Pediatric soft tissue sarcomas (STS) is a heterogeneous group of malignant tumors that account for 7% of all childhood tumors. Fortunately, cancer in children and adolescents is rare, although incidents have been increasing since 1975.
Clinical results like the ones below reveal that Chemotherapy treatments are more effective when combined with Hyperthermia. Hyperthermia warms the tumor to temperatures in the "fever range" which makes the cancer cells more sensitive to treatment. Normal healthy cells recover while cancer cells die.
Treatment Modality:
Hyperthermia in addition to chemotherapy was investigated as second line treatment in children with soft tissue sarcomas, and in children with refractory or recurrent germ cell tumors. Chemotherapy consisted of VP16 100 mg/m2, ifosfamide 2000 mg/m2, and CDDP 40 mg/m2, delivered over 4 days. Hyperthermia was applied on the 1st and 4th day.
Clinical Results
In soft tissue sarcoma the combined treatment resulted in 40% 3-7 years overall survival
In germ cell tumors the combined treatment resulted in a high overall survival, especially in children who were treated for a refractory tumor or a first relapse
Treatment Modality:
In patients with a first relapse, the results of children treated with the combination were compared to those in matched controls treated with chemotherapy alone, which data were available from the Registry of the German Society for Pediatric Oncology & Hematology. Five-year overall survival was 38% for children treated with chemotherapy alone, while it was 93% for children treated with chemotherapy and hyperthermia. BSD-2000 and BSD-2000/3D/MR used in Düsseldorf UMC site.
Endorsement:
Additional hyperthermia is considered standard of care for children with a recurrent sarcoma or germ cell tumor by the German Society for Pediatric Oncology & Hematology.
References:
- Wessalowski et al. Regional deep hyperthermia for salvage treatment of children and adolescents with refractory or recurrent non-testicular malignant germ-cell tumours: an open-label, non-randomised, single institution, phase 2 study. Lancet Oncology 2013 July 1 (online).
- Wessalowski et al. An approach for cure: PEI-chemotherapy and regional deep hyperthermia in children and adolescents with unresectable malignant tumors. Klin Padiatr. 2003 Nov-Dec;215(6):303-9.
- Schneider et al. Treatment of recurrent malignant sacrococcygeal germ cell tumors: analysis of 22 patients registered in the German protocols MAKEI 83/86, 89, and 96. J Clin Oncol. 2001 Apr 1;19(7):1951-60.