Rats too weak to feed and to stand (corresponding to stage 2) were sacrificed (atmosphere saturated with CO2). The day of euthanasia was recorded and used IGF-1R inhibitor in the survival analysis. All brains were removed and macroscopically examined when possible. It was noted if a tumor was found. Table 2 Rats staging (data not published)   Stage 5 Stage 4 Stage 3 Stage 2 Stage 1 AMN-107 chemical structure Motility Normal Normal + but not spontaneous Reduced No Stature Normal Stooped + Stooped ++ Stooped +++ Dying Piloerection No +/- +++ +++ +++ Eyes sharp Redness+ Redness ++

Eye secretions closed Statistics Survival was calculated from the day of the tumor implantation and presented as median and mean ± SE (Standard Error). Increase of life span (ILS) was calculated as follows: (Mean Survival Max – Mean Survival Min)/Mean Survival Min × 100. A Student t-test was performed to compare mean survival in the two groups, using SPSS® software and tests were considered as significant with p values < 0.05. Any rat surviving longer than 120 days was defined as a 'long survivor'. The Kaplan-Meier method was used Selleckchem 4SC-202 to plot animal survival. Animals that died during anesthesia

were not included in the survival analysis. Results Efficacy of the brain irradiation The dosimetry planning is reported in figure 3. The 95%-isodose curve covered all the brain and 95% of the volume received 95% of the total dose. In the group A, two animals died during anaesthesia induction, before the tumor cells implantation. The

brain was analyzed macroscopically in 12 animals (six in group A and six in group B). Deterioration of the brain in other animals, due to oedema, prevented analysis. For the 12 animals, a large tumor was observed in their right striatum. By day 35, all rats in group A died. Mean survival of this untreated group was 28.1 days ± 1.3. For group B, mean survival was 59.9 days ± 8.2 (Table 3). The rate of Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase long survivors in this group was 20% (2/10 rats). The macroscopic examination of their brain was normal, with no sign of tumor or injection trail; therefore we did not perform a microscopic analysis. Rats treated with WBI showed an increased mean survival span (ILS) of 113% when compared to controls. Survival time was significantly longer compared to the control group (p = 0.01) (Figure 4). Figure 3 Dose distribution in the whole rat brain. Table 3 Descriptive and statistical data from the survival study depending on groups of treatment GROUPS Median of survival (days) Mean time of survival (days) ± SE Mean ILS (%) Long term survivors Maximal time of survival (days) Group A « untreated » (n = 8) 27 28.1 ± 1.3 – 0 35 Group B « WBI » (n = 10) 49.5 59.9 ± 8.2 113 2 120 WBI: Whole brain irradiation ILS: increase in lifetime span Figure 4 Survival curves depending of each group of treatment. Survival times (days) after tumor implantation have been plotted for “”untreated animals”" (Group A) and “”WBI (3 fractions of 6 Gy)”" animals (group B).