Treatment of Ewing’s tumours using an intensive chemotherapy regime of VIDE

A study was conducted on 30 pediatric patients (median age 17) to test the efficacy of the chemotherapy regimen VIDE (vincristine, ifosfamide, doxorubicin and etoposide). Click below to see the full study

Patients were given 1.4mg/m2 vincristine on day 1, 20mg/m2 doxorubicin on days 1-3, 3g/m2 ifosfamide with mesna on days 1-3 and 150mg/m2 etoposide on days 1-3. The cycle was administered every 21 days for up to 6 cycles. 27 patients underwent consolidation treatment where 20 patients were given 1.4mg/m2 vincristine, 0.75mg/m2 actinomycin and 3mg/m2 ifosfamide on days 1 and 2 for up to 8 cycles and 7 patients were given high-dose therapy with 600mg/m2 busulphan and 140mg/m2 melphalan with stem cell rescues.88% of patients responded to the VIDE therapy. 64% of patients who underwent surgery achieved 90% necrosis of the tumour. More than five and a half years later, 12 patients are still alive, four of these received the high-dose therapy. Cardiac and renal function was reduced though, 3 patients have recurrent chest infections and 1 patient has premature ovarian failure.Researchers concluded that VIDE is an effective induction regiment but was associated with significant toxicity, hence careful long-term monitoring is essential.