title: Ifosfamide and Etoposide Chemotherapy in the Treatment of Recurrent/Refractory Rhabdomyosarcoma in Adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  No standard chemotherapy for adults with recurrent/refractory rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) has yet been established. The present study aimed to assess the effect of ifosfamide and etoposide (IE) chemotherapy on previously treated RMS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adults with recurrent/refractory RMS were treated with ifosfamide (1,800 g/m(2)/day), etoposide (100 mg/m(2)/day) and mesna (1,080 mg/m(2)/day) for 5 days. The effect and toxicity were evaluated by chart review.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifteen patients, with a median age of 33 years (range=25-67 years), were treated with IE chemotherapy. A median of six cycles of chemotherapy were administered and an objective response was obtained in eight patients. The median progression-free survival was 5.2 months (95% confidence interval=2.3-6.7 months) and overall survival was 14.4 months (95% confidence interval=4.6-28.3 months). Toxicity greater than grade 3 was as follows: neutropenia in all patients, anemia in seven, thrombocytopenia in seven and febrile neutropenia in eight.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IE chemotherapy could be an alternative optional treatment method in adults with recurrent/refractory RMS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast and Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinsuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sasada
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast and Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kodaira
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast and Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tatsunori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimoi
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast and Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shimomura
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast and Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Mayu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yunokawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast and Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yonemori
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast and Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Chikako
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast and Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujiwara
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast and Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan ketamura@ncc.go.jp.
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tamura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007069:Ifosfamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012208:Rhabdomyosarcoma / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D005047:Etoposide; D007069:Ifosfamide
keywords: Rhabdomyosarcoma; adult; chemotherapy; etoposide; ifosfamide; response