Tandem high-dose chemotherapy with autologous peripheral hematopoietic progenitor cell rescue as consolidation therapy for patients with high-risk Ewing family tumors.

The role of tandem high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) with autologous peripheral hematopoietic progenitor cell rescue (APHPCR) in patients with Ewing Family Tumors (EFT) is controversial. We initiated treatment for eight consecutive patients with high-risk EFT with HDC and APHPCR from 1992 to 2003. There were no treatment related deaths. Four patients remain in complete remission, including three who did not undergo local therapy to bone at either the primary or metastatic sites. Our experience has shown that treatment of EFT patients with tandem HDC with APHPCR may benefit a subgroup of high-risk patients in whom optimal local therapy is not possible.