Chemotherapy with the "8 in 1" protocol for malignant brain tumors in children: a population-based study in Finland.
We evaluated the outcome of 68 children with malignant brain tumors treated with the "8 in 1" chemotherapy protocol in Finland from 1986 to 1993, comparing 5-year survival rates with those for a historical control group (from 1975 to 1985). For all malignant brain tumors, overall survival was 43% (vs 28% in the control group; P <0.05), and progression-free survival (PFS) was 43% (vs 23%; P <0.05). For medulloblastoma and primitive neuroectodermal tumor, survival was 63% (vs 35%; P <0.05), and the corresponding PFS was 59% (vs 35%; P = 0.15). For high-grade glioma, both the survival rate and the PFS were 27% (vs 17%; P = NS). Thus the outcome was significantly better for our "8 in 1" -treated patients than for the historical controls, especially among the children with primitive neuroectodermal tumor and medulloblastoma. In contrast, those with high-grade gliomas and brain stem tumors seem to have received little benefit; different, more effective treatments are needed for these patients.
Ilveskoski
I
I
Children's Hospital, University of Helsinki, Finland.
Saarinen
U M
UM
Perkkiö
M
M
Salmi
T T
TT
Lanning
M
M
Mäkipernaa
A
A
Sankila
R
R
Pihko
H
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D005910:Glioma / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008527:Medulloblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy; D015996:Survival Rate