title: Feasibility of four consecutive high-dose chemotherapy cycles with stem-cell rescue for patients with newly diagnosed medulloblastoma or supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor after craniospinal radiotherapy: results of a collaborative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was designed to determine the feasibility and safety of delivering four consecutive cycles of high-dose cyclophosphamide, cisplatin, and vincristine, each followed by stem-cell rescue, every 4 weeks, after completion of risk-adapted craniospinal irradiation to children with newly diagnosed medulloblastoma or supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET).
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-three patients, 19 with high-risk disease and 34 with average-risk disease, were enrolled onto this study. After surgical resection, high-risk patients were treated with topotecan in a 6-week phase II window followed by craniospinal radiation therapy and four cycles of high-dose cyclophosphamide (4,000 mg/m2 per cycle), with cisplatin (75 mg/m2 per cycle), and vincristine (two 1.5-mg/m2 doses per cycle). Support with peripheral blood stem cells or bone marrow and with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor was administered after each cycle of high-dose chemotherapy. Treatment of average-risk patients consisted of surgical resection and craniospinal irradiation, followed by the same chemotherapy given to patients with high-risk disease. The expected duration of the chemotherapy was 16 weeks, with a cumulative cyclophosphamide dose of 16,000 mg/m2 and a planned dose-intensity of 1,000 mg/m2/wk.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty of the 53 patients commenced high-dose chemotherapy, and 49 patients completed all four cycles. The median length of chemotherapy cycles one through four was 28, 27, 29, and 28 days, respectively. Engraftment occurred at a median of 14 to 15 days after infusion of stem cells or autologous bone marrow. The intended dose-intensity of cyclophosphamide was 1,000 mg/m2/wk; the median delivered dose-intensity was 1,014, 1,023, 974, and 991 mg/m2/wk for cycles 1 through 4, respectively; associated median relative dose-intensity was 101%, 102%, 97%, and 99%. No deaths were attributable to the toxic effects of high-dose chemotherapy. Early outcome analysis indicates a 2-year progression-free survival of 93.6% +/- 4.7% for the average-risk patients. For the high-risk patients, the 2-year progression-free survival is 73.7% +/- 10.5% from the start of therapy and 84.2% +/- 8.6% from the start of radiation therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Administering four consecutive cycles of high-dose chemotherapy with stem-cell support after surgical resection and craniospinal irradiation is feasible in newly diagnosed patients with medulloblastoma/supratentorial PNET with aggressive supportive care. The early outcome results of this approach are very encouraging.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Strother
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ashley
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kellie
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jones-Wallace
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Heideman
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Benaim
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Krance
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bowman
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gajjar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008527:Medulloblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D018242:Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D019772:Topotecan / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D014750:Vincristine; D019772:Topotecan; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D002945:Cisplatin