Metronomic Four-Drug Regimen Has Anti-tumor Activity in Pediatric Low-Grade Glioma; The Results of a Phase II Clinical Trial

authors

  • Verschuur Arnauld
  • Heng-Maillard Marie-Amélie
  • Dory-Lautrec Philippe
  • Truillet Romain
  • Jouve Elisabeth
  • Chastagner Pascal
  • Leblond Pierre
  • Aerts Isabelle
  • Honoré Stéphane
  • Entz-Werle Natasha
  • Sirvent Nicolas
  • Gentet Jean-Claude
  • Corradini Nadège
  • André Nicolas

keywords

  • Immunity
  • Pediatric oncology
  • Metronomic chemotherapy
  • Drug repositioning
  • Angiogenesis
  • Low grade glioma

document type

ART

abstract

Background: Metronomic chemotherapy (MC) is defined as the frequent administration of chemotherapy at doses below the maximal tolerated dose and with no prolonged drug-free break. MC has shown its efficacy in adult tumor types such as breast and ovarian cancer and has to some extent been studied in pediatrics. Objective: To assess the anti-tumor activity and toxicity of a four-drug metronomic regimen in relapsing/refractory pediatric brain tumors (BT) with progression-free survival (PFS) after two cycles as primary endpoint. Methods: Patients ≥4 to 25 years of age were included with progressing BT. Treatment consisted of an 8-week cycle of celecoxib, vinblastine, and cyclophosphamide alternating with methotrexate. Kepner and Chang two-steps model was used with 10 patients in the first stage. If stabilization was observed in ≥2 patients, 8 additional patients were recruited. Assessment was according WHO criteria with central radiology review. Results: Twenty-nine patients (27 evaluable) were included in two groups: ependymoma (group 1, N = 8), and miscellaneous BT (group 2): 3 medulloblastoma (MB), 5 high grade glioma (HGG), 11 low grade glioma (LGG), 2 other BT. After first stage, recruitment for ependymoma was closed [one patient had stable disease (SD) for 4 months]. Cohort 2 was opened for second stage since 1 HGG and 3 LGG patients had SD after two cycles. Recruitment was limited to LGG for the second stage and 2 partial responses (PR), 6 SD and 2 progressive disease (PD) were observed after two cycles. Of these patients with LGG, median age was 10 years, nine patients received vinblastine previously. Median number of cycles was 6.8 (range: 1-12). Treatment was interrupted in five patients for grade 3/4 toxicity. Conclusion: This regimen is active in patients with LGG, even if patients had previously received vinblastine. Toxicity is acceptable. Trial Registration: This study was registered under clinicaltrials.gov - NCT01285817; EUDRACT nr: 2010-021792-81.

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