Abstract
The establishment of the Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study (IRS) Committee in 1972 by three extant American pediatric cooperative groups initiated five generations of studies in the multidisciplinary treatment of soft-tissue sarcomas. Taking the lead from the use of vincristine, actinomycin-D, and cyclophosphamide (VAC) by Dr. Ruth Heyn, Dr. Harold Mauer and colleagues developed a more robust VAC as well as three similar drug regimens with hematopoietic growth factor support, which, in the context of surgery with or without radiotherapy, achieved a 3-year failure-free survival rate of 83% (IRS-IV) in nonmetastatic embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma. This review documents the development of VAC and some of the new directions currently being pursued by the Children's Oncology Group Soft Tissue Committee.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
