A Phase 2 interventional study of VDC-IE x2 and VDC-IE in Ewing Sarcoma Family of Tumors, sponsored by Institut Curie. Completed at 17 sites in France. Open to participants aged 2 Years to 50 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-11-21.
Sponsored by Institut Curie · Phase 2, Interventional, and Treatment
Ewing's sarcoma and related tumours (ESFT) are rare tumours, with a peak incidence in the second decade of life. They start most often from bone, and are characterized by a specific translocation involving the so-called EWS gene. In one patient out of three, the staging procedures detect metastatic tumours at the diagnosis, most commonly in lungs, bones, and bone marrow.
ESFT treatment strategy is multidisciplinary, combining primary chemotherapy, a local treatment, and consolidation chemotherapy.
The primary metastatic dissemination is the most important prognostic factor, as the survival rate is around 70-75% for localized tumours, in contrast with less than 50% for patients with primary metastatic disease.
Among primary metastatic patients, bone involvement and / or bone marrow strike markedly the prognosis of these patients. While the long-term survival of patients with isolated pleural pulmonary metastases is approximately 50%, whereas it is only from 0 to 25% in patients with bone marrow involvement.
In 1999, the Intergroup EURO EWING built a new study protocol for patients with Ewing tumours. For the patients with primary extrapulmonary metastatic Ewing tumours (R3 patients), the protocol proposed a heavy induction chemotherapy, in order to propose a consolidation with high dose chemotherapy to a higher rate of patients. The high-dose Busulfan Melphalan chemotherapy (BuMel) was based on Busulfan (600 mg/m²) and Melphalan (140 mg/m²), with autologous peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) support.
Of note, for the full population of patients with metastatic disease, the 3-year EFS rate was 27% (SD 3%), and the OS rate was 34% (SD 4%), with a median follow-up of 3.9 years after diagnosis, and a median survival time of 1.6 years.
Ewing's sarcoma and related tumours (ESFT) are rare tumours, with a peak incidence in the second decade of life. They start most often from bone, and are characterized by a specific translocation involving the so-called EWS gene. The gene rearrangement results in the production of a transcription factor, in the majority EWS-FLI1 transcription.
In one patient out of three, the staging procedures detect metastatic tumours at the diagnosis; metastases involve most commonly lungs, bones, and bone marrow.
Therefore, in addition to local imaging, the initial extension assessment of any Ewing tumour includes at least a chest CT scan, and a bone marrow extensive evaluation, comprising bone marrow punctures into several different sectors, bone marrow biopsies, and a bone imaging evaluation. The FDG-PET scan is more sensible than bone scan and conventional imaging as MRI in detection of bone metastases. It is more and more widely used in the bone metastasis search in Ewing tumours and seems useful to complement the search of extra-osseous metastases (outside the lungs), including that of bone marrow metastases. The full-body MRI is still under evaluation for the disease extension evaluation.
ESFT treatment strategy is multidisciplinary, combining primary chemotherapy, a local treatment, and consolidation chemotherapy. The local treatment may combine surgery and / or radiotherapy, according to the tumour site and size, and to the tumour response. ESFT chemotherapy is based on alkylating agents (ifosfamide and / or cyclophosphamide), etoposide, anthracyclines, vincristine, and actinomycin.
The primary metastatic dissemination is the most important prognostic factor, as the survival rate is around 70-75% for localized tumours, in contrast with less than 50% for patients with primary metastatic disease. Among primary metastatic patients, bone involvement and / or bone marrow strike markedly the prognosis of these patients. While the long-term survival of patients with isolated pleural pulmonary metastases is approximately 50%, whereas it is only from 0 to 25% in patients with bone marrow involvement.
In 1999, the Intergroup EURO EWING built a new study protocol for patients with Ewing tumours, localized or metastatic and below 50 years of age. For the patients with primary extrapulmonary metastatic Ewing tumours (R3 patients), the protocol proposed a heavy induction chemotherapy, in order to propose a consolidation with high dose chemotherapy to a higher rate of patients. The high-dose BuMel chemotherapy was based on Busulfan (600 mg/m²) and Melphalan (140 mg/m²), with autologous peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) support.
