Chemotherapy can be used for astrocytoma when surgery and radiation have not been successful. Usually, chemotherapy medications are given through an intravenous line.

Some chemotherapy drugs do not penetrate into the brain very well when given through a vein. For this reason, medications are often delivered directly into the spinal fluid through implanted catheters.

Some cancer centers are implanting microspheres into the brain. These microscopic implants deliver chemotherapy directly to the brain tumor.

Chemotherapy drugs for astrocytoma:

• Camptosar (CPT-11)
• Carmustine (BCNU)
• Lomustine (CCNU)
• Methotrexate
• Polifeprosan 20 with carmustine implant
• Procarbazine (Matulane)
• Temodar (Temozolomide)
• Thalidomide
• Vincristine