OBJECTIVE: Nimotuzumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody targeted against 
epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Recent clinical studies show that 
patients with malignant gliomas could benefit from nimotuzumab treatment. The 
aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and side effects of 
nimotuzumab in combination with chemotherapy for patients with malignant 
gliomas.
METHODS: The patients received 200 mg of nimotuzumab infusion intravenously over 
60 minutes once weekly for the first eight weeks and then once every two weeks 
until unacceptable toxicity or tumor progression occurred. Individualized 
chemotherapy was administered based on O(6)-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase 
(MGMT) expression and previous chemotherapy responses in combined with 
nimotuzumab.
RESULTS: Fourteen patients received a total of 122 times of nimotuzumab ranging 
from 2 to 20 (median 7.5 times). Combined chemotherapy regimens included: 
continuous 21-day temozolomide (10 cases), standard 5-day temozolomide (2 
cases), teniposide plus cisplatin (1 case), and teniposide plus nimustine (1 
case). Partial response (PR) and stable disease (SD) were found in 3 patients 
(21.4%)and 6 patients (42.9%), respectively. Disease control rate (PR + SD) was 
64.3%. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 4 months (95%CI: 0.7 - 
7.3) and PFS at 6 months was 30.6%. The most common toxicities include grade 
I-II neutropenia (2 cases), thrombocytopenia (2 cases), lymphopenia (1 case), 
nausea and vomitting (3 case) and asymptomatic transaminase increase (1 case). 
One patient developed grade IV neutropenia and thrombocytopenia. One patient 
developed nimotuzumab-related acneiform rash.
CONCLUSIONS: Nimotuzumab in combination with chemotherapy has moderate activity 
in patients with malignant gliomas and the toxicities are well tolerable, 
therefore, worth further investigation.