[Preliminary report of combination chemotherapy including Arsenic trioxide for stage III osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma].
OBJECTIVE
To determine the efficacy of Arsenic trioxide combined with other chemo agents in patients with metastatic osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma.


METHODS
From December 2002 to June 2005, 32 patients with metastatic osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma were treated with chemotherapy comprised Arsenic trioxide, including 19 male and 13 female, aging from 7 to 32 years. Diagnoses included 27 cases with osteosarcomas and 5 with Ewing sarcomas. Twenty-five and 7 patients had multiple lung and skeletal metastasis respectively. All patients had received 4 to 6 cycles standard chemotherapy and surgical treatments before the metastatic lesions were found. The chemotherapy protocol consisted of Arsenic trioxide, VP-16 and paclitaxel. Twenty-eight patients accepted 2 cycles, and 4 patients accepted 3 cycles chemotherapy.


RESULTS
Five patients (15.6%), whose lung focus disappeared and no new metastases proved, got complete response (CR); Six patients (18.8%) got partial response (PR); In thirteen stable disease (SD) patients (40.6%), the metastatic lesions did not reduce in evidence but completely calcified in 2 patients and partly calcified in 11 patients; Eight patients (25%) whose tumor size was even bigger after the chemotherapy were defined as progress disease (PD). The average follow-up period was 20 months (ranging from 6 months to 3 years). Three patients were eventually died; The disease was progressed in 5 patients, and the tumor growth was controlled in 24 patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Arsenic trioxide is a low-toxic and effective remedy for treatment of stage III osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma.
Guo
Wei
W
Musculoskeletal Tumor Center, People's Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100044, China. bonetumor@163.com
Tang
Xiao-dong
XD
Tang
Shun
S
Yang
Yi
Y
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077237:Arsenic Trioxide; D001152:Arsenicals / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012516:Osteosarcoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D010087:Oxides / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012512:Sarcoma, Ewing / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D001152:Arsenicals; D010087:Oxides; D005047:Etoposide; D017239:Paclitaxel; D000077237:Arsenic Trioxide