Table 1. Pharmacotherapy used or proposed for adults with tumors of the central nervous system (CNS).
Drug Target and/or Mechanism(s) of Action | Agent(s) | Tumors of the Adult CNS for Which Agents Are Proposed or Used |
---|---|---|
Multidrug resistance | MRP antisense constructs p16 p14ARF Methionine-free diet Scutellaria baicalensis extracts |
Glioblastoma, oligodendroglioma |
Verapamil | Alters drug efflux in brain vascular endothelial cells but not glial tumor cells | |
Signaling effectors | Erlotinib Gefitinib Nelfinavir TRAIL HGF and c-Met antisense constructs |
Glioblastoma (adjunctive) |
DNA modification, damage, and repair | Temozolomide BCNU CCNU Procarbazine Cyclophosphamide Carboplatin Etoposide Camptothecan Doxorubicin Ape-1 antisense constructs |
Glioblastoma, anaplastic astrocytoma, low-grade glioma, oligodendroglioma, CNS lymphoma, spinal ependymoma (esp. etoposide), |
Targeted (including immune-based) therapy | Tyrosinase-related peptide-targeted cytotoxic T lymphocytes | Glioblastoma |
Receptor ligand-toxin fusion proteins | CNS lymphoma | |
Rituximab | ||
Adhesion and invasion; angiogenesis | cyclic pentapeptide EMD 121974 | Glioblastoma |
Apoptosis effectors | Bcl-XL antisense constructs Curcumin Ruthenium complex analogue of cisplatin HSV thymidine kinase + gancyclovir Cyclosporin A Transglutaminase 2 inhibitors |
Malignant glioma, glioblastoma |
Hormone receptor ligands | Pegvisomant Octreotide Lanreotide BIM-23745 Chimeric somatostatin-dopamine molecules Selective estrogen receptor modulators Aromatase inhibitors |
Pituitary adenomas |
Neurotransmitter receptor ligands | Cabergoline Bromocriptine Quinagolide Chimeric somatostatin-dopamine molecules |
Pituitary adenomas |