Tandem high-dose chemotherapy strategy as first-line treatment of primary disseminated multifocal Ewing sarcomas in children, adolescents and young adults

Bone Marrow Transplant. 2015 Aug;50(8):1083-8. doi: 10.1038/bmt.2015.118. Epub 2015 Jun 1.

Abstract

The prognosis of primary disseminated multifocal metastatic Ewing's sarcoma (PDMES) is poor even if a slight improvement has been achieved with high-dose alkylating agent-containing chemotherapy. To enhance treatment efficacy, we assessed the feasibility, safety and efficacy of a tandem high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) regimen. In a single institution, patients with PDMES received six courses of vincristine/ifosfamide/doxorubicin/etoposide induction therapy, followed by high-dose thiotepa, and then melphalan-busulfan, 8 weeks apart. Surgical resection of primary tumour was carried out between the two HDC regimens and 70 days after the last HDC regimen for post-operative radiotherapy or irradiation alone. From October 2002 to 2009, 13 of the 18 consecutive patients with PDMES (72%) received the full treatment programme. The other five patients experienced early progression and died. Among the 13 patients, 11 relapsed after the end of the treatment programme within 6 months (2.2-11.9) from end of therapy. Only two patients are still alive in first complete remission after 9 years. The 3-year event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 11 and 22%, respectively. The median EFS and OS duration from the diagnosis were 13.4 and 17.3 months, respectively. Neither major complications nor treatment-related death occurred. The tandem-HDC regimen was feasible, with expected side effects, but it did not improve the outcome of patients with PDMES.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / administration & dosage*
  • Chemoradiotherapy / methods*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Doxorubicin / administration & dosage
  • Etoposide / administration & dosage
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Ifosfamide / administration & dosage
  • Male
  • Sarcoma, Ewing / mortality*
  • Sarcoma, Ewing / therapy*
  • Survival Rate
  • Thiotepa / administration & dosage
  • Vincristine / administration & dosage
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Vincristine
  • Etoposide
  • Doxorubicin
  • Thiotepa
  • Ifosfamide