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© 2003 American Society for Clinical Oncology High-Dose Chemotherapy With Autologous Stem-Cell Rescue in Children and Adults With Newly Diagnosed Pineoblastomas
From the Brain Tumor Center at Duke and the Departments of Pediatrics, Radiation Oncology, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Pathology, Neuro-radiology, Family and Community Medicine, and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC. Address reprint requests to Sridharan Gururangan, MRCP (UK), The Brain Tumor Center at Duke University Medical Center, Box 3624, DUMC, Durham, NC 27710; email: gurur002{at}mc.duke.edu.
Purpose: We evaluated the usefulness of a treatment regimen that included high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) with autologous stem-cell rescue (ASCR) in patients with newly diagnosed pineoblastoma (PBL). Patients and Methods: Twelve patients with PBL were initially treated with surgery and induction chemotherapy. All but two patients underwent radiotherapy. Subsequently, all patients received HDC using cyclophosphamide (CTX) + melphalan (MEL) or busulfan (Bu) + MEL regimens and ASCR. Results: A total of six children and six adults with median ages of 4.2 (range, 0.3 to 19.8 years) and 23 years (range, 23 to 43.7 years), respectively, were treated according to this strategy. Four patients had metastatic disease confined to the neuraxis. Five of 12 patients (42%) had a complete tumor resection at diagnosis. Ten patients received radiotherapy at median doses of 36.0 and 59.4 Gy to the neuraxis and pineal region, respectively. Eleven patients received HDC with CTX + MEL, and one patient received BU + MEL followed by ASCR. Nine patients are alive with no evidence of disease recurrence at a median of 62 months from diagnosis (range, 28 to 125 months), including three patients with metastatic disease and two infants who did not receive any radiotherapy. Three patients have died of progressive disease at 19, 32, and 37 months from diagnosis, respectively. The actuarial 4-year progression-free and overall survivals are 69% (95% confidence interval [CI], 39% to 99%) and 71% (95% CI, 43% to 99%), respectively. Conclusion: The use of HDC in addition to radiotherapy seems to be an effective treatment for patients with newly diagnosed pineoblastoma.
PINEOBLASTOMAS ARE malignant embryonal tumors that arise from the pineal parenchyma and are classified under the group of supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNETs).13 The incidence of pineoblastomas is approximately 3% to 10% of all primary malignant brain tumors in all age groups. The use of conventional chemotherapy and irradiation in children and adults with newly diagnosed pineoblastoma has been extensively reported in the literature.311 Pineoblastomas are high-risk brain tumors with a propensity for frequent relapse. Although one landmark cooperative group study demonstrated survival in excess of 60% with conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy,4 the progression-free survival (PFS) for these patients in most studies has been less than 50% using these modalities.5,6,8,9 In addition, infants with pineoblastoma and those with metastatic disease have been noted to have a dismal prognosis.36,1012 In recent years, high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) with autologous stem-cell rescue (ASCR) has been used successfully in a selected group of patients with newly diagnosed and recurrent malignant brain tumors.1315 The rationale for high-dose chemotherapy is based on the premise that there is a steep dose-response curve for certain chemotherapeutic drugs, particularly alkylating agents such as nitrosoureas, cyclophosphamide (CTX), and melphalan (MEL).16 The effectiveness of this strategy is based on the chemosensitivity of the tumor and the presence of minimal residual disease at the time of HDC. On the basis of our observation of responses to single-agent CTX and MEL in patients with pineoblastoma,9,17 we have routinely treated such patients at the time of diagnosis with CTX in addition to radiotherapy followed by HDC using CTX + MEL or busulfan (Bu) + MEL regimens with ASCR. This report summarizes the results of our experience with this strategy and demonstrates its usefulness, particularly in young children who had been able to avoid radiotherapy and those with metastatic disease.
