A pilot study of everolimus and gefitinib in the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma (GBM).

19 November 2008

Kreisl TN, Lassman AB, Mischel PS, Rosen N, Scher HI, Teruya-Feldstein J, Shaffer D, Lis E, Abrey LE.

Neuro-Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, 9030 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.

Twenty-two patients with recurrent glioblastoma (GBM) were prospectively treated with everolimus and gefitinib, designed to test the combined inhibition of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) as part of a larger clinical trial. The primary endpoint was radiographic response rate. Secondary endpoints included progression-free survival and correlation of molecular profiles with treatment response. 36% of patients had stable disease and 14% a partial response; however, responses were not durable and only one patient was progression-free at six months. Radiographic changes were not well characterized by conventional response criteria, and implied differential effects of therapy within the tumor and/or antiangiogenic effects. EGFR and PTEN status did not clearly predict response to treatment.

PMID: 19018475 [PubMed - in process]

Commento Personale: Studio poco incoraggiante nell'uso combinato di inibitori dell'mTOR e dell'EGFR con percentuali pressochč similari a quelle gią trovate attarverso questo studio. Il Gefitinib non appare dunque essere un farmaco particolarmente utile nella lotta contro il glioblastoma. Ricordo, tuttavia, che per inibire l'mTOR potrebbe essere semplicemente pił utile somministrare curcumina in dosi elevate come dimostra questo studio.

Source J Neurooncol. 2009 Mar;92(1):99-105. Epub 2008 Nov 19