Treatment for Glioblastoma with Carboplatin, Oral Etoposide and Interferon β (CEI): A Phase II Trial

Gioblastoma is one of the most refractory tumors in central nervous system, and the prognosis remains poor. Temozolomide is a first-line agent for newly-diagnosed glioblastoma, but chemotherapy for recurrent or temozolomide-resistant glioblastoma has not been established. To determine whether chemotherapy with carboplatin, oral etoposide, and interferon β (CEI) prolongs survivals of patients bearing glioblastoma, chemotherapy with CEI was undergone for twenty patients with glioblastoma after surgery. This trial was an open-label, single-center phase II study. In all 20 enrolled patients, the median progression-free survival (PFS) was 10.5 months, and PFS at 6 and 12 months after CEI therapy were 85% and 45%, respectively. The median overall survival was 15.0 months, and 95% and 80% of the patients were alive at 6 and 12 months after CEI therapy, respectively. This regimen was well tolerated and could be one of the options for patients with glioblastoma.