New approaches for temozolomide therapy: use in newly diagnosed glioma

Abstract

Temozolomide is a novel oral alkylating agent that has been approved for the treatment of patients with refractory malignant glioma. Treatment with temozolomide is now being explored in patients with newly diagnosed malignant glioma in several ongoing clinical trials, and alternative treatment schedules are being evaluated. A schedule of continuous daily treatment with temozolomide for 6 or 7 weeks has been developed and determined to be safe, effective, and well tolerated. When temozolomide was continuously given along with a standard course of radiation therapy for 6 or 7 weeks, followed by adjuvant treatment with temozolomide, promising preliminary results were seen in patients with malignant gliomas.