THE AIM of the study was to assess the survival of patients with medulloblastoma (MB)/PNET treated according to own protocol and to compare it with the earlier treatment protocol group.
Materials and methods: Analysis of 77 patients was undertaken. For the purpose of this study we divided our patients into 2 groups. First group consisted of 34 patients (21 high risk, 12 standard risk, 1 unknown) treated with surgery and radiotherapy and surgery followed by chemo- and radiotherapy. Among the second group including 43 patients (23 HRMB, 6 SRMB, 11 supratentorial PNET's, 3 unknown) treated according to own protocol since 1997. Surgery was performed in all patients. 4 courses of chemotherapy were administered (VCR, VP, CBDCA, CTX, IF, CDDP) and craniospinal irradiation was implemented. Maintenance chemotherapy consisting of 8 courses of VCR, CDDP, CCNU, was given. Event free survival (EFS) in two groups and in high-risk patients of both groups were compared.
Results: In the earlier treated group 4 yrs EFS was 50% versus 78% in recently treated patients. In high-risk patients 4 yrs EFS was 40% (with no plateau on the curve) in the historical group and 76% in currently treated.
Conclusions: Introduction of our protocol resulted in marked improvement of treatment results, especially since most of our patients were in the high-risk group.