Is protracted low-dose temozolomide feasible in glioma patients?

The authors investigated the safety of 75 mg/m(2) temozolomide for 21 days every 28 days in glioma patients. This schedule could lead to DNA repair enzyme O-6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase depletion, contributing to overcoming drug resistance. Although Phase III studies are forthcoming, no data are available on the long-term toxicity of temozolomide, which, in this series, incurred prolonged, cumulative lymphopenia, which leads to a high incidence of infections.