Efficacy of Temozolomide Therapy in Patients With Aggressive Pituitary Adenomas and Carcinomas-A German Survey

Elbelt, Ulf; Schlaffer, Sven M.; Buchfelder, Michael; Knappe, Ulrich J.; Vila, Greisa; Micko, Alexander; Deutschbein, Timo; Unger, Nicole; Lammert, Alexander; Topuzoglu-Müller, Tengue; Bojunga, Jörg; Droste, Michael; Johanssen, Sarah; Kolenda, Herbert; Ritzel, Katrin; Buslei, Rolf; Strasburger, Christian J.; Petersenn, Stephan und Honegger, Jürgen (2020): Efficacy of Temozolomide Therapy in Patients With Aggressive Pituitary Adenomas and Carcinomas-A German Survey. In: Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Bd. 105, Nr. 3, E660-E675

Abstract

Context: Despite growing evidence that temozolomide (TMZ) therapy is effective for the treatment of aggressive pituitary tumors (APTs) or carcinomas (PCs), individual therapy decisions remain challenging. Objective: We therefore aimed to report on clinical characteristics leading to initiation of TMZ therapy and to add evidence on TMZ long-term effectiveness. Design and subjects: Retrospective survey on TMZ treatment in patients with APTs or PCs. TMZ therapy was initiated in 47 patients (22 females) with APTs (n = 34) or PCs (n = 13). Mean age at diagnosis was 45 +/- 15 years. The immunohistochemical subtypes were corticotroph (n = 20), lactotroph (n = 18), and nonfunctioning (n = 9) tumors. TMZ therapy started 8 years after initial diagnosis using a standard regimen (median 6 cycles) for the majority of patients. Results: Long-term radiological response to TMZ after a median follow-up of 32 months with 4 patients still on TMZ therapy was tumor regression for 9 (20%), stable disease for 8 (17%), and tumor progression for 29 patients (63%) (outcome data available for 46 patients). Progression occurred 16 months after initiation of TMZ. Median estimated progression-free survival was 23 months. Disease stabilization and median progression-free survival did not differ between patients with APTs or PCs. Predictors of tumor response were not identified. Overall, TMZ was well tolerated. Conclusion: We performed a nationwide survey on TMZ therapy in patients with APTs and PCs. While early response rates to TMZ are promising, long-term outcome is less favorable. Prolonged TMZ administration should be considered. We were not able to confirm previously reported predictors of tumor response to TMZ.

• Dokumententyp: Zeitschriftenartikel
• Fakultät: Medizin
• Themengebiete: 600 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften > 610 Medizin und Gesundheit
• ISSN: 0021-972X
• Sprache: Englisch