Intra-arterial cisplatin for the treatment of malignant gliomas.

Cisplatin (DDP) is a chemotherapeutic agent that has shown efficacy against primary CNS malignancies. Intra-arterial (IA) administration of DDP to patients with brain tumors should produce higher peak levels of drug than intravenous (IV) administration of an identical dose and reduce systemic toxicity. Twelve patients with malignant glioma were entered into the study. All had failed irradiation, 11 had failed IA BCNU. Each patient received IA DDP, 58-100 mg/m2, into the internal carotid artery at four to six week intervals. One of 12 patients had a partial response of 6 months. The remaining 11 patients had progressive disease or severe complications. Toxicity included seizures in four patients, weakness and/or aphasia in four patients, coma in two patients, and visual deterioration in two patients. IA DDP has very limited efficacy in patients with malignant gliomas after failure of nitrosoureas and is associated with an unacceptable level of toxicity. IA DDP may be more effective when used as initial chemotherapy of malignant gliomas.