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Nimotuzumab therapy in the treatment of pediatric central nervous system tumors: single-center experience

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Abstract

Relapsed or refractory central nervous system (CNS) tumors still have poor prognosis, and, therefore, new treatment options are required. We retrospectively researched treatment results of patients with CNS tumors treated with nimotuzumab from 2010 to 2015. The study included nine patients with the diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma; eight with medulloblastoma; three each with anaplastic ependymoma, glioblastoma multiforme, and central nervous system primitive neuroectodermal tumor (CNS PNET); two patients with gliomatosis cerebri; and one patient each with other tumor types, including atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor, thalamic astrocytoma, low-grade glial tumor, high-grade glial tumor, and cribriform neuroepithelial tumor. An objective response was observed in 10 of 33 patients with four patients showing a complete response, three a partial response, and three patients had stable disease. The 2-year overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) rates were 35 ±9% and 19 ±8%, respectively. Due to the objective response in medulloblastoma, CNS PNET, and anaplastic ependymoma (MED group), survival rates of this group were analyzed. The 2-year OS and PFS for the MED group were 71 ±12% and 30 ±13%, respectively. The treatment was well tolerated. The treatment responses for medulloblastoma, CNS PNET, and anaplastic ependymoma have been promising. Likewise, some patients with relapsed or progressive CNS tumors may benefit through nimotuzumab-containing regimen.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, 06100, Ankara, Turkey

    Hilal Susam-Sen, Ali Varan, İnci Bajin, Burca Aydın, Bilgehan Yalcin, Nilgun Kurucu, Tezer Kutluk, Turhan Bayhan & Canan Akyuz

  2. Deparment of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, 06100, Ankara, Turkey

    Rahşan Göçmen

Authors
  1. Hilal Susam-Sen
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  2. Ali Varan
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  3. İnci Bajin
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  4. Rahşan Göçmen
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  5. Burca Aydın
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  6. Bilgehan Yalcin
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  7. Nilgun Kurucu
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  8. Tezer Kutluk
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  9. Turhan Bayhan
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  10. Canan Akyuz
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Contributions

HSS, AV, TB, and İB wrote the article. RG made radiologic support. BA, BY, NK, TK, and CA collected the article. HSS and AV made statistics. The authors declare that all data were generated in-house and that no paper mill was used.

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Correspondence to Hilal Susam-Sen.

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Susam-Sen, H., Varan, A., Bajin, İ. et al. Nimotuzumab therapy in the treatment of pediatric central nervous system tumors: single-center experience. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch Pharmacol 394, 1769–1777 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00210-021-02109-y

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