Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0017636 (glioblastoma)
 18,345 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Fifty-one adult patients with recurrent malignant gliomas were treated in a Phase II trial of multidrug chemotherapy (6-thioguanine, dibromodulcitol, procarbazine, 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-cyclohexyl-1-nitrosourea, 5-fluorouracil, and hydroxyurea). Thirty-one patients underwent radical tumor debulking, before the administration of chemotherapy. Fifty-seven percent of all patients had either an objective radiographic response or stabilization of disease after the institution of therapy. The overall median survival time (MST) was 40 weeks; it was 79 and 33 weeks for anaplastic astrocytoma and glioblastoma patients, respectively. The overall median time to tumor progression (MTP) was 19 weeks--32 weeks for anaplastic astrocytoma patients and 13 weeks for glioblastoma patients. Serious chemotoxicity occurred in 35% of patients without permanent morbidity or mortality. The factors that affected response (including disease stabilization), MTP, and MST were identified through a multivariate statistical analysis. A longer MTP was associated with higher Karnofsky scores, lower grade initial histology, lack of prior chemotherapy, greater degree of myelotoxicity, smaller postoperative tumor volumes, greater extent of surgical resection, and a local versus diffuse recurrence pattern. A longer MST was associated with higher Karnofsky scores, lower grade histology at the time of recurrence, greater degree of myelotoxicity, and lobar versus deep tumor location. Response (including disease stabilization) correlated with higher Karnofsky scores, lower grade histology (initial and current), prior lower grade histology, smaller preoperative tumor volume, longer intervals from the time of initial diagnosis, and absence of prior chemotherapy. These results suggest that, in addition to established prognostic factors such as Karnofsky scores, other factors including prior chemotherapy administration, patterns of tumor recurrence, and tumor location may be important variables to consider in future Phase II-III clinical trials. Of the treatment variables analyzed, greater surgical debulking and smaller postoperative tumor volumes were associated with prolonged MTP but not MST, and greater myelotoxicity had a positive association with all outcomes. The significance of this latter relationship and its relevance to chemotherapy dosing will require further study. Standardization in the design and reporting of clinical trials and the use of computer-assisted tumor volume calculations to assess the extent of surgical resection and the response to therapy are advocated.
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PMID:Multimodality management of recurrent adult malignant gliomas: results of a phase II multiagent chemotherapy study and analysis of cytoreductive surgery. 780 Jan 29

Degradation of the extracellular matrix is a prerequisite for acquisition of the invasive phenotype. Several proteinases released by invading tumor cells appear to participate in the focal degradation of extracellular matrix proteins. Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, enzymatic assays, Western and Northern blotting techniques, we determined whether increased levels of the cysteine protease cathepsin B correlated with the progression and invasion of human gliomas. The amount of cathepsin B activity and protein content were highest in glioblastomas, lower in anaplastic astrocytomas and lowest in normal brain tissue and low-grade gliomas. There were significantly higher amounts of M(r) 25,000 and 26,000 bands in glioblastoma and anaplastic astrocytoma than in normal brain and low-grade glioma tissue extracts as determined by Western blotting with anti-cathepsin antibodies. In addition, cathepsin B transcripts were overexpressed in anaplastic astrocytoma (about two- to three-fold), in glioblastoma (about eight- to 10-fold), compared with normal brain tissue and low-grade glioma. Immunohistochemical staining for cathepsin B showed intense immunoreactivity in tumor and endothelial cells of glioblastomas and anaplastic astrocytomas but only weak immunoreactivity in low-grade glioma and normal brain tissues. Therefore, we conclude that cathepsin B expression is greatest in highly malignant astrocytomas, especially in glioblastomas, and is correlated with the malignant progression of astrocytomas.
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PMID:Overexpression and localization of cathepsin B during the progression of human gliomas. 782 Sep 56

Tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) are negative regulators of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) which degrade major components of the extracellular matrix. The aberrant expression of TIMPs is believed to represent an important modulating factor in the invasive capacity of human tumors. In the present study we analyzed the expression of TIMPs in human brain tumor tissue samples by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and by Northern blotting analysis. Quantitation of TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 by ELISA demonstrated low levels of TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 proteins in glioblastomas, and moderate levels in anaplastic astrocytomas compared with normal brain tissues low-grade gliomas and metastatic tumors (renal and breast carcinomas and melanomas). Northern blot analysis of TIMP-1 transcripts demonstrated higher expression in meningioma, normal brain tissues and other metastatic tumors than in anaplastic astrocytoma and glioblastoma. Two distinct transcripts of 1.0 and 3.5 kb were observed for TIMP-2 mRNA in normal brain tissue and in tumor extracts. In addition, TIMP-2 mRNA expression was lower in glioblastoma and anaplastic astrocytoma than in meningioma, normal brain tissues and metastatic tumors. These findings suggest that down-regulation of both TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 contributes significantly to the invasive potential of human glioblastoma multiforme and anaplastic astrocytomas.
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PMID:Expression of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases: negative regulators of human glioblastoma invasion in vivo. 782 Sep 57

C-erbB-2-oncoprotein and the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) protein are transmembrane glycoproteins with an external ligand-binding domain and a nearly homologous internal tyrosine kinase domain. In the present study it was investigated in 63 astrocytic tumors (9 astrocytomas G1, 18 astrocytomas G2, 17 anaplastic astrocytomas G3 and 19 glioblastomas G4) whether the structural homology of both glycoproteins correlated with the coexpression in astrocytic tumor cells. The immunoreactive products were identified by a computerized image analysis. There was no expression of the EGFR-protein in low grade astrocytomas (G1, G2) measured by density of gray level. The immunoreactivity increased remarkably in anaplastic and malignant gliomas. The number of the c-erbB2-oncoprotein-reactive tumor cells increased with the progression and dedifferentiation of tumors. Significant differences could be found between low grade anaplastic astrocytoma as well as glioblastoma. The correlative analysis resulted in a significant positive homology with increasing grading level between the expression of EGFR- and c-erbB-2 protein. The trend goes in the same direction. The results emphasize that EGFR- and c-erbB-2 protein were expressed in astrocytic tumors with increased malignancy and dedifferentiation.
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PMID:Coexpression of epidermal growth factor receptor protein and c-erbB-2 oncoprotein in human astrocytic tumors. An immunohistochemical study. 782 81

Activity of the DNA repair protein O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase (AGT) is an important determinant of responsiveness of tumor cells to chloroethylnitrosoureas (CENUs), representative chemotherapeutic agents for primary malignant gliomas. In order to assess the real states of this repair protein in human malignant gliomas, we assayed AGT activity in surgically extirpated 42 malignant glioma samples and studied the distribution of the activity under certain clinical conditions. There were wide variations in AGT activity between individuals. No significant difference in AGT activity on average was seen either between glioblastoma and anaplastic astrocytoma, nor between primary and recurrent tumors. Among 42 malignant gliomas, 7 samples (16.7%) had low AGT activity less than 0.1 pmoles/mg protein. In the case of glioblastoma, tumors possessing higher AGT activity tended to be less responsive to post-operation remission-induction therapy including CENUs. The result of the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) chemosensitivity assay by using the corresponding surgical specimens suggested a close relationship between cellular resistance to CENUs and AGT activity. It was found to be unlikely that a short term administration of CENUs had a significant effect on AGT activity of brain tumors in human body. We could detect a bit of definite evidences of the relevance of AGT to resistance to CENUs and need to conduct further investigations for other resistance factors.
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PMID:O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase activity of human malignant glioma and its clinical implications. 786 Nov 89

While reviewing a series of 138 cerebellar tumors operated upon between 1978 and 1991, the authors could only find 2 glioblastomas and 8 anaplastic astrocytomas, occurring in 4 children (3 to 14 years old) and 6 adults (23 to 48 years old). These 10 cases represent 2% of the all malignant gliomas population observed during the same period of time. Clinically speaking, nothing makes these tumors different from other cerebellar ones. However, with an heterogenous image and an irregular contrast enhancement, the CT (scan) appearance can lead to the diagnosis. 7 lesions develop within the cerebellar vermis (vermis cerebelli) and 3 develop within the cerebellar hemisphere. Total surgical resection is performed in 9 cases and subtotal resection in 1 case (because of the extension to the floor of the fourth ventricle). Adjunctive radiotherapy on their posterior cranial fossa is achieved in 8 cases. The 2 patients with a glioblastoma present with a recurrence of their tumor at 15 months and 6 years respectively, and eventually died. Out of the patients with an anaplastic astrocytoma, 4 are still alive without recurrence and with a median follow-up of 7 years. The pathogenesis of such lesions is discussed. An aggressive therapeutic management is suggested because of the possible prolonged survival rate.
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PMID:[Malignant astrocytoma of the cerebellum. Apropos of 10 cases. Review of the literature]. 787 Feb 45

