Meningiomas are a type of brain tumor that form on membranes covering the brain and spinal cord just inside the skull. They occur at an annual incidence of up to 13 per 100 000, and approximately 20% of these exhibit aggressive behavior and burden patients with tumor recurrences as well as infiltration of the surrounding bone, brain, or soft tissue.
Dr. Matthias Preusser of the Medical University Vienna - General Hospital AKH and Coordinator of this study says, "High-grade meningiomas are characterized by prominent infiltration with tumor-associated macrophages and angiogenesis. These characteristics, however, are among the therapeutic targets of trabectedin."
The aim of the recently opened comparative randomized phase II EORTC 1320 trial is to analyze prospectively collected data on activity, safety and quality of life of trabectedin therapy in patients with recurrent high-grade meningioma.
Dr. Preusser adds, "In fact, we saw very promising activity of trabectedin against meningioma cell lines in laboratory investigations and favorable disease stabilization in a patient with heavily pretreated malignant meningioma, and these findings provide us with a rationale for further studying the potential efficacy of trabectedin in grade II or III meningioma."
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EORTC trial 1320 is coordinated by the EORTC Brain Tumor Group and plans to accrue 86 patients with recurrent grade II or III meningioma at 47 sites located in ten countries: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, The Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.
This EORTC sponsored trial is supported by an Educational Grant from PharmaMar.