Stabilization of a progressive hemangioblastoma under treatment with thalidomide.

Abstract

After the second recurrence of spinal seeding in hemangioblastoma not associated to von-Hippel-Lindau disease, we treated an adult female patient with thalidomide 200 mg orally/day at night for longer than 1 year. The patient reported subjective relief of symptoms after 1 month. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) controls 1,6 and 11 months after begin of thalidomide treatment did not show further tumor progression. She remained wheelchair-bound, but mobility of her arms continuously improved. There was no thalidomide associated side-effect in this patient until her death from pneumonia due to legionnaire's disease. Antiangiogenic treatment with interferon (IFN) alpha-2a and IFN alpha-2b and with SU 5416 has been reported to be effective and well tolerated in several patients with previously progressive angioblastomas and hemangioblastomas. This case adds further evidence of the efficacy of an antiangiogenic treatment concept in a progressive hemangioblastoma.

• Authors: Maria Piribauer, Thomas Czech, Karin Dieckmann, Peter Birner, Johannes A Hainfellner, Daniela Prayer, Barbara Fazeny-Dörner, Georg Weinländer, Christine Marosi
• Journal: Journal of neuro-oncology (J Neurooncol) Vol. 66 Issue 3 Pg. 295-9 (Feb 2004) ISSN: 0167-594X [Print] United States
• PMID: 15015660 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Angiogenesis Inhibitors
• Thalidomide

Topics

• Angiogenesis Inhibitors (therapeutic use)
• Cerebellar Neoplasms (drug therapy, pathology)
• Disease Progression
• Female
• Hemangioblastoma (drug therapy, pathology)
• Humans
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Middle Aged
• Thalidomide (therapeutic use)
• Treatment Outcome