title: OPEC/OJEC for stage 4 neuroblastoma in children over 1 year of age.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This paper reports the toxicity of OPEC/OJEC chemotherapy in stage 4 neuroblastoma patients over 1 year of age.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-five patients with stage 4 neuroblastoma received alternating courses of OPEC/OJEC--vincristine 1.5 mg/m2 (O), cisplatin 80 mg/m2 (P), etoposide 200 mg/m2 (E), cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2 (C), and carboplatin 500 mg/m2 (J), every 21 days if there was haematological recovery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy out of ninety-five (74%) patients completed seven or more courses and were evaluable for toxicity. Of these 70 patients, 33% had more than three episodes of fever and sepsis, 35% required more than five blood or platelet transfusions, 36% had grade 2 or more gastrointestinal toxicity and 9% had neurotoxicity. There was a median reduction in GFR of 32 ml/min/1.73 m2 (-46 to 134) and there was one toxic death.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  OPEC/OJEC is a well-tolerated therapy for stage 4 neuroblastoma over 1 year of age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Oncology, University of Newcastle, UK.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Tweddle
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Pinkerton
authors.forename: I J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ellershaw
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cole
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Pearson
mesh_terms: D019797:3-Iodobenzylguanidine; D000008:Abdominal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology; D001855:Bone Marrow Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D004164:Diphosphonates; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012074:Remission Induction; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate; D017556:Technetium Compounds; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D004164:Diphosphonates; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D017556:Technetium Compounds; D019797:3-Iodobenzylguanidine; D014750:Vincristine; D005047:Etoposide; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; C029045:technetium Tc 99m diphosphonate; D016190:Carboplatin; D002945:Cisplatin