Vioxx Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Vioxx, including details on osteoarthritis, side-effects, trials, stroke, heart attack.

Low-dose chemotherapy in combination with COX-2 inhibitors and PPAR-gamma agonists in recurrent high-grade gliomas - a phase II study.

Hau P, Kunz-Schughart L, Bogdahn U, Baumgart U, Hirschmann B, Weimann E, Muhleisen H, Ruemmele P, Steinbrecher A, Reichle A

OncoRay/ZIK Dresden, Dresden, Germany. peter.hau@medbo.de

OBJECTIVES: Combined treatment approaches targeting tumor as well as other cells contributing to tumor progression may control chemorefractory malignancies. METHODS: A phase II trial was initiated to analyze the activity of continuously administered pioglitazone and rofecoxib combined with low-dose chemotherapy (capecitabine or temozolomide) in patients with high-grade gliomas (glioblastoma or anaplastic glioma). RESULTS: Fourteen patients were evaluable for response and toxicity. Major side effects were palmoplantar erythema, edema and motor neuropathy grade 3. Disease stabilizations lasting longer than 3 months were noted in 4 of 14 patients (29%). Clinical responses did not correspond to immunohistochemical staining for cyclooxygenase 2, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma and CD31. DISCUSSION: The study demonstrates that this novel regimen is moderately active and well tolerated in patients with high-grade gliomas. As a comparably small proportion of patients responded, the regimen might only be suitable for a subset of highly selected patients.

Published 31 March 2008 in Oncology, 73(1): 21-5.
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