[Role of High-dose Chemotherapy Followed by Bone Marrow Autograft in the Treatment of Metastatic Ewing's Sarcoma in Children]

Thirty-two children were treated for metastatic Ewing sarcoma by high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous bone marrow transplantation. Fourteen patients entered phase II studies of high-dose alkylating agents. The response rate observed was 61%. High-dose chemotherapy was used as consolidation in complete remission of 18 patients. Disease free survival appears to be better than that observed under conventional altered chemotherapy. However, with only 4/18 long term survivors, these results remain unsatisfactory, taking into account the recent encouraging results of semi-continuous conventional chemotherapy.