BACKGROUND
No standard chemotherapy for adults with recurrent/refractory rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) has yet been established. The present study aimed to assess the effect of ifosfamide and etoposide (IE) chemotherapy on previously treated RMS.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
Adults with recurrent/refractory RMS were treated with ifosfamide (1,800 g/m(2)/day), etoposide (100 mg/m(2)/day) and mesna (1,080 mg/m(2)/day) for 5 days. The effect and toxicity were evaluated by chart review.
RESULTS
Fifteen patients, with a median age of 33 years (range=25-67 years), were treated with IE chemotherapy. A median of six cycles of chemotherapy were administered and an objective response was obtained in eight patients. The median progression-free survival was 5.2 months (95% confidence interval=2.3-6.7 months) and overall survival was 14.4 months (95% confidence interval=4.6-28.3 months). Toxicity greater than grade 3 was as follows: neutropenia in all patients, anemia in seven, thrombocytopenia in seven and febrile neutropenia in eight.
CONCLUSION
IE chemotherapy could be an alternative optional treatment method in adults with recurrent/refractory RMS.