Fulda S, Fichtner I, Hero B, Berthold F
Children's Hospital, University of Cologne, Germany.
Med Pediatr Oncol. 2001 Jan;36(1):199-202. doi: 10.1002/1096-911X(20010101)36:1<199::AID-MPO1048>3.0.CO;2-0.
In several studies in adults, amifostine (WR-2721) and its active metabolite WR-1065 have shown protection against myelo- and nephrotoxicity of chemotherapeutic agents without compromising cytotoxic efficacy to the tumor.
In the present study, the effect of amifostine and WR-1065 on neuroblastoma tumor growth and its protective potential for hematotoxicity were investigated. Neither amifostine nor WR-1065 reduced the cytotoxic effect of six drugs commonly used for this tumor when tested on neuroblastoma cells in vitro.
In mice carrying human xeno-transplanted neuroblastoma, tumor growth and antitumor activity of chemotherapy were unaffected by amifostine. In addition, hematotoxicity of alkylators was relieved in some cases. In patients with neuroblastoma, amifostine only slightly reduced bone marrow toxicity and was highly emetogenic.
Therefore, amifostine warrants further investigation before its widespread clinical use in the treatment of children with neuroblastoma.
