Objective: To determine the efficacy of Arsenic trioxide combined with other chemo agents in patients with metastatic osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma.
Methods: From December 2002 to June 2005, 32 patients with metastatic osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma were treated with chemotherapy comprised Arsenic trioxide, including 19 male and 13 female, aging from 7 to 32 years. Diagnoses included 27 cases with osteosarcomas and 5 with Ewing sarcomas. Twenty-five and 7 patients had multiple lung and skeletal metastasis respectively. All patients had received 4 to 6 cycles standard chemotherapy and surgical treatments before the metastatic lesions were found. The chemotherapy protocol consisted of Arsenic trioxide, VP-16 and paclitaxel. Twenty-eight patients accepted 2 cycles, and 4 patients accepted 3 cycles chemotherapy.
Results: Five patients (15.6%), whose lung focus disappeared and no new metastases proved, got complete response (CR); Six patients (18.8%) got partial response (PR); In thirteen stable disease (SD) patients (40.6%), the metastatic lesions did not reduce in evidence but completely calcified in 2 patients and partly calcified in 11 patients; Eight patients (25%) whose tumor size was even bigger after the chemotherapy were defined as progress disease (PD). The average follow-up period was 20 months (ranging from 6 months to 3 years). Three patients were eventually died; The disease was progressed in 5 patients, and the tumor growth was controlled in 24 patients.
Conclusions: Arsenic trioxide is a low-toxic and effective remedy for treatment of stage III osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma.