This multicenter phase II study conducted by the Spanish Neuro-Oncology Group evaluated the activity of an extended, dose-dense
temozolomide regimen in patients with temozolomide-refractory malignant glioma. Adult patients (at least 18 years of age)
with WHO grade III or IV glioma and a Karnofsky Performance Status of 60 or higher were treated with temozolomide (85 mg/m
2/day) for 21 consecutive days every 28-day cycle until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. All patients had developed
progressive disease either during or less than 3 months after completing previous temozolomide treatment. Forty-seven patients
were treated with a median of 2 (range, 1–13) cycles of temozolomide. Before study entry, patients had received a median of
6 cycles of temozolomide: 39 (83%) as part of initial therapy and 23 (49%) as second-line therapy. Three patients (6.4%) had
a partial response with durations of 8.0, 3.5, and 3.2 months; 15 patients (31.9%) had stable disease with a median duration
of 2.1 months, including 2 patients with stable disease (SD) for greater than 6 months (14 and 16 months). Median time to
progression was 2 months, and median overall survival from study entry was 5.1 months. The 6-month progression-free survival
rate was 16.7%. The most common hematologic toxicities were lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia, and leukopenia. Lymphopenia occurred
in 83% of patients and was grade 3 in 28%, but no opportunistic infections occurred. In conclusion, this extended dose-dense
schedule of temozolomide appears to have modest activity in patients refractory to previous treatment with temozolomide and
is associated with manageable toxicity.
Keywords Temozolomide - Activity - Refractory - Malignant glioma