Combination chemotherapy using carboplatin (JM-8) and etoposide (JET therapy) for recurrent malignant gliomas: a phase II study

• Published in: Acta neurochirurgica Vol. 144; no. 12; pp. 1265 - 1270
• Main Authors: Watanabe, K, Kanaya, H, Fujiyama, Y, Kim, P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Austria Springer Nature B.V 01-12-2002
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Antineoplastic Agents - administration & dosage; Antineoplastic Agents - adverse effects; Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic - administration & dosage; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic - adverse effects; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic - therapeutic use; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - administration & dosage; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - adverse effects; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - therapeutic use; Astrocytoma - drug therapy; Astrocytoma - mortality; Brain Neoplasms - drug therapy; Brain Neoplasms - mortality; Carboplatin - administration & dosage; Carboplatin - adverse effects; Carboplatin - therapeutic use; Chemotherapy; Child; Child, Preschool; Clinical trials; Etoposide - administration & dosage; Etoposide - adverse effects; Etoposide - therapeutic use; Female; Glioblastoma - drug therapy; Glioblastoma - mortality; Humans; Male; Medical treatment; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - drug therapy; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - mortality; Outcome Assessment (Health Care); Survival Rate
• ISSN: 0001-6268; 0942-0940
• DOI: 10.1007/s00701-002-1023-5

To study efficacy and safety of chemotherapy using carboplatin (JM-8) and etoposide ("JET" therapy) for the treatment of recurrent malignant glioma, a phase II study was conducted. Tumour control, survival time, and toxicity/side effects were assessed in patients with recurrent malignant glioma which failed to respond to a postoperative combined auxiliary therapy comprising of IFN-beta, ACNU and radiation.
Twenty-eight patients, fourteen with anaplastic astrocytoma (AA) and fourteen with glioblastoma (GB) were included in this study. The JET regimen consists of the intravenous administration of carboplatin (300 mg/m(2)) on day 1 and etoposide (60 mg/m(2)) on day 1 to 5, repeated every 6 weeks.
Following the therapy, we observed partial response (PR) in five (36%) of 14 patients with AA and two (14%) of 14 with GB, and stabilization of the disease (SD) in six (43%) in each group. The mean survival/survival after recurrence was 51 months/25 months in the AA group, and 17/9 in the GB group.
These results compare favorably with the natural course of recurrent malignant glioma. JET shows signs of efficacy in patients with recurrent malignant glioma, and a randomized trial comparing it to standard therapy is warranted.