Far-distant metastases along the CSF pathway of glioblastoma multiforme during continuous low-dose chemotherapy with temozolomide and celecoxib

Neurosurg Rev. 2010 Jul;33(3):375-81; discussion 381. doi: 10.1007/s10143-010-0253-x. Epub 2010 Mar 20.

Abstract

Glioblastoma multiforme is the most common and most malignant primary brain tumour. Prognosis after diagnosis remains poor despite recent advances in adjuvant therapy. Treatment of choice is gross surgical resection and combined radio-chemotherapy with temozolomide as chemotherapeutic agent. Experimental continuous low-dose chemotherapy with temozolomide in combination with a cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor has shown encouraging effects on progression-free survival and overall survival in patients, but leads to a high proportion of distant recurrences. Here, we describe extreme far-distant metastases along the neural axis of glioblastoma multiforme in four patients receiving metronomic antiangiogenic chemotherapy and review the literature to discuss possible mechanisms.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / therapeutic use*
  • Brain Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Brain Neoplasms / therapy
  • Celecoxib
  • Central Nervous System Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Cerebrospinal Fluid*
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Dacarbazine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Dacarbazine / therapeutic use
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Female
  • Glioblastoma / pathology*
  • Glioblastoma / therapy
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pyrazoles / therapeutic use*
  • Sulfonamides / therapeutic use*
  • Survival
  • Temozolomide

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating
  • Pyrazoles
  • Sulfonamides
  • Dacarbazine
  • Celecoxib
  • Temozolomide