High-Risk Neuroblastoma Chemotherapy Without G-CSF

Overview

Patients will be asked to participate in this study because patients have been diagnosed with high-risk neuroblastoma, a common childhood cancer which has aggressive features. If left untreated, high-risk neuroblastoma is fatal. Children with high-risk neuroblastoma often respond to current available treatments, but there is a high risk that the cancer will return. This study will test the safety of giving standard induction treatment for high-risk neuroblastoma without one of the drugs commonly used to prevent side effects. Current treatment for high-risk neuroblastoma includes anti-cancer drugs (chemotherapy), surgery, radiation therapy and high-dose chemotherapy with hematopoietic stem cell rescue. Treatment takes about one year to complete and occurs in 3 phases: induction, consolidation, and maintenance. This study is limited to the induction phase of treatment. Induction therapy includes six chemotherapy drugs given in different combinations every 3 weeks for a total of 6 courses. For the past decade, induction chemotherapy has been followed by a drug called granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF, filgrastim, peg-filgrastim, Neupogen, or Neulasta) to prevent side effects from the chemotherapy. G-CSF is routinely given to patients with high risk neuroblastoma after chemotherapy to stimulate white blood cell production and shorten the time period when the absolute neutrophil count (ANC), a type of white blood cell, is low after chemotherapy. G-CSF is known to shorten the period of low ANC by approximately 3 days. When the ANC is lowest, a patient is most at risk of getting a bacterial infection. Recent lab experiments in mice have shown that neuroblastoma tumor cells may respond to G-CSF by growing faster and metastasizing (spreading to other parts of the body). There have been no clinical trials comparing the survival of children with high risk neuroblastoma with or without G-CSF. This clinical trial is the first step towards giving induction chemotherapy with less G-CSF. The goal of this study is to determine if it is safe to give induction chemotherapy to children with neuroblastoma without giving G-CSF routinely.

Chemotherapy: CYCLE 1+2: Topotecan and cyclophosphamide Cycle 3+5: Cisplatin and Etoposide Cycle 4+6: Vincristine, Cyclophosphamide and Doxorubicin Stem cell collection: After the third cycle of chemotherapy, stem cells will be collected for possible stem cell transplantation at a later date using apheresis. In order to have enough stem cells present in the blood, the patient will need to receive daily G-CSF injections before this collection. Surgery: After the 5th cycle of chemotherapy, most patients will have surgery to remove as much remaining tumor as possible. Growth factor support: Growth factors to increase the number of white blood cells, G-CSF and GM-CSF(granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor) will not be given routinely in this study. GM-CSF will be given for patients who have serious bacterial infections or delays in administering chemotherapy because of low neutrophil counts. All people enrolled on the study will receive GM-CSF prior to having surgical removal of the main tumor. All people enrolled on the study will also receive G-CSF prior to having patients stem cells collected. Optional survey: This research study includes an optional survey regarding quality of life while on the study. This survey will be filled out after cycles 1 and 4 of chemotherapy. Drug Shortages: In the event of a drug shortage of a medication that is not a G-CSF or GM-CSF product, the provider may use best clinical judgment regarding omission of the agent or substitution with a different agent. The medical and research records of study patients should reflect that the patient was informed of any delays and/or modifications in protocol therapy related to the shortage of the agent and the associated risks.