Concurrent radiation and intracarotid cisplatin infusion in malignant gliomas: a feasibility study

Twenty-two patients with supratentorial malignant gliomas were treated postoperatively with concurrent intracarotid chemotherapy and radiation therapy. There were seven women and 15 men with a median age of 56 years (range, 22-69) and median performance status (Karnofsky score) of 70 (range, 40-90). In all except two cases, histologic studies confirmed malignant glioma. All patients were irradiated with a cobalt 60 equipment. They should have received 45 Gy to the whole brain plus a 15-Gy coned-down boost to the tumor area. Chemotherapy consisted of cisplatin infusion at a dose of 60 mg/m2 on days 2, 22, and 42. Treatment was interrupted in two patients because of progressive disease and voluntary withdrawal in one patient each. In all, 63 courses of cisplatin infusion were administered, all at full dose. Two patients achieved a partial response, and nine had stable disease. Toxicities included nausea/vomiting in nine patients (41%) and transient hemiparesis, confusion, diarrhea, and thrombophlebitis in one patient each. Median time to progression was 26 weeks (range, 4-226+), and median survival was 58 weeks (range, 14-226+). In conclusion, the present study suggests that intracarotid cisplatin administered concurrently with radiation does not improve the therapeutic index in malignant gliomas.