Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Benefits afforded by combined temozolomide, radiation and stem cell strategy for glioma therapy

Bin Li , Fei Wang, Jian Hai

Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Tongji Hospital, Shanghai, 200065, China;

For correspondence:- Bin Li Email: binli666@hotmail.com Tel:+862166111609

Received: 9 December 2016 Accepted: 16 May 2017 Published: 29 June 2017

Citation: Li B, Wang F, Hai J. Benefits afforded by combined temozolomide, radiation and stem cell strategy for glioma therapy. Trop J Pharm Res 2017; 16(6):1325-1329 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v16i6.16

© 2017 The authors.
This is an Open Access article that uses a funding model which does not charge readers or their institutions for access and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0) and the Budapest Open Access Initiative (http://www.budapestopenaccessinitiative.org/read), which permit unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited..

Abstract

Purpose: To compare the efficacy of temozolomide, radiation and stem cell therapy in glioma management.

Methods: A total of 112 patients with glioblastoma were divided into four groups, each of 28 patients. Group I received daily temozolomide at 150 mg/m²; Group II radiotherapy of 30.0 Gy; Group III mesenchymal stem cells only; and Group IV all three treatments (temozolomide 100 mg/m² + 30.0 Gy of radiotherapy + two infusions of mesenchymal stem cells, weekly for 3 weeks. All patients were assessed 1, 6, and 12 months following the conclusion of treatment.

Results: Of Group I patients, the maximum improvement in tumor diameter was 58 % but only 28 % ultimately survived. Of Group II patients, the maximum improvement was 49 % but, again, only 28 % survived (p = 0.06 for both groups). Of Group III patients, the maximum improvement was 71 % and 40 % survived. Of Group IV patients, who received all three treatments, the maximum improvement was 80 %. The survival rate was 60 %.

Conclusion: Stem cells improved patient outcomes and may be a useful alternative therapy for glioma.

Keywords: Glioma therapy, Temozolomide, Stem cells, Prognosis, Radiotherapy