Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Clinical Trial
. 2005 Aug;21(8-9):719-24.
doi: 10.1007/s00381-005-1226-1. Epub 2005 Jun 14.

Use of interferon alpha in intratumoral chemotherapy for cystic craniopharyngioma

S Cavalheiro  1 , P A Dastoli, N S Silva, S Toledo, H Lederman, M C da Silva
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Use of interferon alpha in intratumoral chemotherapy for cystic craniopharyngioma

S Cavalheiro et al. Childs Nerv Syst. 2005 Aug.

Abstract

Objectives: This study analyzed the intratumoral activity of interferon alpha (IFN-alpha) in the treatment of cystic craniopharyngiomas.

Patients and methods: From January 2000 to January 2004, nine patients presenting with cystic craniopharyngiomas were treated with intratumoral injection of IFN-alpha at the Pediatric Oncology Institute of the Federal University of São Paulo-Escola Paulista de Medicina. Age ranged from 1 year and 10 months to 18 years (mean 10 years). All intratumoral catheters were inserted by a subfrontal approach. Doses varied from 36 to 108 MU.

Results: There was complete disappearance of the lesion in seven cases. In two cases, partial reduction of tumor size was observed at follow-up. Follow-up varied from 1 year to 3 years and 6 months (mean 1 year 8 months).

Conclusions: IFN-alpha proved to be an effective drug in the control of cystic craniopharyngiomas. Additional studies should be carried out to determine the optimal dose of IFN-alpha in the treatment of cystic craniopharyngioma. In addition, other drugs possessing high efficacy and low neurotoxicity should be analyzed.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. J Neurosurg. 1985 Jan;62(1):120-7 - PubMed
    1. Blood. 1997 Feb 1;89(3):957-64 - PubMed
    1. Pediatr Neurosurg. 1994;21 Suppl 1:108-13 - PubMed
    1. Apoptosis. 2003 Jun;8(3):237-49 - PubMed
    1. J Neurosurg. 2000 Feb;92 (2):255-60 - PubMed