Chemotherapy of Malignant Brain Tumor by a Water-Soluble Anti-Tumor Nitrosourea, ACNU
1979 Volume 19 Issue 12 Pages 1157-1171
Details
1979 Volume 19 Issue 12 Pages 1157-1171
For the purpose of treatment of brain tumors with ACNU [1-(4-amino-2-methyl-5-pyrimidinyl) methyl-3-(2-chloroethyl)-3-nitrosourea hydrochloride], inhibitory effects on tumor cell proliferation in vitro, pharmacokinetics, clinical responses and side effects of the drug were investigated.
ED50 of ACNU for KS-1 cells was 25 μg/ml. Generally, glioblastoma cells were more sensitive to ACNU than meningioma cells.
After intravenous injection of ACNU 100-150 mg/boby, in 14 patients with brain tumors, transition of the drug into cerebrospinal fluid was noticed at 5 minutes in all cases with the maximum value of 0.59±0.13 μg/ml at 30 minutes.
The therapeutic effects of the drug were evaluated in 31 patients with brain tumors by neurological and CT-scan examinations. Combined chemo-radiotherapy with ACNU, FT207 and Tele-cobalt was more effective than ACNU therapy alone; 36% of the patients were “improved” in our criteria, although hematologic toxicity of ACNU was observed in 55%.
