BACKGROUND: The optimal management of spinal cord astrocytomas remains to be defined, as aggressive surgery and radiotherapy are associated with a high risk of morbidity. The value of chemotherapy has not been assessed. PROCEDURE: The patient in the present report harbored an infiltrating spinal cord tumor causing paraplegia. A limited biopsy showed a grade II astrocytoma. Following biopsy, the patient received sequential chemotherapy with vincristine and carboplatin. RESULTS: Full neurological recovery and complete radiologically-confirmed remission were achieved after eight months of treatment. Chemotherapy was discontinued after eleven months due to carboplatin hypersensitivity. No adjuvant radiotherapy was given, and the patient remains in complete remission fourteen months after completion of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Chemotherapy demonstrates a promising activity and could change the standard practice if its efficacy is confirmed in larger studies. It could be used alone or combined with radiotherapy when post-operative treatment is recommended.
BACKGROUND: The optimal management of spinal cord astrocytomas remains to be defined, as aggressive surgery and radiotherapy are associated with a high risk of morbidity. The value of chemotherapy has not been assessed. PROCEDURE: The patient in the present report harbored an infiltrating spinal cord tumor causing paraplegia. A limited biopsy showed a grade II astrocytoma. Following biopsy, the patient received sequential chemotherapy with vincristine and carboplatin. RESULTS: Full neurological recovery and complete radiologically-confirmed remission were achieved after eight months of treatment. Chemotherapy was discontinued after eleven months due to carboplatinhypersensitivity. No adjuvant radiotherapy was given, and the patient remains in complete remission fourteen months after completion of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Chemotherapy demonstrates a promising activity and could change the standard practice if its efficacy is confirmed in larger studies. It could be used alone or combined with radiotherapy when post-operative treatment is recommended.
Authors: Shayna Zelcer; Daniel Keene; Ute Bartels; Anne-Sophie Carret; Bruce Crooks; David D Eisenstat; Chris Fryer; Lucie Lafay-Cousin; Donna L Johnston; Valerie Larouche; Albert Moghrabi; Beverly Wilson; Mariana Silva; Josee Brossard; Eric Bouffet Journal: Childs Nerv Syst Date: 2011-01-21 Impact factor: 1.475
Authors: William A Pennant; Daniel M Sciubba; Joseph C Noggle; Betty M Tyler; Rafael J Tamargo; George I Jallo Journal: Childs Nerv Syst Date: 2008-03-04 Impact factor: 1.475
Authors: V Doireau; J Grill; M Zerah; A Lellouch-Tubiana; D Couanet; P Chastagner; J C Marchal; Y Grignon; Z Chouffai; C Kalifa Journal: Br J Cancer Date: 1999-11 Impact factor: 7.640
Authors: Nicholas Major; Neal A Patel; Josiah Bennett; Ena Novakovic; Dana Poloni; Mickey Abraham; Nolan J Brown; Julian L Gendreau; Ronald Sahyouni; Joshua Loya Journal: J Pers Med Date: 2022-06-27