Intra-arterial chemotherapy for brain stem glioma: report of four cases.

Four patients with pontine gliomas were treated with radiation and intra-arterial chemotherapy using ACNU, cisplatin, and/or carboplatin. All underwent biopsy and were histologically proven to have gliomas. Even though three were benign histologically, all appeared malignant on neuroimaging. Two patients had complete remissions; the others had partial responses; three patients died, 36, 14, and 15 months after the primary diagnosis. One patient, now in complete remission, has been alive for 24 months. There was no neurotoxicity except for transient nausea and vomiting. Intra-arterial chemotherapy is effective against brain stem gliomas, producing remission with minimum side effects.