TY - JOUR T1 - Safety and Tolerance of D,L-Methadone in Combination with Chemotherapy in Patients with Glioma JF - Anticancer Research JO - Anticancer Res SP - 1227 LP - 1235 VL - 37 IS - 3 AU - JULIA ONKEN AU - CLAUDIA FRIESEN AU - PETER VAJKOCZY AU - MARTIN MISCH Y1 - 2017/03/01 UR - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/37/3/1227.abstract N2 - Background/Aim: D,L-Methadone increases sensitivity toward chemotherapy of different tumor cell populations. We evaluated the safety and tolerance of additional use of D,L-methadone in patients with glioma in combination with chemotherapy. Patients and Methods: The dosage, duration of therapy and side-effects related to D,L-methadone were recorded in 27 patients. Toxicity was assessed accordingly to the Common Toxicity Criteria (CTC) of the National Cancer Institute. Progression-free survival at 6 months (PFS-6) was assessed. Results: A total of 13 patients reported grade 1-3 nausea at the beginning of the D,L-methadone therapy. Four patients reported persistent side-effects of nausea (CTC Grade 2, n=1) and obstipation (CTC grade 2-3, n=3). PFS-6 of patients with glioblastoma was 80% in those with non-methylated O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) (n=5) and 100% in those with MGMT methylation (n=7). Conclusion: D,L-methadone can be safely combined with standard glioma chemotherapy without increasing the risk of toxicity or vegetative symptoms such as tachycardia, sweating and restlessness. PFS-6 in patients with primary glioblastoma treated this way seems to be at least comparable to that of historic controls. ER -