Use of ifosfamide, carboplatin, and etoposide chemotherapy in choroid plexus carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
Choroid plexus carcinomas (CPCs) are rare pediatric tumors with a generally poor prognosis. Although the role of surgery is well recognized, the role of adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy remains unclear. In this paper, the authors' goal was to assess the role of second-look surgery and neoadjuvant ifosfamide, carboplatin, etoposide (ICE) chemotherapy in the management of CPC and to study neurocognitive outcome.


METHODS
The authors performed an institutional retrospective review of patients in whom CPC was diagnosed between 1985 and 2006 at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. Fourteen patients (7 boys and 7 girls) were included. The median age at diagnosis was 18.6 months (range 1.1-65.3 months). Four patients had evidence of metastatic disease at diagnosis. Two of the 14 patients underwent gross-total resection during initial surgery; 12 of the patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy, 10 of whom underwent second surgery. In total, of 12 patients who received chemotherapy with a curative intent, 11 underwent a greater than 95% resection. Neoadjuvant ICE chemotherapy was given prior to second surgery (median 4 cycles, range 2-5 cycles) and was continued after second resection for a median total of 7 cycles (range 4-16 cycles).


RESULTS
No tumor progression was observed during chemotherapy prior to second surgery. Five patients subsequently experienced tumor progression/relapse. At a median follow-up of 6.9 years (range 1.9-18.5 years), 8 patients are alive. None of the survivors received radiation therapy. However, 6 of 8 display significant neurocognitive and/or sensorial deficit.


CONCLUSIONS
In this experience, second surgery following neoadjuvant ICE chemotherapy led to a high rate of complete or near-complete resection. Chemotherapy appears to facilitate second-look surgery, in particular through a reduction of intraoperative blood loss. Despite radiation avoidance, the majority of survivors experienced significant neurocognitive impairment.
Department of Pediatric Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. lucie.lafay-cousin@albertahealthservices.ca
Lucie
L
Lafay-Cousin
Donald J
DJ
Mabbott
William
W
Halliday
Michael D
MD
Taylor
Uri
U
Tabori
Ian D
ID
Kamaly-Asl
Abhaya V
AV
Kulkarni
Ute
U
Bartels
Mark
M
Greenberg
Eric
E
Bouffet
D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000209:etiology; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016545:Choroid Plexus Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007069:Ifosfamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007223:Infant; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D005047:Etoposide; D016190:Carboplatin; D007069:Ifosfamide