Hydroxychloroquine, Radiation, and Temozolomide Treating Patients With Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma Multiforme

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as hydroxychloroquine and temozolomide, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Giving hydroxychloroquine together with temozolomide and radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells.

PURPOSE: This phase I/II trial is studying the side effects and best dose of hydroxychloroquine when given together with radiation therapy and temozolomide and to see how well they work in treating patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme.

OBJECTIVES:

Primary

* Determine the maximum tolerated dose of hydroxychloroquine when administered in combination with radiotherapy and temozolomide in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme. (Phase I)
* Assess the toxicity of this regimen in these patients. (Phase I)
* Determine the overall survival of patients treated with this regimen. (Phase II)

Secondary

* Assess the frequency of toxicity of this regimen in these patients. (Phase II)
* Evaluate the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of this regimen in these patients.
* Correlate the average change in autophagic vesicles from baseline with genotype, toxicity, and clinical outcomes.
* Correlate the presence of TP53 and PTEN genes and BECN1 with toxicity and clinical outcomes.

OUTLINE: This is a multicenter, open-label, phase I, dose-escalation study of hydroxychloroquine followed by a phase II study.

* Phase I:

  * Initiation therapy: Patients receive oral temozolomide daily for 6 weeks and undergo conformal or intensity-modulated radiotherapy 5 days a week for 6 weeks. Patients also receive oral hydroxychloroquine daily for 10 weeks beginning concurrently with temozolomide and radiotherapy.

Cohorts of 3-6 patients receive escalating doses of hydroxychloroquine until the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) is determined. The MTD is defined as the dose preceding that at which 2 of 3 or 2 of 6 patients experience dose-limiting toxicity.

* Maintenance therapy: Beginning 28 days after completion of radiotherapy, patients receive oral temozolomide on days 1-5 and oral hydroxychloroquine on days 1-28. Treatment repeats every 4 weeks for up to 6 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients may then continue to receive hydroxychloroquine alone as above in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

  * Phase II:
* Initiation therapy: Patients receive hydroxychloroquine at the MTD determined in phase I, temozolomide, and radiotherapy as in phase I.
* Maintenance therapy: Patients receive hydroxychloroquine at the MTD determined in phase I and temozolomide as in phase I.

Patients undergo blood and tissue sample collection periodically for pharmacological and correlative studies. Samples are analyzed for the mutational status of TP53 and PTEN genes and copy number of BECN1 via PCR; changes in autophagy protein LC3 via gel electrophoresis; and differences in the formation of LC3-II via immunoblotting.

After completion of study treatment, patients are followed every 2 months.

Eligibility Criteria:
DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed grade IV supratentorial astrocytoma (glioblastoma multiforme)
* Newly diagnosed disease
* Diagnosis must have been made by biopsy or resection ≤ 3 months prior to study entry

INCLUSION CRITERIA:

* Patients must be at least 18 years of age.
* Patients must have histologically confirmed supratentorial grade IV astrocytoma (glioblastoma multiforme), established by biopsy or resection not more than 3 months prior to registration.
* Patients must not have received prior radiation therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy or therapy with biologic agents (including immunotoxins, immunoconjugates, antisense, peptide receptor antagonists, interferons, interleukins, TIL, LAK or gene therapy), or hormonal therapy for their brain tumor. Glucocorticoid therapy is allowed.
* Patients must have a Karnofsky performance status ≤ 60% (i.e. the patient must be able to care for himself/herself with occasional help from others).
* Patients must have the following hematologic, renal and liver function (i.e. absolute neutrophil count \> 1500/mm3, platelets \> 100,000/mm3, creatinine ≤ 2 times the upper limits of normal (ULN) total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 mg/dl, ALT and AST ≤ 4 times above the upper limits of the institutional norm.
* Patients must be able to provide written informed consent.
* Patients with the potential for pregnancy or impregnating their partner must agree to follow acceptable birth control methods to avoid conception. Women of childbearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test. The anti-proliferative activity of this experimental drug may be harmful to the developing fetus or nursing infant.
* Patients must have a Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE) score of \> 15.
* Patients must have tumor tissue form completed and signed by a pathologist. See section 9.5.2 for details.
* Prior concurrent therapy:

  * No prior radiotherapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, biologic agents (e.g., immunotoxins, immunoconjugates, antisense agents, peptide receptor antagonists, interferons, interleukins, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, lymphokine-activated killer cell therapy, or gene therapy), or hormonal therapy for brain tumor
  * No prior polifeprosan 20 with carmustine implant (Gliadel wafer) or GliaSite® brachytherapy
  * No concurrent cytochrome P450 enzyme-inducing anticonvulsant drugs (e.g., phenytoin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, primidone, or oxcarbazepine)
  * No other concurrent chemotherapeutic or investigational agents for this cancer
  * Concurrent glucocorticoids allowed

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

* Patients with serious concurrent infection or medical illness, which would jeopardize the ability of the patient to receive the treatment outlined in this protocol with reasonable safety.
* Patients who are pregnant or breast-feeding.
* Patients receiving concurrent therapy for their tumor (i.e. chemotherapeutics or investigational agents).
* Patients with a concurrent or prior malignancy, unless they are patients with curatively treated carcinoma-in-situ or basal cell carcinoma of the skin. Patients who have been free of disease (any prior malignancy) for five years are eligible for this study.
* Patients who have received Gliadel wafers or GliaSite brachytherapy are not eligible.
* Due to risk of disease exacerbation patients with porphyria are not eligible.
* Due to risk of disease exacerbation patients with psoriasis are ineligible unless the disease is well controlled and they are under the care of a specialist for the disorder who agrees to monitor the patient for exacerbations.
* Patients receiving cytochrome P450 enzyme-inducing anticonvulsant drugs (EIADs) (i.e. phenytoin, carbamazepine, Phenobarbital, primidone or oxcarbazepine).
* Patients with previously documented macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy.