IFOSFAMIDE, CARBOPLATIN AND ETOPOSIDE (ICE) COMBINED WITH 41.8-DEGREES-C WHOLE-BODY HYPERTHERMIA IN PATIENTS WITH REFRACTORY SARCOMA

Two earlier studies resulted in the design of a phase II trial of 41.8 degrees C (x 60 min) extracorporeal whole body hyperthermia (WBH) wit h ICE, i.e. ifosfamide (5 g/m(2)), carboplatin (300 mg/m(2)), and etop oside given with WBH, as well as, day 2 and 3 post-WBH (100 mg/m(2)) f or adult patients with refractory sarcoma. 12 patients entered this tr ial; all were evaluable. 8 patients had a history of prior chemotherap y associated with disease progression. Following WBH/ICE, 7 partial re missions were observed (58%); 3 patients experienced disease stabilisa tion; the aforementioned 10 patients each received four cycles of ther apy. 2 patients exhibited progressive disease. Episodes of WHO graded (grade 3; grade 4) toxicity observed included: anaemia (2;2); leucopen ia (5;7); thrombocytopenia (1;6); renal (0;1). Other toxicities (grade 1 and 2) included: anasarca, diarrhoea, ventricular arrhythmias, pres sure sores, and perioral herpes simplex. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier S cience Ltd