Treatment of medulloblastoma with procarbazine, hydroxyurea, and reduced radiation doses to whole brain and spine.

Abstract

Forty-seven patients with medulloblastoma were treated postoperatively with procarbazine, followed by craniospinal radiation therapy in combination with hydroxyurea. The radiation dose to the posterior fossa was 55 Gy; the spinal cord received 25 Gy and the whole brain 25 to 35 Gy (mean 33 Gy). Seventeen tumors recurred. Only one initial recurrence was in the spinal subarachnoid space; 10 (59%) were in the posterior fossa, and four (24%) were supratentorial. The estimated 5-year disease-free survival probability was 55%; the 5-year overall survival rate was 66%. Myelotoxicity occurred in 38% of patients, but in only one case was it severe enough to warrant reducing the total dose of radiation. It was concluded that good-risk medulloblastoma patients may be treated with radiation dosages as low as 25 Gy to the spinal axis and to the whole brain without increasing the risk of recurrence outside the posterior fossa. Chemotherapy with procarbazine followed by radiation therapy and hydroxyurea during radiation therapy was well tolerated and may play a role in reducing radiation dosages outside the posterior fossa.

• Authors: V A Levin, L A Rodriguez, M S Edwards, W Wara, H C Liu, D Fulton, R L Davis, C B Wilson, P Silver
• Journal: Journal of neurosurgery (J Neurosurg) Vol. 68 Issue 3 Pg. 383-7 (Mar 1988) ISSN: 0022-3085 [Print] United States
• PMID: 3343610 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Procarbazine
• Hydroxyurea

Topics

• Adolescent
• Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols (therapeutic use)
• Brain (radiation effects)
• Cerebellar Neoplasms (drug therapy, mortality, radiotherapy)
• Child
• Combined Modality Therapy
• Humans
• Hydroxyurea (administration & dosage, adverse effects)
• Medulloblastoma (drug therapy, mortality, radiotherapy)
• Neoplasm Recurrence, Local
• Procarbazine (administration & dosage, adverse effects)
• Radiotherapy Dosage
• Spine (radiation effects)