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. 2025 May 28;30(1):425.
doi: 10.1186/s40001-025-02674-5.

Exploring the effects of doxorubicin on survival rates in glioma patients: a comprehensive systematic review

Elyar Mahboubi  1 , Mahdieh Mondanizadeh  2 , Amir Almasi-Hashiani  3   4 , Elham Ghasemi  1
Affiliations

Exploring the effects of doxorubicin on survival rates in glioma patients: a comprehensive systematic review

Elyar Mahboubi et al. Eur J Med Res. .

Abstract

Background: Glioma is still one of the most aggressive and common types of brain and central nervous system cancer, with few effective treatment options. Despite progress in therapy, there is a requirement for new methods to enhance patient outcomes. Doxorubicin (DOX), a type of anthracycline that has been proven to be effective in different cancers, encounters difficulties in treating glioma because of the blood-brain barrier. This systematic review is intended to assess the effects of DOX on the survival and quality of life of glioma patients.

Methods: We conducted a thorough search and found 1576 records, from which 10 studies met our inclusion criteria. These studies, published between 1973 and 2023, were examined for overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), median time to progression (mTTP), response rate, and toxicity profiles.

Results: The studies included in the analysis showed that OS ranged from 6 to 18.5 months, indicating potential improved outcomes with liposomal and PEGylated forms of DOX. PFS rates varied from 15 to 58%, and mTTP ranged from 11 to 39.83 weeks. Response rates varied from 19 to 88%, and while DOX was generally well-tolerated, some hematological and non-hematological toxicities were observed. DOX shows promise in prolonging survival and slowing glioma progression, especially with advanced delivery methods.

Conclusions: However, variations in research, small sample sizes, and lack of uniformity highlight the need for further investigation. Overcoming these limitations in future studies is crucial to maximize DOX's effectiveness in glioma treatment and improve patient outcomes.

Keywords: Doxorubicin; Glioma; Overall survival; Progression-free survival.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Screening flowchart for selecting articles in this systematic review
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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