Hypoxic cell radiosensitizers in the treatment of high grade gliomas: a new direction using combined Ro 03-8799 (pimonidazole) and SR 2508 (etanidazole)

Journal Article · Thu Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988 · Int. J. Radiat. Oncol., Biol. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0360-3016(88)90311-2· OSTI ID:6699515

Newman, H F; Bleehen, N M; Ward, R; Workman, P

The hypoxic cell radiosensitizers Ro 03-8799 (pimonidazole) and SR 2508 (etanidazole) have been evaluated for their simultaneous penetration into human brain tumors and surrounding normal tissue. Thirteen patients received a dose of 1 g of each agent, infused over a 10 minute period during neurosurgery. Samples of glioma (20), brain (10) and cerebrospinal fluid (1) were obtained at a mean time (+/- SD) of 31 +/- 18 min from the end of infusion. A 24 hr plasma time course was measured in six patients. Nitroimidazole concentrations were determined by HPLC. For a mean dose of 0.55 g/m2 of each agent, the mean tumor concentrations (+/- SD) were 17.0 +/- 12.0 micrograms/g for Ro 03-8799 and 13.5 +/- 10.9 micrograms/g for SR 2508. The tumor/plasma ratios were 279 +/- 230% and 47 +/- 34% respectively. For adjacent 'normal' brain tissue, the radiosensitizer concentrations were 29.9 +/- 13.1 micrograms/g for Ro 03-8799, and 4.0 +/- 1.7 micrograms/g for SR 2508, and the brain/plasma ratios were 430 +/- 29% and 14 +/- 8% respectively. There was a significant trend towards increasing accumulation of both agents with time, in both tumor and normal brain. Concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid were very low. Plasma pharmacokinetics for Ro 03-8799 were similar to previous experience, but for SR 2508 the terminal half-life was greater in this series by a factor of 1.3. The results confirm that Ro 03-8799 is distributed widely in the central nervous system, and demonstrate that SR 2508 can achieve high tumor concentrations when the blood-brain barrier is compromised. The concentrations achieved with the combination are indicative of a significant advantage over metronidazole, misonidazole, or either agent alone, and normalized to the therapeutic dose of 0.75 g/m2 plus 2.0 g/m2 SR 2508 are consistent with those giving additive sensitization in an in vivo mouse tumor model.

• Research Organization: Univ. Department MRC Unit of Clinical Oncology, and Radiotherapeutics, Cambridge (England)
• OSTI ID: 6699515
• Journal Information: Int. J. Radiat. Oncol., Biol. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: Int. J. Radiat. Oncol., Biol. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 15:3; ISSN IOBPD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANOXIA
BIOLOGICAL HALF-LIFE
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER
BODY
BODY FLUIDS
BRAIN
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
CEREBROSPINAL FLUID
CHROMATOGRAPHY
DISEASES
DRUGS
EVALUATION
GLIOMAS
LIQUID COLUMN CHROMATOGRAPHY
MATERIALS
MEDICINE
NEOPLASMS
NERVOUS SYSTEM
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ORGANS
PATIENTS
RADIOLOGY
RADIOSENSITIZERS
RADIOTHERAPY
SEPARATION PROCESSES
THERAPY