THE TREATMENT OF RECURRENT UNRESECTABLE AND MALIGNANT MENINGIOMAS WITH INTERFERON-ALPHA-2B

OBJECTIVE: Recurrent malignant meningiomas and unresectable meningioma s represent a great therapeutic challenge after the failure of radiati on therapy. No effective chemotherapy has been found. We report the pr eliminary results of the treatment of patients with recurrent unresect able or malignant meningiomas with recombinant interferon alpha-2B (IF N-alpha-2B). METHOD: Each of six patients with either a recurrent mali gnant meningioma or an unresectable meningioma was treated with IFN-al pha, administered subcutaneously at a dosage of 4 mU/m(2) per day, 5 d ays per week. Two of the six meningiomas were regular, one was atypica l, and three were malignant. RESULTS: Five of six patients exhibited p ositive response to treatment; with stabilization of the size of the t umor in four patients and slight regression in one. The responses obse rved lasted from 6 to 14 months. The toxicity associated with prolonge d use of IFN-alpha was mild and well tolerated. CONCLUSION: These resu lts suggest that IFN-alpha is effective in the treatment of recurrent malignant meningiomas.