We evaluated the safety and the efficacy of doxorubicin drug eluting beads "CM-BC1" when used locally in a 9L glioma model. Twenty microlitres of 1mg/ml CM-BC1 (4μg/rat), 10mg/ml CM-BC1 (40μg/rat) or unloaded beads were injected into the brain of 27 rats which was analyzed on day 8, month 3 or month 6. Then, after tumor implantation, rats were treated locally: (1) control group; (2) a group receiving 20μl of unloaded beads, (3) a group "3×6Gy whole-brain irradiation" (WBI), (4) a group receiving 20μl of 1mg/ml CM-BC1 and (5) a group receiving 20μl of 1mg/ml CM-BC1 followed by a WBI. Both the unloaded beads and the lower dose of 1mg/ml CM-BC1 were well tolerated with no early deaths in opposite to 10mg/ml CM-BC1. Medians of survival for the "1mg/ml CM-BC1" group and the combination group are respectively 28.9 and 64.4 days. These results were significant compared to the "unloaded beads" group. The rat's survival was not significantly improved in comparison with the radiotherapy group. This preliminary evidence suggests that 1mg/ml CM-BC1 could be interesting for recurrent high-grade gliomas. Further work is necessary to improve this seducing tool.
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