Between 1991 and 2000, a total of 13 patients (seven children and six adults) were diagnosed with pineoblastoma at Duke University Medical Center (Durham, NC). Twelve patients underwent HDC with ASCR after induction chemotherapy and radiotherapy and form the basis of this report, which reflects their status as of August 2002. One patient aged 8 years at diagnosis with metastatic pineoblastoma underwent standard induction chemotherapy and radiotherapy but did not receive HDC with ASCR because of physician choice. This patient has subsequently died 3 years after completion of therapy and is not included in the outcome analysis. Four of 12 patients (patients 7 to 10, Table 1
Diagnosis and Initial Work-Up All patients were subjected to biopsy or surgical resection of the primary tumor at diagnosis. Pathologic diagnosis of pineoblastoma was made by one of us (R.E.M) using standard criteria.18 All patients underwent a metastatic work-up with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of brain and spine with and without gadolinium, CSF cytology obtained through a lumbar puncture, technitium-99m bone scan, and bone marrow aspirate and biopsy, either before or 3 weeks after surgery. Metastatic spread of tumor was classified as CSF spread only (M-1 disease), nodular disease in the brain or spine only (M-2 disease), nodular disease in brain and spine (M-3 disease), and extraneural spread (M-4 disease).
Induction Chemotherapy, Radiotherapy, and HDC With ASCR
Evaluation before transplantation included physical examination, pulmonary function tests including carbon monoxide diffusing capacity, ECG, echocardiogram and resting multiple gated acquisition scan, and antiviral antibody titers (cytomegalovirus, hepatitis C virus, varicella, and hepatitis B virus). Supportive care after transplantation included granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF); intravenous antibiotics; blood products as needed; pain control; intravenous hyperalimentation; antibiotic prophylaxis for Pneumocystis pneumonia, herpes simplex, and varicella-zoster virus for up to 6 months after transplantation; and prophylaxis for veno-occlusive disease with low-dose heparin. Patients were observed by the bone marrow transplantation service for at least 6 months after discharge. MRI scan of brain and spine was obtained 6 weeks after bone marrow transplantation and periodically thereafter.
Statistical Analysis
Patient Characteristics and Treatment Patient characteristics are listed in Table 1
Responses to Induction and HDC Of six patients who were subsequently assessable for responses to HDC, two patients achieved CR, one patient achieved PR, and three patients achieved SD to this therapy, with an objective response rate of 50% (95% CI, 10% to 90%).
Treatment-Related Toxicity
HDC.
Nine patients received bone marrow plus PBSC and three patients received PBSC only. The median stem-cell dose infused was 1.2 x 108 cells/kg body weight (range, 0.2 to 14.4). In 11 assessable patients, the median time for recovery of absolute neutrophil count to
Other adverse events associated with HDC included grade 2 to 4 mucositis in 11 patients, bacteremia in two patients, gastrointestinal hemorrhage (grade 2) in one patient, subdural hematoma in one patient, and grade 4 veno-occlusive disease in one patient (patient 5; Table 1
Outcome and Survival
The actuarial 4-year PFS and OS are 69% (95% CI, 39% to 99%) and 71% (95% CI, 43% to 99%), respectively (Fig 1
Pineoblastoma is an aggressive embryonal tumor that arises in the pineal parenchyma and is classified under the broad rubric of PNETs.21 Although pineoblastoma is morphologically similar to medulloblastoma and shares its predilection for widespread leptomeningeal dissemination, it differs both in prognosis and genetic characteristics from medulloblastoma.21,22 Although significant strides have been made in the cure of medulloblastoma, with cure rates of up to 80% using chemotherapy and irradiation,23 survival for patients with pineoblastoma has been distinctly inferior, particularly for infants and those with metastatic disease at diagnosis.5,7,8,11,24,25 The occurrence of a pineal tumor in the context of hereditary retinoblastoma is also associated with a poor prognosis.26 Alternative strategies need to be identified to improve survival for these patients. Six of seven patients (86%) assessable for response to induction therapy had an objective response to this treatment. Our rationale for using a CTX or a CTX-based regimen was based on the favorable activity of this agent in PNETs and was designed to overcome alkylator resistance in tumors by using high doses of CTX along with G-CSF support.9,13,20,27,28 Almost all patients received CTX + MEL as HDC before ASCR and their use was based on preclinical and clinical evidence of