Doxorubicin and cisplatin therapy in children with neuroblastoma resistant to conventional therapy: a Southwest Oncology Group Study.

Fifteen children with metastatic neuroblastoma resistant to vincristine and cyclophosphamide were treated with two drugs which were known to be effective as single drugs against neuroblastoma. The drugs were given in courses every 3 weeks. Doxorubicin (50 mg/m2 iv) was given on Day 1 and cisplatin (50 mg/m2) was administered on Day 2 as an 8-hour infusion, using a forced diuretic-hydration program. Three of the 15 children achieved partial or complete remission. Three children showed improvement. The other children either did not respond to the therapy or had progressive disease. The combination of doxorubicin and cisplatin given in the sequence outlined is no more effective than either drug given singly. The side effects of the drug combination were tolerable and were in keeping with previously described toxicity.