Topotecan for the treatment of recurrent or progressive central nervous system tumors - A pediatric oncology group phase II study

Richard P. Kadota, Clinton F. Stewart, Marianna Horn, John F. Kuttesch, Peter C. Burger, James L. Kepner, Larry E. Kun, Henry S. Friedman, Richard L. Heideman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

47 Scopus citations

Abstract

Topotecan was studied as a 72 h infusion given every 3 weeks. Treatment began at a dose of 1.0 mg/m2/day and was increased to 1.25 mg/m2/day after the first 6 patients tolerated this higher dose without excessive toxicities. Eighty-eight evaluable children were accrued in 6 strata. There were no complete nor partial responses. Twenty subjects had stable disease (astrocytoma 5/11, malignant glioma 5/13, medulloblastoma 0/12, brain stem tumor 4/19, ependymoma 5/17, and miscellaneous histologies 1/16). Two patients (astrocytoma, ependymoma) completed the maximum 18 topotecan courses. The remaining 68 children developed progressive disease within 2 months. Myelosuppression was the main toxicity. Grade 4 leukopenia, neutropenia, anemia, and thrombocytopenia were observed in 18, 32, 5, and 23 participants, respectively. It was concluded that topotecan as given according to this schedule showed insufficient activity to promote it to frontline protocol usage.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)43-47
Number of pages5
JournalJournal of Neuro-Oncology
Volume43
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 1999

Keywords

  • Brain tumors
  • Phase II trial
  • Topoisomerase I
  • Topotecan

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Oncology
  • Neurology
  • Clinical Neurology
  • Cancer Research

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