Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 3, 2026
Establishment of Cancer Stem Cell Cultures from Human Conventional Osteosarcoma
Published on: October 14, 2016
OPEC/OJEC for stage 4 neuroblastoma in children over 1 year of age
D A Tweddle1, C R Pinkerton, I J Lewis
1Department of Paediatric Oncology, University of Newcastle, UK.
Background:
This paper reports the toxicity of OPEC/OJEC chemotherapy in stage 4 neuroblastoma patients over 1 year of age.
Procedure:
Ninety-five patients with stage 4 neuroblastoma received alternating courses of OPEC/OJEC--vincristine 1.5 mg/m2 (O), cisplatin 80 mg/m2 (P), etoposide 200 mg/m2 (E), cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2 (C), and carboplatin 500 mg/m2 (J), every 21 days if there was haematological recovery.
Results:
Seventy out of ninety-five (74%) patients completed seven or more courses and were evaluable for toxicity. Of these 70 patients, 33% had more than three episodes of fever and sepsis, 35% required more than five blood or platelet transfusions, 36% had grade 2 or more gastrointestinal toxicity and 9% had neurotoxicity. There was a median reduction in GFR of 32 ml/min/1.73 m2 (-46 to 134) and there was one toxic death.
Conclusions:
OPEC/OJEC is a well-tolerated therapy for stage 4 neuroblastoma over 1 year of age.
