title: Treatment of early recurrent medulloblastoma in children with cisplatin and etoposide: a preliminary report.
abstract: The prognosis of recurrent medulloblastoma remains extremely poor. Combination chemotherapy with cisplatin (CDDP) and etoposide (VP-16) was given to five children with early recurrent medulloblastoma. As a rule, CDDP 20 mg/m2 per day and VP-16 60 mg/m2 per day were administered intravenously for 5 days. This cycle was repeated three times at 4-week intervals. After this therapy, cerebellar signs improved in one case and were unchanged in four cases. Weakness and sensory disturbance, however, improved in three of four patients. Moreover, neck and/or back pain resolved in all these four. Radiological findings improved in three cases. Myelosuppression appeared in all patients, but receded rapidly. No other significant complications were noticed. Two patients died 5 and 6 months after this therapy. These results seem to suggest that this therapy has a use in improving neurological symptoms, particularly neck and/or back pain, although its efficacy is limited.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Hyougo-prefectural Awaji Hospital, Sumoto, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kudo
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kokunai
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kuwamura
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tamaki
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sawa
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Izawa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tatsumi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hamano
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002528:Cerebellar Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008527:Medulloblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D005047:Etoposide; D002945:Cisplatin