This phase III trial tests how well surgery plus chemotherapy compared to surgery alone works in treating patients with type I pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB), and tests how well surgery plus standard chemotherapy with the addition of topotecan works compared to surgery plus standard chemotherapy alone in treating patients with type II and III PPB. Historically, most children with type I PPB had surgery and approximately 40% of children with type I PPB received chemotherapy following their surgery, usually for 22-42 weeks. There has not been a consistent standard for which children with type I PPB receive chemotherapy after surgery. For patients whose tumor has been removed completely with surgery, observation without chemotherapy may work as well as giving chemotherapy after surgery in preventing a return of the PPB tumor. The standard chemotherapy for patients with types II or III PPB in the United States is four cycles of IVADo (ifosfamide, vincristine, dactinomycin, and doxorubicin) followed by 8 cycles of IVA (ifosfamide, vincristine and dactinomycin). Ifosfamide is in a class of medications called alkylating agents. It works by slowing or stopping the growth of tumor cells in the body. Vincristine is in a class of medications called vinca alkaloids. It works by stopping tumor cells from growing and dividing and may kill them. Dactinomycin is a type of antibiotic that is only used in cancer chemotherapy (antineoplastic antibiotic). It works by damaging the cell's deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and may kill tumor cells. Doxorubicin is in a class of medications called anthracyclines. Doxorubicin damages the cell's DNA and may kill tumor cells. It also blocks a certain enzyme needed for cell division and DNA repair. Topotecan is in a class of medications called topoisomerase I inhibitors. It works by interfering with tumor cell DNA which kills them. Giving topotecan in addition to standard IVADo and IVA chemotherapy regimens may shrink the cancer as well as or better than the standard therapy or could decrease the chance the tumor spreads while causing fewer side effects.
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Objective response
Timeframe: Up to 2 cycles (cycles = 21 days) of window therapy with vincristine, topotecan and cyclophosphamide