The efficacy and toxicity of long-term salvage chemotherapy with oral etoposide was studied in 14 children with recurrent supratentorial gliomas at the Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego. All children had received radiotherapy and nitrosourea chemotherapies previously. MRI showed either a partial response or stable disease over a median duration of 8 months in 7 (50%). Toxic effects included alopecia (8 children), diarrhea (6), weight loss (4), anemia (4), neutropenia (4), and thrombocytopenia (4). [1]
COMMENT. Etoposide appears to be of some value in the salvage therapy of recurrent malignant supratentorial gliomas, and its toxicity is relatively low. This agent is also of value in the treatment of recurrent cerebellar gliomas. [2]