Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 11, 2026
08:02
Combination Radiotherapy in an Orthotopic Mouse Brain Tumor Model
Published on: March 6, 2012
BCNU-5-fluorouracil combination therapy for recurrent malignant brain tumors
Cancer Treatment Reports
|December 1, 1978
Summary
The BCNU-5-fluorouracil combination effectively treated recurrent malignant brain tumors, arresting progression in 83% of patients. This regimen showed superior efficacy compared to BCNU alone or BCNU-procarbazine.
Area of Science:
- Neuro-oncology
- Medical Oncology
- Clinical Pharmacology
Background:
- Recurrent malignant brain tumors present a significant therapeutic challenge.
- Limited treatment options exist for patients with progressive disease after initial therapy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of a combination chemotherapy regimen for recurrent malignant brain tumors.
- To compare the BCNU-5-fluorouracil combination with historical data for BCNU-based therapies.
Main Methods:
- Twenty-nine patients with recurrent malignant brain tumors received BCNU (180 mg/m2) and 5-fluorouracil (1 g/m2/day) every 6 weeks.
- Tumor response was assessed using neurologic examination, radionuclide scans, and CT scans.
- Progression-free survival and overall survival were key endpoints.
Main Results:
- A 31% objective response rate was observed, with 52% of patients achieving disease stability.
- Tumor progression was arrested in 83% of all patients.
- The median time to progression was 27 weeks, with longer durations in the response and stable disease groups.
Conclusions:
- The BCNU-5-fluorouracil combination demonstrates promising activity in recurrent malignant brain tumors.
- This regimen appears superior to BCNU alone or BCNU-procarbazine in terms of time to progression.
- The observed disease stability and duration suggest potential for improved long-term outcomes.
Related Concept Videos
02:49Cancer Therapies
Cancer therapies are various modes of treatment, such as surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy that are administered to cancer patients.
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
02:56Treatment Resistant Cancers
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. A cancer cell is genetically unstable and hence can mutate faster. They can also modify their microenvironment and escape immune surveillance. The difficulties in treating cancer are further compounded by the emergence of rapid resistance to anticancer drugs. The most common ways to attain resistance in cancer cells include alteration in drug transport and metabolism, modification of drug target, elevated DNA damage response, or...
02:50Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine
Combining two or more treatment methods increases the life span of cancer patients while reducing damage to vital organs or tissue from the overuse of a single treatment. Combination therapy also targets different cancer-inducing pathways, thus reducing the chances of developing resistance to treatment.
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...
02:49Cancer Therapies
Cancer therapies are various modes of treatment, such as surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy that are administered to cancer patients.
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
02:56Treatment Resistent Cancers
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. A cancer cell is genetically unstable and hence can mutate faster. They can also modify their microenvironment and escape immune surveillance. The difficulties in treating cancer are further compounded by the emergence of rapid resistance to anticancer drugs. The most common ways to attain resistance in cancer cells include alteration in drug transport and metabolism, modification of drug target, elevated DNA damage response, or...
01:11Pharmacogenetics of Drug Targets: β₂-Adrenergic Receptors, Apo E, Thymidylate Synthase
Genetic polymorphisms in drug targets have emerged as critical determinants of interindividual variability in drug response and toxicity. Pharmacogenomic investigations increasingly focus on identifying these variations to personalize and optimize therapeutic interventions. A drug target may be a receptor, enzyme, or signaling protein involved in pharmacologic responses or disease-related pathways. While early pharmacogenetic studies focused primarily on drug metabolism, current research...