Treatment of recurrent malignant gliomas with 13-cis-retinoic acid naphthalene triazole.

Glioblastoma multiforme and anaplastic astrocytoma are challenges to clinical biologists at present. The patients with glioblastoma have median survival of less than 12 months, despite advances in radiotherapeutical, chemotherapeutical and conventional surgical modalities. Retinoic acids are known to effect in vitro proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis in colon, prostate, lung, and leukemia cancers. Retinoids are known to have anti-proliferation, anti-migration, and anti-invasive activity against human malignant gliomas, suggesting that retinoids are suitable anticancer agents to inhibit progression of tumors. Recurrent malignant cerebral gliomas have been treated with ATRA and 13-cis RA. However, the side effects associated with the use of high doses of retinoic acid demand for some more potent derivative free from such effects. The present clinical trials are undertaken to investigate the clinical safety and possible efficacy of administering retinoic acid naphthalene triazole (RANT) to patients with recurrent malignant gliomas. The toxicities observed in the patients during RANT treatment were mild. These preliminary results suggest that RANT is more potent compared to RA against recurrent malignant gliomas.