Treatment with oral etoposide for childhood recurrent ependymomas.
In this study the authors retrospectively evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of prolonged oral etoposide therapy in children with recurrent ependymoma. Twelve ependymoma patients with documented recurrent or persistent disease were treated between May 1998 and October 2003. All patients were treated monthly with oral VP-16 administered at a dose of 50 mg/m2/d for 21 days, with a 7-day interval between cycles, for a planned minimum number of six cycles. Response (complete plus partial) after two cycles occurred in 5 of the 12 patients (41.6%). Response plus stable disease occurred in 10 of the 12 (83.3%), with a median duration of response or stable disease of 7 months (range 4-30). The median survival was 7 months; the 2-year progression-free survival was 16.7%. These results emphasize that oral etoposide is an attractive option for childhood recurrent ependymomas in terms of administration, tolerability, and neuroradiologic response.
Sandri
Alessandro
A
Pediatric Oncology Department, University of Turin, Torino, Italy. alessandro.sandri@unito.it
Massimino
Maura
M
Mastrodicasa
Luana
L
Sardi
Nicola
N
Bertin
Daniele
D
Basso
Maria Eleonora
ME
Todisco
Liana
L
Paglino
Alessandra
A
Perilongo
Giorgio
G
Genitori
Lorenzo
L
Valentini
Laura
L
Ricardi
Umberto
U
Gandola
Lorenza
L
Giangaspero
Felice
F
Madon
Enrico
E
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004806:Ependymoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D005047:Etoposide