Targeted Therapy With Antineoplastons A10 and AS2-1 of High-Grade, Recurrent, and Progressive Brainstem Glioma

Abstract

Background: Brainstem glioma carries the worst prognosis of all malignancies of the brain. Most patients with brainstem glioma fail standard radiation therapy and chemotherapy and do not survive longer than 2 years. Treatment is even more challenging when an inoperable tumor is of high-grade pathology (HBSG). The objective of this report is to summarize the outcome of patients with HBSG treated with antineoplastons in 4 phase 2 trials. Patients: The following group of 18 patients was evaluable: 4 patients with glioblastomas and 14 patients with anaplastic HBSG. Fourteen patients had diffuse intrinsic tumors. Twelve patients suffered from recurrence, and 6 patients did not have radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Methods: Antineoplastons, which consist of antineoplaston A10 (A10I) and AS2-1 injections, were given in escalating doses by intravenous injections. The median duration of antineoplaston administration was 5 months, and the average dosage of A10I was 9.22 g/kg/d and of AS2-1 was 0.31 g/kg/d. Responses were assessed by gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography. Results: The overall survival at 2 and 5 years was 39% and 22%, respectively, and maximum survival was more than 17 years for a patient with anaplastic astrocytoma and more than 5 years for a patient with glioblastoma. Progression-free survival at 6 months was 39%. Complete response was achieved in 11%, partial response in 11%, stable disease in 39%, and progressive disease in 39% of patients. Antineoplastons were tolerated very well with 1 case of grade 4 toxicity (reversible anemia). Conclusion: Antineoplastons contributed to more than a 5-year survival in recurrent diffuse intrinsic glioblastomas and anaplastic astrocytomas of the brainstem in a small group of patients.

Treatments for Astrocytic Tumors in Children

“…[100][101][102] The severity of impairment sults. [12,[88][89][90][91] In a group of 30 evaluable patients with recurrent and relates to the total dose of radiation, the fraction size, and the progressive DBSG, >40% of patients survived for more than 2 patient's age. Children aged <4 years are especially vulnerable.…”

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Paediatric Brainstem Cancers — Where We Have Been; Where We Are; Where We Are Going

“…Promising results were observed when data were combined across four phase II trials [119] in which 18 mostly paediatric (age range 2 -42 years, median=10) patients with brainstem gliomas were treated with anti-neoplaston A10 (A10I) and AS2-1 injections over a median of five months [120]. Fourteen of the 18 patients had diffuse intrinsic tumors; four were glioblastomas and 14 anaplastic gliomas.…”