Hippokratia 2007, 11(1):25-29
V Sidi, G Arsos, E Papakonstantinou, E Hatzipantelis, I Fragandrea, N Gombakis, E Koliouskas
Dpt Paediatric Oncology, Hippokratio Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
Dpt Nuclear Medicine, Aritotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece
1st Paediatric Dpt, Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece
Abstract
Aim: Preclinical and clinical evaluation of amifostine (AMI) administration in conjunction with systemic chemotherapy supports its role as a cytoprotective agent of normal tissues without loss or impairing the antitumour effectiveness of chemotherapeutic agents. Since only a limited number of clinical studies have been performed using AMI in paediatric patients with malignancies we investigated the protective effect of AMI against carboplatin-induced myelotoxicity and nephrotoxicity in a paediatric group of patients.
Material and results: AMI was administered in 18 / 28 paediatric patients with reccurent solid tumours along with ICE (ifosfamide, carboplatin, etoposide) chemotherapy. A significant (p less than 0.05) decrease in GFR was observed in the control group whereas it was maintained at pre – treatment levels in the AMI-treated group. Leukopenia and neutropenia were significantly (p less than 0.05) less in the AMI-group. No protective effect of AMI was shown concerning thrombocytopenia.
Conclusions: AMI was generally well tolerated at the dose of 740 mg / m2. Side effects including nausea, vomiting, hypotension, flushing and rigors were moderate and reversible and the interruption of infusion was never required.
Keywords: recurrent solid tumours, paediatric neoplasms, chemotherapy, cytoprotection, amifostine
Correspoding author: Sidi V, e-mail: paedonc@ippokratio.gr