Wilms' tumour: adjuvant treatment with actinomycin D and vincristine.
In an unselected series of 49 children with Wilms' tumour treated in 1969-74 the 5-year relapse-free survival and survival rates were 78% and 81%, respectively, whereas in the series of children treated in 1963-68 the corresponding rates were 49% and 70%. The significant improvement in the relapse-free survival rate was a result of adjuvant treatment with actinomycin D and vincristine (AMD + VCR), which, in some patients, eradicated occult metastatic disease. In the treatment of lung metastases the combination of whole-lung irradiation and maintained chemotherapy with AMD + VCR proved excessively toxic: in 5 of 11 patients acute diffuse pneumonitis developed, and it was fatal in 3. Adjuvant AMD + VCR therapy is advocated in all patients with Wilms' tumour except children less than 12 months old with a tumour of moderate size, limited to the kidney and completely resectable.
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003609:Dactinomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000139:chemically induced; D012008:Recurrence; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009396:Wilms Tumor / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality
D003609:Dactinomycin; D014750:Vincristine