Phase II study of rapid-scheduled etoposide in paediatric soft tissue sarcomas

Twenty three patients with paediatric soft tissue sarcomas who had relapsed or refractory disease were treated with a rapid schedule of intravenous etoposide (100 mg/m2 daily on three consecutive days, weekly over 3 weeks). The regimen was well tolerated with predictable myelotoxicity. In 19 patients with rhabdomyosarcoma, there was a response rate of 42%. This appears to be better than previously reported with conventional three weekly schedules. These data indicate that for rhabdomyosarcoma, as for some other tumours, a divided dose regimen may be the optimal schedule and is worthy of further evaluation.