Response to vincristine of recurrent brain tumors in children

Abstract

Seventeen children with clinical evidence of a recurrent brain tumor were treated with vincristine 1.5 mg/m2 weekly for 12 wk with doses on alternate weeks thereafter. Eight of the 16 patients who received 4 or more doses of vincristine showed significant objective responses. These included patients with high- and low-grade astrocytomas and patients with medulloblastoma. Six of the 8 who responded remained asymptomatic for more than 2 yr. The toxicity encountered was minimal except for seizures possibly related to vincristine in 3 children, who were able to resume treatment. Vincristine therapy results in long-term regression in a wide variety of pediatric brain tumors and causes little or no toxicity.