NITROGEN-MUSTARD, VINCRISTINE, PROCARBAZINE, AND PREDNISONE AS ADJUVANT CHEMOTHERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF MEDULLOBLASTOMA - A PEDIATRIC ONCOLOGY GROUP-STUDY JOURNAL OF NEUROSURGERY Krischer, J. P., Ragab, A. H., Kun, L., Kim, T. H., Laurent, J. P., Boyett, J. M., Cornell, C. J., Link, M., Luthy, A. R., Camitta, B. 1991; 74 (6): 905-909

Abstract

In a randomized postoperative trial, adjuvant post-irradiation chemotherapy, consisting of nitrogen mustard, vincristine, procarbazine, and prednisone (MOPP), was tested versus radiation therapy alone for newly diagnosed medulloblastoma in patients between 1 and 21 years of age. Patients treated with irradiation plus MOPP had a statistically significant increase in overall survival rate at 5 years posttreatment compared to patients treated with radiation therapy alone (74% vs. 56%; p = 0.06, adjusted for race and gender). Although the overall study failed to show a statistically significant advantage for irradiation plus MOPP in event-free survival (p = 0.18), statistical significance was attained in children 5 years of age or older (p = 0.05). More severe hematological toxicities occurred in the group with irradiation plus MOPP; however, this hematotoxicity appeared to be tolerable and acceptable. These results suggest that patients may benefit from combined irradiation and chemotherapy following surgery for medulloblastoma.

View details for Web of Science ID A1991FN17600008

View details for PubMedID 2033450