Objective
The Children's Oncology Group (COG) study AREN0534 aimed to improve EFS and OS while preserving renal tissue by intensifying pre-operative chemotherapy, completing definitive surgery by 12 weeks from diagnosis, and modifying post-operative chemotherapy based on histologic response.
Summary Background Data
No prospective therapeutic clinic trials in children with bilateral Wilms tumors (BWT) exist. Historical outcomes for this group were poor and often involved prolonged chemotherapy; on NWTS-5, 4-year event-free-survival (EFS) for all children with bilateral Wilms tumor was 56%.
Methods
Patients were enrolled and imaging studies were centrally reviewed to assess for bilateral renal lesions. They were treated with 3-drug induction chemotherapy (vincristine, dactinomycin and doxorubicin) for 6 or 12 weeks based on radiographic response followed by surgery and further chemotherapy determined by histology. Radiation therapy was provided for post-chemotherapy stage III and IV disease.
Results
189/208 patients were evaluable. 4-year EFS and OS were 82.1% (95% CI: 73.5%-90.8%) and 94.9% (95% CI: 90.1%-99.7%. 23 patients relapsed and 7 had disease progression. After induction chemotherapy 163/189 (84.0%) underwent definitive surgical treatment in at least one kidney by 12 weeks and 39% retained parts of both kidneys. Surgical approaches included: unilateral total nephrectomy with contralateral partial nephrectomy (48%), bilateral partial nephrectomy (35%), unilateral total nephrectomy (10.5%), unilateral partial nephrectomy (4%) and bilateral total nephrectomies (2.5%).
Conclusions
This treatment approach including standardized three-drug preoperative chemotherapy, surgical resection within 12 weeks of diagnosis and response and histology-based post-operative therapy improved EFS and OS and preservation of renal parenchyma compared to historical outcomes for children with BWT.