favorable activity of bifunctional alkylating agents, including MEL and CTX against PNET, differing nonhematologic toxicities, and potential synergism when combined.2931 The efficacy of this HDC regimen is particularly apparent in the 50% response rate after HDC, and the salvage therapy of three patients with metastatic pineoblastoma and two young children with trilateral retinoblastoma who were also able to avoid radiotherapy. These patients have a particularly poor survival with conventional treatment alone.5,6,8,11,12 Other studies have reported that the use of HDC in patients with pineoblastoma also has prolonged survival, especially in patients with newly diagnosed tumors.13,15,27 This is in distinct contrast to the lack of efficacy of this strategy in those with recurrent disease.15,32 Although conventional treatment has been shown to cure some patients with localized pineoblastoma,4,6,12 it has had limited success in infants and those with metastatic disease.48,11,12 In addition, the use of neuraxis irradiation in some long-term survivors younger than 9 years of age has resulted in significant developmental delays.4 Five of 12 patients (42%) in our study had complete resection of tumor. All of these patients are currently alive without evidence of tumor after radiotherapy and HDC. It is possible that the extent of resection could have contributed to the long-term survival of these patients. Conversely, four of seven patients in our study who had only a biopsy or subtotal resection of tumor also have had extended disease-free intervals. The value of the extent of tumor resection in patients with pineoblastoma has not been systematically addressed, as it has been in those with medulloblastoma.33 All but two patients in our study received standard doses of radiotherapy before HDC. On the basis of previous reports of successful outcomes in patients with localized pineoblastoma with standard chemotherapy and irradiation,3,4,6,12 it could be argued that some patients with localized disease in our study who received standard radiotherapy could have been cured without the use of HDC. Although the role of HDC in the cure of such patients cannot be completely resolved, it is likely that there is a subgroup of patients with nonmetastatic pineoblastoma, particularly infants, who nevertheless progress during standard treatment and who might benefit from chemotherapy dose-intensification.13,27 In addition, on the basis of our report, it is possible to envisage future studies aimed at avoiding or reducing the neuraxis dose in these patients in the context of HDC.13,32 It also should be noted that some patients in our study (including one patient with M-3 disease) received a higher dose of radiotherapy (focal 60 to 66 Gy, craniospinal irradiation [CSI], up to 45 Gy) that could have contributed to a favorable outcome in these patients. However, the use of similar doses of radiotherapy in other reported series failed to improve survival, particularly in patients with neuraxis dissemination.5,12 Toxicities in this study were fairly predictable and successfully managed with supportive care in the majority of patients. As expected, the predominant toxicity was myelosuppression, which in turn led to mucositis, infections, and bleeding tendencies. It is noteworthy that there were no toxic deaths in our study, even though toxic mortality rates of 6% to 15% have been reported in other HDC studies.14,32,34 Pineoblastoma is an aggressive embryonal tumor and is characterized as a high-risk PNET. Although some studies have demonstrated durable disease remission in patients with localized disease with standard treatment, there seems to be a subset of patients with localized disease who suffer progressive disease during therapy probably because of innate resistance to chemotherapy or irradiation. Our study demonstrates that such patients might benefit from up-front dose-intensification with HDC. In addition, based on our experience, this strategy should be considered in the initial treatment of infants and those with metastatic disease at diagnosis or trilateral retinoblastoma.
Presented in part at the Society of Neuro-Oncology Meeting, Washington, DC, November 1518, 2001.
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34. Dunkel IJ, Boyett JM, Yates A, et al: High-dose carboplatin, thiotepa, and etoposide with autologous stem-cell rescue for patients with recurrent medulloblastoma: Childrens Cancer Group. J Clin Oncol 16:222228, 1998 Submitted October 18, 2002; accepted March 13, 2003. This article has been cited by other articles:
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Copyright © 2003 by the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Online ISSN: 1527-7755. Print ISSN: 0732-183X
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