title: Low-dose protracted irinotecan as a palliative chemotherapy for advanced neuroblastoma.
abstract: Management of cases of refractory neuroblastoma remains a challenge. As intensive chemotherapy sometimes results in severe regimen-related toxicity and poor quality of life, palliative chemotherapy with modest toxicity may be considered for these cases. We report 2 cases of stage 4 neuroblastoma with poor performance status that received low-dose protracted schedules of irinotecan. This regimen achieved not only disease stabilization but also dramatic improvements of quality of life for significant periods. A low-dose protracted schedule of irinotecan was tolerable even if the patient's performance status was poor, and thus might be useful as a palliative chemotherapy for advanced neuroblastoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Osone
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hosoi
authors.forename: Kunihiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsuchiya
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Misawa
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iehara
authors.forename: Tohru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sugimoto
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D000077146:Irinotecan; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D010166:Palliative Care; D011859:Radiography; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D000077146:Irinotecan; D002166:Camptothecin