khuntia D, Mehta MP

Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine & Public Health, Clinical Science Center, Madison, WI 53792, USA. forouzannia@humonc.wisc.edu

Despite advances in the field of oncology, progress for patients with brain metastases and most primary brain tumors has been slow. New efforts to enhance the therapeutic index of radiation therapy are under way, including the use of radiosensitizers. Motexafin gadolinium (Xcytrin) is one such novel agent with several unique properties that enhance the cytotoxic potential of radiation therapy, as well as several chemotherapeutic agents, and possibly has independent cytotoxicity in certain lymphoid malignancies. Motexafin gadolinium is very well tolerated with tumor specific uptake. The rationale for the use of this drug as well as its current and future role as a radiation enhancer in the management of brain tumors is reviewed.

Published 8 June 2007 in Expert Rev Anticancer Ther, 7(6): 785-94.
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