title: Carboplatin and etoposide (CE) chemotherapy in patients with recurrent or progressive oligodendroglial tumors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Oligodendroglial tumors are rare and chemosensitive diseases; but the overall results with current chemotherapy regimens cannot be considered satisfactory and other active treatments are necessary. We decided to determine the efficacy and toxicity profile of the carboplatin and etoposide (CE) regimen in this setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this phase II trial we evaluated the response rate of first or second line CE regimen (Carboplatin AUC 5 on day 1 and Etoposide 120 mg/m2 on days 1-3 every 28 days) in patients with recurrent/progressive oligodendroglial tumors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-two patients were enrolled. Median age was 42 years (range 22-66); median ECOG PS was 0 (range 0-2); 9 patients had oligodendroglioma, 3 patients had oligoastrocytoma, 11 patients had anaplastic oligodendroglioma, 9 patients had anaplastic oligoastrocytoma. CE regimen showed a response rate of 46.9% with 5 complete responses (15.6%) and 10 partial responses (31.3%). Eleven patients (34.4%) had stable disease. Median time to progression was 8 months, progression-free survivals at 6 and 12 months were 80% and 46.9%, respectively. Toxicity was mainly hematological, with grade 3-4 neutropenia in 5 (15.6%) patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this trial CE regimen has shown relevant activity with a favourable safety profile.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Bellaria Hospital, Via Altura 3, 40139 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Scopece
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Franceschi
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cavallo
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paioli
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paioli
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Conforti
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Palmerini
authors.forename: Carlotta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Berzioli
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Spagnolli
authors.forename: Roberta Degli
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Esposti
authors.forename: Lucio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Crinò
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005910:Glioma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D019656:Loss of Heterozygosity; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005047:Etoposide; D016190:Carboplatin