Antiangiogenic therapy of a recurrent giant cell tumor of the mandible with interferon alfa-2a

Citation
Lb. Kaban et al., Antiangiogenic therapy of a recurrent giant cell tumor of the mandible with interferon alfa-2a, PEDIATRICS, 103(6), 1999, pp. 1145-1149
Citations number
48
Categorie Soggetti
Pediatrics,"Medical Research General Topics
Journal title
PEDIATRICS
ISSN journal
00314005 → ACNP
Volume
103
Issue
6
Year of publication
1999
Pages
1145 - 1149
Database
ISI
SICI code
0031-4005(199906)103:6<1145:ATOARG>2.0.ZU;2-C
Abstract
We report a 5-year-old girl with a large rapidly growing giant fell tumor o f the mandible that recurred 2 months after the first surgical excision and 3 months after a second resection. An angiogenic protein, (bFGF), was abno rmally elevated in her urine. The patient was treated with interferon alfa- 2a for 1 year because this agent inhibits angiogenesis by suppressing bFGF overexpression in infantile hemangiomas and in other human tumors. During t his time the bone tumor regressed and disappeared, the urinary bFGF fell to normal levels, and the mandible regenerated. She has remained tumor-free a nd has been off therapy for 3 years at this writing. This first successful use of interferon alfa-2a to treat a mandibular tumor in a child demonstrates: 1) low grade tumors that overexpress bFGF may res pond to interferon alfa-aa, in a manner similar to life-threatening infanti le hemangiomas; 2) antiangiogenic therapy, given without interruption for 1 year, was safe and effective in this patient; and 3) treatment may be cont inued for 1 year without the development of drug resistance.