Combined chemotherapy and radiation therapy for central nervous system germ cell tumors: preliminary results of a Phase II study of the Japanese Pediatric Brain Tumor Study Group

Abstract

The authors conducted a multiinstitutional phase II study to establish a postsurgical combined chemotherapy and radiation therapy regimen for patients with primary germ cell tumors of the brain. After surgical debulking of the tumor and histological verification, patients were divided into three therapeutic groups: good prognosis, intermediate prognosis, and poor prognosis. Patients received two kinds of chemotherapy (three courses) prior to receiving radiation therapy: carboplatin-etoposide combination ([CARB-VP]: carboplatin 450 mg/m2 on Day 1, etoposide 150 mg/m2 on Days 1-3) or ifosphamide-cisplatin-etoposide combination ([ICE]: ifosphamide 900 mg/m2, cisplatin 20 mg/m2, and etoposide 60 mg/m2 on Days 1-5). Patients in the good prognosis group (those with germinomas) were treated with CARB-VP followed by local radiation therapy (24 Gy). Patients in the intermediate prognosis group received CARB-VP followed by local radiation therapy (50 Gy); they received five additional chemotherapy treatments. Patie...