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For Kennedy, others, chemotherapy offers new hope for brain tumors

Surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy are common prescriptions for the million and a half people who find they have cancer each year. But in the small world of brain cancer — fewer than 20,000 people face this diagnosis yearly — using chemotherapy as a frontline treatment along with surgery and radiation is a relatively recent development.

The first new chemo agent for brain tumors in 20 years, Temodar (temozolamide), appeared on the scenes in late 1999. Developed by Schering-Plough, it gained expedited approval from the Food and Drug Administration because it was shown to more than double expected survival in patients with far-advanced malignant gliomas who had exhausted all other forms of treatment. With further proof of benefit, Temodar earned its way up to frontline therapy about three years ago and is now part of routine care.

 

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