Response to melphalan in up-front investigational window therapy for patients with metastatic Ewing's family tumours.
The aim of the study was to determine the activity and toxicity of melphalan as a single agent given in up-front therapy for patients with newly-diagnosed Ewing's family tumours with bone/bone marrow metastases. Nineteen patients were enrolled from 2001 to 2004. The treatment consisted of up-front therapy with melphalan (two courses of 50 mg/m2, 3 weeks apart). The overall rate of response to melphalan (complete response+partial response, according to the RECIST criteria) was 78%. Transient grade 3-4 neutropenia, thrombocytopenia and anaemia were recorded in 97%, 81% and 28% of melphalan courses, respectively. No other relevant toxicities were recorded. Melphalan proved to be active in up-front treatment at non-myeloablative doses, and its toxicity was predictable and manageable. The schedule adopted did not interfere with any further intensive chemotherapy or myeloablative treatment in the majority of cases.
Luksch
R
R
Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy. roberto.luksch@istitutotumori.mi.it
Grignani
G
G
Fagioli
F
F
Brach del Prever
A
A
Podda
M
M
Aliberti
S
S
Casanova
M
M
Prete
A
A
Hanau
G
G
Tamburini
A
A
Allione
P
P
Tienghi
A
A
Ferrari
S
S
Collini
P
P
Marchianò
A
A
Gandola
L
L
Aglietta
M
M
Madon
E
E
Picci
P
P
Fossati-Bellani
F
F
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019046:Bone Marrow Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000556:secondary*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000556:secondary*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008558:Melphalan / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D010375:Pedigree; D012512:Sarcoma, Ewing / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D008558:Melphalan