The study enrolled 281 patients with primary dissemination and skeletal metastases, with or without bone marrow involvement and with or without additional pulmonary metastases or metastases to other sites. In contrast to the distribution in the entire group of patients with Ewing tumours, the primary site in this subgroup was extremity in only 31% patients, pelvis/abdomen in 45%, and axial/other in 24% patients. The overall survival at 3 years was 28% (SD 4%) in the group with primary tumour in the abdomen or pelvis, versus 39% (SD 6%) for each of the two other groups. Of note, for the full population of patients with metastatic disease, the 3-year EFS rate was 27% (SD 3%), and the OS rate was 34% (SD 4%), with a median follow-up of 3.9 years after diagnosis, and a median survival time of 1.6 years.
- Adequate bone marrow function (not applicable in case of bone marrow disease).
- Adequate liver function :
- Adequate cardiac and renal functions:
Exclusion Criteria:
Patients in Arm A receive * VDC-IE x2: Intensified induction phase: * 4 cycles of VDC (Vincristine Doxorubicine Cyclophosphamide) association alternative with 4 cycles of IE (Ifosfamide-Etoposide) association if "good response" after the 4th treatment, followed by: * 4 cycles of VDC (Vincristine-Doxorubicine-Cyclophosphamide) association alternative with 4 cycles of IE (Ifosfamide-Etoposide) association * Consolidation BuMel High dose chemotherapy (Busulfan Melphalan) followed by Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Infusion * Local treatment by surgery of primary tumour/metastatic sites (outside pulmonary sites): indicated before of after consolidation phase (BuMel) among multidisciplinary decision. Radiotherapy can be added * Maintenance phase * 1st year : VC (Vincristine Cyclophosphamide) association * 2nd year : Cyclophosphamide po 25 mg/m²
Drug: VDC-IE x2 · Drug: Consolidation BuMel · Drug: Maintenance · Procedure: Local treatment by surgery · Radiation: Local treatment by radiotherapy
Patients in Arm B receive * VDC-IE \& TEMIRI: Intensified induction phase: * 4 cycles of VDC (Vincristine-Doxorubicine-Cyclophosphamide) association alternative with 4 cycles of IE (Ifosfamide-Etoposide) association if "poor response" after the 4th treatment, followed by: * 4 cycles of TEMIRI (Temozolomide-Irinotecan) association * Local treatment by surgery of primary tumour/metastatic sites (outside pulmonary sites): indicated before of after consolidation phase (BuMel) among multidisciplinary decision. Radiotherapy can be added * Consolidation BuMel High dose chemotherapy (Busulfan-Melphalan) followed by Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Infusion * Maintenance phase * 1st year : VC (Vincristine Cyclophosphamide) association * 2nd year : Cyclophosphamide po 25 mg/m²
Drug: VDC-IE · Drug: TEMIRI · Drug: Consolidation BuMel · Drug: Maintenance · Procedure: Local treatment by surgery · Radiation: Local treatment by radiotherapy
Patients in Arm C receive * VDC-IE x2: Intensified induction phase: * 4 cycles of VDC (Vincristine-Doxorubicine-Cyclophosphamide) association alternative with 4 cycles of IE (Ifosfamide-Etoposide) association if "good response" after the 4th treatment, followed by: * 4 cycles of VDC (Vincristine-Doxorubicine-Cyclophosphamide) association alternative with 4 cycles of IE (Ifosfamide-Etoposide) association * Consolidation BuMel High dose chemotherapy (Busulfan-Melphalan) followed by Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Infusion * Local treatment by radiotherapy of primary tumour/metastatic sites (outside pulmonary sites): indicated before of after consolidation phase (BuMel) among multidisciplinary decision. * Consolidation BuMel High dose chemotherapy (Busulfan-Melphalan) followed by Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Infusion * Maintenance phase * 1st year : VC (Vincristine Cyclophosphamide) association * 2nd year : Cyclophosphamide po 25 mg/m²
Drug: VDC-IE x2 · Drug: Consolidation BuMel · Drug: Maintenance · Radiation: Local treatment by radiotherapy
