Abstract In patients with relapsed or refractory neuroblastoma (NB), the limited efficacy here of conventional chemotherapies necessitates the exploration of new treatment options.Previous studies have highlighted the anti-tumor properties of arsenic trioxide (ATO) in high-risk NB (HR-NB).This study aims to assess the effectiveness and safety of ATO combined with salvage chemotherapy regimens, featuring cyclophosphamide and topotecan, as a foundational treatment for children with relapsed or refractory NB.Eleven patients (four relapsed, seven refractory NB) were retrospectively analyzed for efficacy and treatment relevance.Salvage treatments, incorporating ATO (0.
18 mg/kg daily for 8 h intravenously on days 1 to 10), were administered upon disease progression or relapse, with assessments conducted every two cycles.Treatments had 63.6% efficacy, with six cases of partial response, one case of stable disease, and four cases of disease progression.The overall response rate was 54.5%, and the disease control rate was 63.
6%.Importantly, the systemic toxicity experienced by patients following salvage chemotherapy with ATO was mild.Salvage chemotherapy regimens read more featuring ATO demonstrated potential for prolonging disease stabilization for relapsed or refractory HR-NB patients, exhibiting both favorable efficacy and safety profiles.This suggests further clinical exploration and promotion of this therapeutic approach in the treatment of NB.