Bisogno G, Minard-Colin V, Jenney M, Ferrari A, Chisholm J, Di Carlo D, Hjalgrim LL, Orbach D, Merks JHM, Casanova M. Cancers (Basel). 2023 Aug 7;15(15):4012. doi: 10.3390/cancers15154012.
The updated results of the RMS2005 randomized study confirm that patients with non-metastatic high risk rhabdomyosarcoma have an improved survival when maintenance chemotherapy (MC) with vinorelbine and low dose cyclophosphamide is added to the standard multidisciplinary treatment. A more recent randomized study adopted the same strategy, but different drugs were used in the MC phase (trofosfamide, idarubicin and etoposide). No survival improvement was evident in the MC group, suggesting that not all types of MC are equally effective. A revision of the literature demonstrates that the role of MC in patients with metastatic or relapsed RMS may be a promising approach but need more investigations.
Maintenance chemotherapy (MC) involves giving a less intense, prolonged course of chemotherapy to keep cancer in remission after the initial treatment. This update from the RMS2005 trial shows that adding MC with vinorelbine and low-dose cyclophosphamide to standard treatment improves survival for patients with high-risk localized rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS).
In the RMS2005 study, patients who received MC had a 5-year disease-free survival rate of 78.1%, compared to 70.1% for those who didn’t receive MC. Their overall survival rate was also better: 85.0% versus 72.4%.
While there are several studies on MC in RMS, only one randomized trial looked at a different MC regimen and didn’t find any benefit. However, non-randomized studies suggest that MC can be more effective and tolerable compared to high-dose chemotherapy, especially for patients with metastatic RMS or those who relapse.
There is still a lot to learn about the best drugs and treatment duration for MC in RMS. The ongoing EpSSG trial aims to answer these questions and refine MC treatment strategies.
Maintenance chemotherapy (MC) involves giving a less intense, prolonged course of chemotherapy to keep cancer in remission after the initial treatment. This update from the RMS2005 trial shows that adding MC with vinorelbine and low-dose cyclophosphamide to standard treatment improves survival for patients with high-risk localized rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS).
In the RMS2005 study, patients who received MC had a 5-year disease-free survival rate of 78.1%, compared to 70.1% for those who didn’t receive MC. Their overall survival rate was also better: 85.0% versus 72.4%.
While there are several studies on MC in RMS, only one randomized trial looked at a different MC regimen and didn’t find any benefit. However, non-randomized studies suggest that MC can be more effective and tolerable compared to high-dose chemotherapy, especially for patients with metastatic RMS or those who relapse.
There is still a lot to learn about the best drugs and treatment duration for MC in RMS. The ongoing EpSSG trial aims to answer these questions and refine MC treatment strategies.
