A Systemic Hyperthermia Oncologic Working Group trial. Ifosfamide, carboplatin, and etoposide combined with 41.8 degrees C whole-body hyperthermia for metastatic soft tissue sarcoma

PMID: 12759526
Journal: Oncology (volume: 64, issue: 4, Oncology 2003;64(4):312-21)
Published: 2003-01-01

Authors:
Westermann AM, Wiedemann GJ, Jager E, Jager D, Katschinski DM, Knuth A, Vörde Sive Vörding PZ, Van Dijk JD, Finet J, Neumann A, Longo W, Bakhshandeh A, Tiggelaar CL, Gillis W, Bailey H, Peters SO, Robins HI,

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Based on earlier clinical and preclinical studies, we conducted a phase II trial in metastatic sarcoma patients of the combination of 41.8 degrees C (x60 min) radiant heat (Aquatherm) whole-body hyperthermia (WBH) with ‚ICE‘ chemotherapy. The ICE regimen consists of ifosfamide (5 g/m(2)), carboplatin (300 mg/m(2)) and etoposide (100 mg/m(2)), concurrent with WBH, with etoposide also on days 2 and 3 post-WBH.

METHODS: Therapy was delivered every 4 weeks for a maximum of 4 cycles. All patients received filgrastim or lenograstim.

RESULTS: Of 108 patients enrolled as of September 2001, 95 are evaluable for response. Of the evaluable patients (mean ECOG performance status approximately 1; mean age 42.3; 58% male) 33 had no prior therapy for metastatic disease, and 62 were pretreated (mean: 1.5 prior regimens). The overall response rate was 28.4% (4 complete remissions and 23 partial remissions) with stable disease (SD) in 31 patients. For no prior therapy, the response rate was 36%; in pretreated patients it was 24%. The median overall survival by Kaplan-Meier estimates was 393 days (95% CI 327, 496); the median time to treatment failure was 123 days (95% CI 77, 164). The major toxicity (287 cycles) was grade 3 or 4 neutropenia and thrombocytopenia seen in 79.7 and 60.6% of treatments respectively; there were 7 episodes of infection (grade 3/4) with 2 treatment-related deaths, bot involving disease progression and ureteral obstruction.

CONCLUSION: These results are consistent with continued clinical investigation of this combined modality approach.