[Clinical application of a sustained release anticancer pellet].

During a 6.5-year period from March 1978, 136 patients with brain tumors, which were diagnosed as gliomas or metastatic brain tumors during surgical operation, were treated by the application of sustained release anticancer pellets in seven institutes. Histological diagnosis disclosed that the majority of the tumors were malignant gliomas (61 cases), metastatic brain tumors (35 cases), and benign astrocytoma (17 cases). The anticancer agents (250 mg of 5FU, 1.5 mg of MMC, 250 mg of BUdR and 6,000 iu of urokinase) were sealed in a Silastic silicone tube of 6 mm in diameter, 0.25 mm in wall thickness, and 12 mm in length. The daily delivery of the drugs was (2-3)/10,000 of the original volume. This treatment was combined with surgical and irradiation therapy with or without general chemotherapy. The median survival time of patients with malignant gliomas was 545 days (18 months). The 1-year survival rate was 65.63%, and the 3-year survival rate 16.2%. On the other hand, in patients with benign astrocytomas, the median survival time was 1,500 days (4.1 years), 1-year survival rate 83.75%, and 3-year survival rate 42.84%. In those with metastatic brain tumors, the median survival time was 280 days, 1-year survival rate 43.87%, and 3-year survival rate 24.84%. The present findings revealed that the tube-type anticancer pellets cannot inhibit the growth of the brain tumors located 5 cm from the pellets.