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.

Temozolomide in pediatric low-grade glioma.

Khaw SL, Coleman LT, Downie PA, Heath JA, Ashley DM

Children's Cancer Centre, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia. khaw@wehi.edu.au

BACKGROUND: We describe a retrospective series of children with low-grade glioma who received temozolomide. PROCEDURE: Eligible patients had had a diagnosis of low-grade glioma with or without histological confirmation. Temozolomide was administered at a dose of 200 mg/m(2) daily for 5 days, in a 4-week cycle. Therapy was stopped on completion of the targeted 12 cycles of chemotherapy or on evidence of tumor progression. RESULTS: Thirteen eligible patients were identified, eight male and five female. Median age at diagnosis was 5.5 years (range 2.6-15.0 years) and at commencement of temozolomide treatment was 9.0 years (range 3.8-15.2 years). Nine patients had a histological diagnosis of pilocytic astrocytoma. Twelve patients had received carboplatin prior to temozolomide, including three in combination with vincristine. A total of 111 cycles of therapy have been administered. Hematological toxicity and nausea were the most common adverse effects. Median time to progression was 6.7 months (range 1.5-41.8 months). Event-free survival rate at 3 years was 57%. Twelve of 13 patients remain alive at the time of report. Eleven have stable disease (SD). CONCLUSION: Temozolomide appears to be active in pediatric low-grade glioma, with the advantage of oral administration and excellent tolerability.

Published 19 September 2007 in Pediatr Blood Cancer, 49(6): 808-11.
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