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HK J Paediatr (New Series)
Vol 17. No. 4,
2012
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HK J Paediatr (New Series) 2012;17:223-229
Original Article
Institutional Experience of Five-day Courses of Irinotecan as Palliative Chemotherapy in Chinese Patients with Refractory Neuroblastoma
WS Cai, R Wu, HY Zhao, WL Wang, DL Wen, JH Zhang, Y Wang, YG Tan, HW Zou Department of Oncology, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, China WS Cai (蔡煒嵩) MD, PhD R Wu (吳榮) MD, PhD Y Wang (王穎) MD YG Tan (譚永剛) MD HW Zou (鄒華偉) MD, PhD Department of Neurosurgery, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, China HY Zhao (趙紅宇) MD, PhD Department of Pediatric Surgery, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, China WL Wang (王維林) MD, PhD Department of Pediatrics, the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China DL Wen (聞德亮) MD, PhD JH Zhang (張錦華) MD Correspondence to: Dr WS Cai Received December 1, 2011
Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy, safety and quality of life of irinotecan in Chinese refractory neuroblastoma patients in affiliated hospitals of China Medical University. Patients and Methods: Seven patients received irinotecan at 40-50 mg/m2/day administered as a 60-minute infusion for 5 consecutive days, every 3 weeks. Tumour response, toxicities and performance status were evaluated. Results: Stable disease was observed in 3 of 7 patients (42.9%). Most common grade 3-4 toxicities were myelosuppressive haematologic toxicities. Grade 1-2 nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, or cramping and diarrhoea were the most common non-haematologic drug-related toxicities observed. Quality of life was improved in almost all patients. Conclusion: Irinotecan as a single agent was well tolerated and was a very safe regimen in Chinese patients. Although this regimen induced no objective response (CR+PR) in refractory neuroblastoma patients, the clinical benefit rate (CR+PR+SD) was 42.9%. This regimen could alleviate pain and to some extent improve the quality of life for heavily pretreated refractory Chinese neuroblastoma patients. Keyword : Efficacy; Irinotecan; Neuroblastoma; Quality of life; Toxicity Abstract in Chinese
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