Changes of bromodeoxyuridine labeling index at recurrence were examined in 6 glioblastomas, 2 anaplastic astrocytomas, and 3 fibrillary astrocytomas. Decreased labeling index occurred in 5 glioblastomas, probably due to the effects of combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy, but was not correlated with a favorable outcome. No change of labeling index occurred in 1 anaplastic astrocytoma. Increased labeling index was seen in 1 glioblastoma, 1 anaplastic astrocytoma, and 3 fibrillary astrocytomas, possibly indicating rapid progression just before surgery for recurrent tumor. Recurrent astrocytomas had become anaplastic astrocytoma or glioblastoma, but demonstrated no specific histopathology or labeling index of the primary lesion.
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PMID:Changes of the bromodeoxyuridine labeling index of astrocytic tumors between primary and recurrent lesions. 789 21

We analysed long-term follow-up results of 175 patients with malignant glioma (110 glioblastoma and 65 anaplastic astrocytoma) treated under five different regimes during the past two decades. The factors of age (less than 40), histology (anaplastic astrocytoma) and type of adjuvant therapy (radiation and chemotherapy) contributed to long survival. The other important factor was the response to adjuvant therapy. Cases of gross total removal or complete response (CR) of a residual tumour to an adjuvant therapy showed a better prognosis. The three and five year survival rate was 42% and 24%, respectively. The highest CR ratio (23%) was seen in patients treated by intravenous injection of interferon and ACNU in addition to radiotherapy (IAR therapy).
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PMID:Long-term follow-up results of 175 patients with malignant glioma: importance of radical tumour resection and postoperative adjuvant therapy with interferon, ACNU and radiation. 753 70

The immunohistochemical detection of multidrug resistance (MDR1) gene products and their mRNA within brain tumor cells has already been described by Fojo et al. 1987. 63 specimens of astrocytomas and glioblastomas were analysed in the present study (Grading type 1 to 4) by means of the monoclonal antibody JSB1. The endothelial cells were positive only in astrocytic tumors with a grading of 1. Increasing tumor grading resulted in more positive immunological reactions in tumor cells. The most impressive reaction could be found in anaplastic astrocytoma and glioblastoma (G3 and G4). Overexpression of this P-glycoprotein, a plasma membrane component of a relative molecular mass of 170 kDa was not only found in tumor cells of anaplastic astrocytomas, but also in endothelial cells and some non-neoplastic brain diseases. Positive immunological reactions in protoplasmatic astrocytes could be demonstrated in cases of phenylketonuria (1/1), tuberculous leptomeningitis (2/2), SSPE (3/4), X-ray necrosis (1/1) and necrotizing viral encephalitis (1/4). According to this, it seems that astrocytes are able to express P-glycoprotein under the influence of some special metabolic conditions. This underlines the detoxicating function of reactive astrocytes within the total number of cells in the CNS.
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PMID:[Expression of P-glycoprotein as a multidrug resistance gene product in human reactive astrocytes and astrocytoma]. 794 20

The authors describe the clinical behavior of eight patients with cerebral astrocytomas, in whom computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the brain was characterized by diffuse bilateral cerebral hemisphere tissue density abnormalities and minimal focal mass effect. Five patients were newly diagnosed, and three others had been treated for focal low-grade astrocytoma. Histological diagnoses included anaplastic astrocytoma (three patients), low-grade astrocytoma (three patients), glioblastoma (one patient), and gliosis with later development of glioblastoma (one patient). In five patients, brain tumor was not suspected from the neuroimaging studies, the findings of which were mistaken for radiation leukoencephalopathy, vasogenic edema, or multiple sclerosis. Serial CT scans or MR images undertaken over intervals of 3 to 184 weeks showed progression of abnormal tissue densities in seven patients and multifocal contrast-enhancing masses developed on CT scan in two patients. An autopsy in each of four patients showed diffuse cerebral infiltration by astrocytoma. It is concluded that neuroimaging studies in some patients with diffusely infiltrating cerebral astrocytoma are atypical for neoplasm and can be mistaken for other diseases, especially those that predominantly affect cerebral hemisphere white matter.
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PMID:Diffuse bilateral cerebral astrocytomas with atypical neuroimaging studies. 796 10


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