Dinutuximab Beta in Children with High-Risk Neuroblastoma: Experience from a Single Center in Croatia

Abstract

To determine the potential benefits and feasibility of administering maintenance therapy with dinutuximab beta for high-risk neuroblastoma (HRNB) in clinical practice, a retrospective review of charts of patients with HRNB treated at a single center in Croatia (2012–2021) was undertaken. Of 23 patients with HRNB, 11 received up to five cycles of dinutuximab beta as part of multimodal therapy; 12 patients did not (i.e., no immunotherapy). In the no immunotherapy group, one patient had complete remission (8%), and 11 patients died of tumor progression (92%). In the dinutuximab beta group, eight patients had complete remission (73%; median duration of response 5 years and 2 months), one had stable disease (9%), and two died of disease (18%). Patients who received dinutuximab beta had a higher median event-free survival (40.0 months [range: 12.5–83.0]) and median overall survival (56.0 months [range: 16.2–101.0]) than those who did not (12.9 months [range: 3.3–126.0] and 20.7 months [3.3–126.0], respectively). Dinutuximab beta was generally well tolerated; adverse events were manageable and as reported in clinical studies. These results confirm the benefits and feasibility of maintenance therapy with dinutuximab beta as part of multimodal therapy for patients with HRNB in real-world clinical practice.

Keywords

• neuroblastoma
• dinutuximab beta
• immunotherapy
• adverse events
• outcomes
• maintenance