Background. The median survival for adults with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is 12 months, despite surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Regimens using interleukin‐2(IL‐2) plus lymphokine‐activated killer (LAK) cells have been beneficial against systemic cancers, albeit with significant toxicity. Methods. Nineteen adults with recurrent malignant glioma (5 GBMs, and 4 anaplastic astrocytomas (AA)), Karnofsky performance status 60 or greater, were treated with intracavitary autologous LAK cells plus IL‐2 after reoperation. Lymphokine‐activated killer cells and IL‐2 were given on day 1, and IL‐2 alone was given 5 times during a 2‐week cycle. This cycle was repeated at 2 weeks to constitute one 6‐week course of therapy. Each two‐cycle course of treatment was repeated at 3‐month intervals for patients with stable disease or response to therapy. At the conclusion of immunotherapy, all patients were offered chemotherapy, generally carmustine or procarbazine, including responders. Corticosteroids were strictly limited during immunotherapy. Sequential reservoir aspirates were obtained for microbiologic and cytologic analyses. Results. The maximal tolerated dose for a 12‐dose course of therapy was 1.2 million international units (MIU) per dose. Dose‐limiting, cumulative IL‐2‐related central nervous system (CNS) toxicity was observed at 2.4 MIU per dose. Three responses were confirmed by computed tomography scan during therapy: one complete response (CR) (1 AA), and two partial responses (PR) (2 GBM); as well as a significant increase in GBM survival. One additional CR (GBM) was observed at 17 months. The median survival for immunotherapy patients with GBM was 53 weeks after reoperation (N = 15) (mean, 87.9 → 21.4 weeks, standard error for the mean), with 8 of 15 surviving more than 1 year (53%). The median survival for 18 contemporary patients with GBM reoperated and treated with chemotherapy was 25.5 weeks (mean, 27.4 ± 3.7 weeks), with 1/18 alive at 1 year (>6%). Six of the 15 patients with GBM had additional surgery or biopsy, and chemotherapy after immunotherapy. The contribution of subsequent chemotherapy to survival cannot be discounted. Conclusions. Lymphokine‐activated killer cells and IL‐2 can be administered safely within the CNS resulting in improved long term survival in patients with recurrent glioblastoma. Increased survival was associated with significant biologic changes characterized by a regional eosinophilia, and extensive lymphocytic infiltration. A prospective randomized clinical trial is warranted. Cancer 1995; 76:840–52.

Using quantitative autoradiography, we investigated the effect of intracarotid infusions of hyperosmolar mannitol solutions on capillary permeability and blood flow. Capillary permeability, expressed in terms of a blood-to-tissue transfer constant (K), was determined in two rat brain tumor models by measuring the entry of 14C-alpha aminoisobutyric acid into brain tumor, into brain tissue adjacent to tumor, and into cortex. Cerebral blood flow was determined by measuring the uptake of 14C-iodoantipyrine in one rat brain tumor model. Blood flow was examined in the same regions as K, as well as in the corpus callosum. Before mannitol administration, K values in both Walker 256 (W256) carcinosarcoma and C6 gliomas were much higher than those in cortex. C6 gliomas were about three times more permeable than were W256 tumors. There was a direct correlation between tumor size and increased capillary permeability. Mannitol at a concentration of 1.37 M did not increase the K values for either tumor or adjacent tissue. At 1.6 M, mannitol increased the K values for both tumors (1.7-fold in C6 glioma and 13-fold in W256) as well as for adjacent tissue. At both concentrations, mannitol markedly increased cortical K values in all groups: by 48- to 72-fold at 1.37 M and by 90- to 105-fold at 1.6 M. The net effect of the mannitol was to reverse the tumor-to-cortex permeability relationship. Cortical blood flow increased modestly after intracarotid mannitol administration on both sides of the brain. These data provide little justification for using intracarotid mannitol during chemotherapy of human brain tumors.

We conclude that there is no long-term survival advantage of increased radiation dose with (125)I seeds in newly diagnosed glioma patients.

We conclude that there is no long-term survival advantage of increased radiation dose with (125)I seeds in newly diagnosed glioma patients.