[Evaluation of ACNU alone and combined with tegafur as additions to radiotherapy of the treatment of malignant gliomas--a cooperative clinical trial].

Controlled, prospective, randomized studies were performed to evaluate the effects of 1-(4-amino-2-methyl-5-pyrimidinyl)methyl-3- (2-chloroethyl)-3-nitrosourea hydrochloride (ACNU) and ACNU plus tegafur as additions to radiotherapy for the treatment of malignant gliomas. In the first trial, 105 patients with glioblastoma or anaplastic astrocytoma were randomly divided into two groups after surgery and received radiotherapy (RT, 40 to 60 Gy to the whole brain), or radiotherapy plus concomitant chemotherapy with ACNU (100 mg/m2 on day 1 and 42). Effects of the treatment were compared in 82 evaluable patients from results of CT scans taken before and one month after the completion of radiotherapy. The regression rates more than 50% of the tumor size were observed in 15.0% of patients treated with RT alone and in 47.6% of patients treated with RT plus ACNU. The difference was statistically significant (p less than 0.005). In the second trial, 87 patients were randomly divided into two groups and received RT plus ACNU, or RT plus combined chemotherapy with ACNU and tegafur (400 mg/m2, daily for 8 weeks). Sixty-nine patients were within the valid study group. The regression rates more than 50% of the tumor size were observed in 34.2% of patients treated with RT plus ACNU: and in 41.2% treated with RT, ACNU plus tegafur. No statistical difference was noted in the response rate between the groups. These results indicate that ACNU is an effective agent in conjunction with radiotherapy for patients with malignant gliomas, and that tegafur does not enhance the effectiveness of ACNU.