Therapeutic benefits of combination chemotherapy with vincristine, BCNU, and procarbazine on recurrent cystic craniopharyngioma. A case report.

The authors report a case of recurrent cystic craniopharyngioma managed with chemotherapy. The patient refused adamantly the alternative therapy methods, such as surgery and radiotherapy, initially offered. Eight courses of chemotherapy with vincristine (2 mg/M2, i.v.) on day 1,1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (100 mg/M2, i.v.) on day 2, and procarbazine (50 mg, b.i.d., p.o.) on days 3 to 21 were administered at 6 week intervals. The effectiveness of this treatment modality has been evaluated by the unequivocal neurological improvement and by the decreases in size of the cyst using serial computerized tomography. Toxocities were mild and chiefly hematological.