Patients in Arm D receive * VDC-IE \& TEMIRI: Intensified induction phase: * 4 cycles of VDC (Vincristine-Doxorubicine-Cyclophosphamide) association alternative with 4 cycles of IE (Ifosfamide-Etoposide) association if "poor response" after the 4th treatment, followed by: * 4 cycles of TEMIRI (Temozolomide-Irinotecan) association * Local treatment by radiotherapy of primary tumour/metastatic sites (outside pulmonary sites): indicated before of after consolidation phase (BuMel) among multidisciplinary decision. * Consolidation BuMel High dose chemotherapy (Busulfan-Melphalan) followed by Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Infusion * Maintenance phase * 1st year : VC (Vincristine Cyclophosphamide) association * 2nd year : Cyclophosphamide po 25 mg/m²
Drug: VDC-IE · Drug: TEMIRI · Drug: Consolidation BuMel · Drug: Maintenance · Radiation: Local treatment by radiotherapy
Week 1, 5, 9 and week 13: * Vincristine, IV, D1, 1.5mg/m² * Doxorubicine, IV, D1-D2, 37.5mg/m² * Cyclophosphamide, IV, D1, 1.2g/m² Week 3, 7, 11 and week 15: * Ifosfamide, IV, D15 to D19, 1.8g/m²/d * Etoposide, IV, D15 to D19, 100mg/m²/d
Also known as: Intensified Induction VDC-IE x2
Week 1 and week 5: * Vincristine, IV, D1, 1.5mg/m² * Doxorubicine, IV, D1-D2, 37.5mg/m² * Cyclophosphamide, IV, D1, 1.2g/m² Week 3, and week 7: * Ifosfamide, IV, D15 to D19, 1.8g/m²/d * Etoposide, IV, D15 to D19, 100mg/m²/d
Also known as: Intensified Induction VDC-IE
Week 9, 12, 15 and week 18: * Temozolomide, PO, D1 to D5, 150mg/m²/d * Irinotecan, IV, D1 to D5, 50mg/m²/d
Also known as: Intensified Induction TEMIRI
After induction phase and local treatment (surgery and/or radiotherapy) and before PBSC: * Busulfan, IV, D-5 to D-2, dosa according to the weight * Melphalan, IV, D-1, 140 mg/m² Peripheral Blood Stem Cell infusion: \- PBSC infusion, D0, at least 3.10\^6 CD34/kg
Also known as: High dose Consolidation chemotherapy
\* 1st year : VC * Vinblastine, IV, 3mg/m², once a week (except during radiotherapy: 1mg/m², 3 times a week) * Cyclophosphamide, PO, 25mg/m² continuously
Also known as: 2 years maintenance
Surgical excision of whole site of the primary tumour and metastatic sites (outside pulmonary sites) can take place before or after the high dose consolidation chemotherapy. Radiotherapy can be added
Also known as: Surgery of primary tumour/metastatic sites
Radiotherapy of whole site of the primary tumour and metastatic sites (outside pulmonary sites) can take place before or after the high dose consolidation chemotherapy
Also known as: Radiotherapy of primary tumour/metastatic sites
Anti-tumour effect of the treatment strategy assessed by the number of patients event-free survival (EFS) at 18 months
EFS is defined as the time from inclusion date to the first documentation of progression, distant disease, second cancer or death (or last news for patients free of event). The event free survival is estimated by Kaplan-Meier method.
Time frame: 18 months after inclusion of the last patient
Anti-tumour effect of the dose-intensified induction chemotherapy assessed by the response rate of patients
Number of patients with complete response (CR) / partial response (PR) eligible for consolidation phase
Time frame: week 19-20 = Response Evaluation 2 (RE2)
Anti-tumour effect of the dose-intensified induction chemotherapy assessed by the number of patients eligible for consolidation phase
Number of patients eligible for consolidation phase have good response after induction phase : * complete remission on primary tumour and on metastatic sites or * very good disease response defined by: * complete or partial response according to RECIST 1.1 criteria on primary lesion * complete or very good partial response (\> 90 %) in case of RECIST 1.1 criteria on metastatic sites AND * complete metabolic response in case of metastatic visceral and/or bone/bone marrow lesions, or very good partial response according to investigator's judgment AND * in case of bone marrow involvement, bone marrow free of disease on at least one biopsy and two punctures at different sites at RE1 (evaluation after 4 cycles VDC-IE), RE2 (evaluation after 2x4 cycles VDC-IE or 4 cycles VDC-IE+4 cycles TEMIRI), or at the latest RE3 evaluation (evaluation after local treatment).
