Phase II study of adriamycin (NSC 123127) in childhood solid tumors

The Acute Leukemia Group B undertook a phase II study to determine the effect of adriamycin in children with disseminated neoplasia. Among 145 patients evaluated, objective response was seen in 11 of 17 (68%) patients with Wilms' tumor, 14 of 40 (35%) with neuroblastoma, six of 11 (55%) with Ewing's sarcoma, seven of 17 (41%) with rhabdomyosarcoma, four of 27 (15%) with osteosarcoma, and two of three (66%) with hepatoblastoma. All patients received prior chemotherapy except for those who had osteogenic sarcomas. The major toxic effects of adriamycin included leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, marrow hypoplasia, stomatitis, vomiting, and alopecia. Two patients demonstrated adriamycin cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure. The activity of adriamycin in these patients compared favorably with that of actinomycin D, vincristine, and cyclophosphamide. This supports the use of adriamycin in combination with standard agents in patients earlier in their therapeutic course.