[Clinical effect of human fibroblast interferon (BM532) on malignant brain tumors--with special reference to gliomas]

A cooperative clinical trial of human fibroblast interferon (BM532) (HuIFN-beta with a specific activity of greater than 1 X 10(7) IU/mg protein; Toray Industries, Inc.) in the treatment of malignant brain tumors was conducted by the neurosurgical departments of 34 medical institutions. The patients admitted to the study had measurable lesions with an established histopathologic diagnosis, and desirably, a favorable performance status. The interferon therapy was instituted after a minimum 4-week interval following termination or completion of previous therapy so that the effect of interferon alone was able to assess. HuIFN-beta was administered either locally (intrathecally or intratumorally) or intravenously in doses of 1 X to 6 X 10(6)IU/body, daily for a period of 8 weeks or longer as a rule. Evaluation of the clinical responses was based primarily upon the findings of CT scans and conformed to Koyama-Saito's criteria. There were a total of 65 patients, 49 males and 16 females, whose clinical responses were amenable to assessment in the study. They were 64 cases of gliomas (neuroectodermal tumors other than glioblastoma) and one case of germinoma. The treatment was effective in 26.2% of all cases and 26.6% of the glioma cases. The efficacy rate was 24.5% (12/49) in the cases administered intravenously at dose of 1 X to 6 X 10(6)IU/body of HuIFN-beta. The efficacy did not vary appreciably with the route of administration of interferon. The response rates for new cases and recurrent cases did not show any significant differences. Side effects occurred in 61.1% of the patients with transient fever being the most common.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)