Time frame: week 19-20 = RE2
Overall survival (OS) is assessed by the number of patients still alive at the end of the three years of treatment
The overall survival (OS) is estimated by Kaplan-Meier method.
Time frame: 3 years = Response Evaluation End-Of-Treatment (EOT RE)
3-years event-free survival (EFS) is assessed by the number of patients without any event at the end of treatment phase
EFS is defined as the time from inclusion date to the first documentation of progression, distant disease, second cancer or death (or last news for patients free of event). The event free survival is estimated by Kaplan-Meier method.
Time frame: 3 years = EOT RE
Number of patients with treatment-related adverse events as assessed by CTCAE v4.03
Number of patients with treatment-related adverse events using the NCI CTCAE version 4.03 to graduate the severity of adverse events
Time frame: week 19-20 = RE2 ; week 27-28 = Response Evaluation 3 (RE3); 3 years = EOT RE
Number of patients with treatment-related toxicities on laboratory data as assessed by CTCAE v4.03 of the different phases of treatment
Number of patients with treatment-related toxicities on laboratory data using the NCI CTCAE version 4.03 to graduate the severity of toxicities
Time frame: week 19-20 = RE2 ; week 27-28 = RE3; 3 years = EOT RE
18F-FDG PET evaluation efficacy assessed by primary tumour uptake
Efficacy assessed by primary tumour uptake (Standardized Uptake Value max at 18F-FDG PET)
Time frame: study inclusion, after week 8 (RE1), after week18-19 (if VDC-IE) or week19-20 (if TEMIRI)=RE2, after local treatment ≤week30 (RE3), from week31 (=RE4), 3 years = EOT RE
18F-FDG PET evaluation efficacy assessed by metabolic tumour volume (MTV)
Efficacy assessed by metabolic tumour volume (MTV at 18F-FDG PET)
Time frame: study inclusion, after week 8 (RE1), after week18-19 (if VDC-IE) or week19-20 (if TEMIRI)=RE2, after local treatment ≤week30 (RE3), from week31 (=RE4), 3 years = EOT RE
Percentage of circulating tumour cells in blood and bone marrow to correlate with patient outcome (EFS). Ancillary study
sample collected : primary tumour and metastatic site (if possible)
Time frame: study inclusion, and/or during Procedure=surgery (if done) either after week 19-20=RE2 or after PBSC infusion=RE4
Percentage of circulating tumour cells in blood and bone marrow to correlate with patient outcome (EFS). Ancillary study
sample collected : blood
Time frame: study inclusion, at each evaluation time (RE1=week8 to Response Evaluation before maintenance therapy (RE5=<week38)), every 3 months during 2 years maintenance therapy, at End of Treatment
Percentage of circulating tumour cells in blood and bone marrow to correlate with patient outcome (EFS). Ancillary study
sample collected : bone marrow
Time frame: at diagnosis (before treatment), at 1st evaluation time (RE1=wk8 if bone marrow involvement at diagnosis), at RE2=week19-20 (or RE3=<week30), after PBSC infusion=RE4 or RE5=< week38 (if bone marrow involvement at diagnosis), at End of Treatment
Comparison of transcriptomic profiles between those of primary disease and those of bone marrow metastases to determine if they are the same or not. Ancillary study
Investigation whether the cells from metastatic material harbour a unique transcriptomic signature compared to primary tumour cells : quantification of EWS-ETS transcript and EWS-ETS gene using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) methods to determine the genomic EWS-ETS translocation loci
Time frame: study inclusion
Plan to share: Yes — Sponsor will share de-identified data sets. Documents generated under the project will be disseminated in accordance with Institut Curie policies.
Supporting information: Study protocol, Sap
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Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive, Peripheral→
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