A multicentric prospective study of intensive induction chemotherapy (API-AI) in localized osteosarcoma patients: Results of a phase II trial coordinated by the French Sarcoma Group (FSG) and the FNCLCC BECT

Abstract

9521 Background: Based on the severe toxicity of high dose methotrexate (MTX) in adult patients, an alternative intensive chemotherapy (CT) was designed, associating doxorubicin, cisplatinum and ifosfamide in API-AI regimen. Promising results in 32 patients in a single institution study (Le Cesne ASCO 2004) led to a national multicenter phase II trial coordinated by the FSG of FNCLCC. Methods: Patients with a localized operable osteosarcoma were eligible. API-AI regimen consisted in 2 cycles every 28 days of doxorubicin 60 mg/m2 d1 and d15, cisplatinum 100 mg/m2 d1 and ifosfamide 5g/m2 d2 and d15, with equivalent dose of mesna and lenograstim after each course for 7 days. Good responders ≥95% necrosis (GR) received 2 postoperative API courses, and poor responders <95% necrosis (PR) a salvage regimen of 3 cycles of etoposide 100 mg/m2 d1 to d3 and ifosfamide 4 g/m2 d1 to d3. Results: From March 2001 to January 2004, 43 patients (male/female 28/15) with a median age of 23 years (range 17–50), were included. The median tumor size was 88 mm (13–280). All 43 patients received the preoperative API-AI regimen, with a dose intensity of ≥ 89% of the planned protocol. Toxicity was mainly haematological, with grade 3–4 sepsis, grade 4 neutropenia and thrombocytopenia observed in 12%, 79% and 49% of patients respectively. There was no severe renal and cardiac toxicity. All but 5 patients had a limb sparing surgery performed 77 days (median) after the first cycle (range 56–114 days). Intent to treat analysis showed 16/43 GR (37%). With a median follow-up of 36 months (25–48), the 2 year event-free and overall survival were 74% and 86% respectively. Conclusions: Despite the haematological toxicities, these results compare favorably with other previous induction CT schedules containing MTX in adults. A longer follow-up is required to evaluate the impact of this regimen on overall survival. No significant financial relationships to disclose.