RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Low-dose Chemotherapy Combined with an Antiangiogenic Drug Reduces Human Glioma Growth in Vivo JF Cancer Research JO Cancer Res FD American Association for Cancer Research SP 7501 OP 7506 VO 61 IS 20 A1 Bello, Lorenzo A1 Carrabba, Giorgio A1 Giussani, Carlo A1 Lucini, Valeria A1 Cerutti, Francesca A1 Scaglione, Francesco A1 Landré, Julien A1 Pluderi, Mauro A1 Tomei, Giustino A1 Villani, Roberto A1 Carroll, Rona S. A1 McL Black, Peter A1 Bikfalvi, Andreas YR 2001 UL http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/61/20/7501.abstract AB This study evaluates the efficacy of the combination of an antiangiogenic drug and conventional chemotherapeutics for the treatment of experimental human gliomas. As an antiangiogenic, we used recombinant human PEX, a fragment of matrix metalloproteinase-2 that we have previously shown to have a significant antimitotic, anti-invasive, and antiangiogenic properties against human glioblastoma in vitro and in vivo. We used carboplatin and etoposide as the two chemotherapeutic drugs routinely used in our institution (Ospedale Maggiore de Milano) for the treatment of malignant gliomas. Conventional chemotherapeutic drugs were administered at high dose or at a low and semicontinuous regimen. Combined treatment of high-dose chemotherapy and PEX did not produce an improvement of survival in comparison with chemotherapy alone, but it was associated with a decrease in tumor volume, vascularity, and proliferative index and an increased apoptosis. All of these animals experienced severe side effects. The longest survival was documented in animals submitted to low and semicontinuous chemotherapy and antiangiogenic treatment. This regimen was associated with no side effects, marked decrease in tumor volume, vascularity, and proliferative index, and an increased apoptosis. Our data suggest that low-dose chemotherapy in combination with PEX can be successfully used against human malignant glioma in vivo. ©2001 American Association for Cancer Research.