Sarcomas are tumours that arise from bone and soft tissues. They can occur in all ages. As a result of the introduction of polychemotherapy, the survival of children and young adults with different types of sarcoma has improved dramatically. Alkylating agents, such as cyclophosphamide and ifosfamide, have played a major role in this improvement. However, in the literature there is still no consensus as to which chemotherapeutic agent is more effective. A well-informed decision on the use of cyclophosphamide and ifosfamide in the treatment of children and young adults diagnosed with a sarcoma should be based on high quality evidence on both anti-tumour efficacy and adverse effects.
This systematic review focused on (ideally randomised) controlled studies. The authors found that there were no such studies comparing cyclophosphamide and ifosfamide in paediatric and young adult sarcoma patients. More high quality research is needed.