A Case of Brain Stem Glioma Responded to Tamoxifen after Relapse with Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy / 대한소아혈액종양학회지

ABSTRACT

Tamoxifen is an oral triphenylethylene antiestrogen that has been used for breast cancer, but also inhibits protein kinase C(PKC) in a minority of malignant gliomas. Tamoxifen was administered orally in very high dose to a female brain stem glioma patient who had failed treatment with external beam hyperfractionated radiaton therapy and additional chemotherapy. Tumor reduction on MRI with clinical improvement occurred. Complications were mild thrombocytopenia, elevaton of transaminases and profuse production of hairs around both nipples and face. Although several patients with brain stem glioma had been treated with tamoxifen in our hospital, only one patient responded. Further study for the mechanism of tamoxifen activity to malignant glioma and patient characteristic evaluation will be required.