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Non-Resectable Slow-Growing Meningiomas Treated by Hydroxyurea

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Abstract

Purpose: To test the benefit of hydroxyurea in the treatment of recurrent and non-resectable slow-growing meningiomas.

Methods: Twelve patients with regrowing non-malignant meningiomas, were enrolled for a protocol of 2 years with continuous chemotherapy with hydroxyurea, 20 mg/kg/day. Response to treatment was evaluated both clinically and by diagnostic imaging using computed tomography (CT) and 201-Thallium single photon emission CT. One minimal response was documented by CT, accompanied by clinical stabilization. Nine patients showed progressive disease, at least by one imaging procedure, with a median time to progression of 13 months (range 4–24). Two other patients were not available for response due to early removal from the study, following abrupt manifestation of grades 3–4 hematological toxicity.

Conclusion: In this series hydroxyurea has not shown effectiveness in the treatment of non-resectable slow-growing meningiomas: neither for achieving response, nor for arresting disease progression.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Oncology, Ha'Emek Medical Center, Afula, Israel

    David Loven

  2. Department of Nuclear Medicine, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, Petach Tikvah, Israel

    Ruth Hardoff, Zvi Bar Sever & Adam P. Steinmetz

  3. Department of Radiology (Neuroradiology Section), Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, Petach Tikvah, Israel

    Michael Gornish

  4. Department of Neurosurgery, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, Petach Tikvah, Israel

    Zvi H. Rappaport

  5. Institute of Oncology, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, Petach Tikvah, Israel

    Eyal Fenig & Aaron Sulkes

  6. Department of Neurosurgery, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel

    Zvi Ram

  7. Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Zvi Ram

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  1. David Loven
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  2. Ruth Hardoff
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  3. Zvi Bar Sever
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  4. Adam P. Steinmetz
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  5. Michael Gornish
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  6. Zvi H. Rappaport
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  7. Eyal Fenig
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  8. Zvi Ram
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  9. Aaron Sulkes
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Loven, D., Hardoff, R., Bar Sever, Z. et al. Non-Resectable Slow-Growing Meningiomas Treated by Hydroxyurea. J Neurooncol 67, 221–226 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:NEON.0000021827.85754.8e

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:NEON.0000021827.85754.8e

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