title: Nitrogen mustard, vincristine, procarbazine, and prednisone as adjuvant chemotherapy in the treatment of medulloblastoma. A Pediatric Oncology Group study.
abstract: In a randomized postoperative trial, adjuvant post-irradiation chemotherapy, consisting of nitrogen mustard, vincristine, procarbazine, and prednisone (MOPP), was tested versus radiation therapy alone for newly diagnosed medulloblastoma in patients between 1 and 21 years of age. Patients treated with irradiation plus MOPP had a statistically significant increase in overall survival rate at 5 years posttreatment compared to patients treated with radiation therapy alone (74% vs. 56%; p = 0.06, adjusted for race and gender). Although the overall study failed to show a statistically significant advantage for irradiation plus MOPP in event-free survival (p = 0.18), statistical significance was attained in children 5 years of age or older (p = 0.05). More severe hematological toxicities occurred in the group with irradiation plus MOPP; however, this hematotoxicity appeared to be tolerable and acceptable. These results suggest that patients may benefit from combined irradiation and chemotherapy following surgery for medulloblastoma.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Oncology Group, St. Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Krischer
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Ragab
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kun
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Laurent
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Boyett
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Cornell
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Link
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Luthy
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Camitta
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002528:Cerebellar Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008466:Mechlorethamine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008527:Medulloblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011344:Procarbazine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012737:Sex Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D011344:Procarbazine; D008466:Mechlorethamine; D014750:Vincristine; D011241:Prednisone