title: [Effect of protocol RS-99 for childhood rhabdomyosarcoma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop a reasonable protocol for childhood rhabdomyosarcoma (RS) to improve the prognosis of this disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  The protocol RS-99, developed on the base of pathological examination, clinical staging and grouping was used for 30 RS patients, 15 male and 15 female, aged 53 months (15-180 months). For the low-risk patients the regimen VCP and IeV were used alternately for 6 treatment courses and then local radiotherapy was given, for the median and high risk patients, regimen AVCP and IEV were used alternately for 6 courses, local radiotherapy and selective operation were performed, and then DEV and IeV were used alternately for 6 courses, and for the high-risk patients DEV and IeV were used alternately for 18 courses in total and then hematopoietic stem cell transplantation was conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-three of the 30 patients reached complete response (CR) 17 of which remained in CR for 37 (32-92) months, and 7 of the 30 patients achieved partial response (PR) but their condition worsened later. Relapse was seen in 6 patients 15 (7-38) months later. The 5 year event-free survival (EFS) rate was 47% and the overall survival (OS) rate was 52%. All the 10 stage I and II patients, 5 of the 8 stage III patients, and only 2 of the 12 stage IV patients still remained in CR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The protocol RS-99 is effective on the RS at stages I, II, and III, however, is ineffective on the disease at stage IV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hemotology/ Oncology, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University,Shanghai 200127, China.
authors.forename: Jing-Yan
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Ci
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Hui-Liang
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Long-Jun
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Qi-Min
authors.initials: QM
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010386:Pelvic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D011878:Radiotherapy; D012208:Rhabdomyosarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome