After present first-line therapies for childhood acute myeloid leukemia (AML), nearly 40% of patients still relapse. The goals of this retrospective study were to determine whether these children ...could be treated successfully with a salvage regimen and to establish the optimal therapeutic strategy.
In the multicentric, prospective, Leucémie Aiquë Myéloïde Enfant 89/91 protocol, 106 of the 308 children enrolled between 1988 and 1998 relapsed. Initial treatment after the first complete remission (CR1) had been allogenic HLA-identical bone marrow transplantation (BMT; n = 21) or chemotherapy (n = 85). Treatment procedures were scheduled according to the choice of each participating institution.
When reinduction therapy was attempted, second complete remission (CR2) was obtained in 71% of patients (68 of 96 patients). BMT was performed in 53 (78%) of these 68 patients (autograft, mainly harvested in CR1, n = 25; matched sibling-donor BMT, n = 12; or alternative-donor BMT, n = 16). The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate for all 106 patients was 33%, and the disease-free survival (DFS) rate for children in CR2 was 45%. Multivariate analysis of re-treated children showed that the 5-year OS was higher if the CR1 had been longer than 12 months compared with less than 12 months (54% v 24%, respectively; P =.001) and lower if maintenance therapy had been given after CR1 compared with chemotherapy without maintenance therapy or HLA-identical BMT (12% v 40% v 52%, respectively; P =.002). For patients attaining CR2, the 5-year DFS rate was not significantly different for matched sibling-donor BMT (60%), autograft (47%), or alternative-donor BMT (44%).
After aggressive first-line therapy, one third of unselected, relapsing AML children could be cured. Further prospective trials are warranted to define the optimal reinduction regimen and megadose chemotherapy and to evaluate the late effects of these therapies.
Risk stratification in childhood T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is mainly based on minimal residual disease (MRD) quantification. Whether oncogenetic mutation profiles can improve the ...discrimination of MRD-defined risk categories was unknown. Two hundred and twenty FRALLE2000T-treated patients were tested retrospectively for NOTCH1/FBXW7/RAS and PTEN alterations. Patients with NOTCH1/FBXW7 (N/F) mutations and RAS/PTEN (R/P) germ line (GL) were classified as oncogenetic low risk (gLoR; n = 111), whereas those with N/F GL and R/P GL mutations or N/F and R/P mutations were classified as high risk (gHiR; n = 109). Day 35 MRD status was available for 191 patients. Five-year cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR) and disease-free survival were 36% and 60% for gHiR patients and 11% and 89% for gLoR patients, respectively. Importantly, among the 60% of patients with MRD <10−4, 5-year CIR was 29% for gHiR patients and 4% for gLoR patients. Based on multivariable Cox models and stepwise selection, the 3 most discriminating variables were the oncogenetic classifier, MRD, and white blood cell (WBC) count. Patients harboring a WBC count ≥200 × 109/L, gHiR classifier, and MRD ≥10−4 demonstrated a 5-year CIR of 46%, whereas the 58 patients (30%) with a WBC count <200 × 109/L, gLoR classifier, and MRD <10−4 had a very low risk of relapse, with a 5-year CIR of only 2%. In childhood T-ALL, the N/F/R/P mutation profile is an independent predictor of relapse. When combined with MRD and a WBC count ≥200 × 109/L, it identifies a significant subgroup of patients with a low risk of relapse.
•In pediatric T-ALL, oncogenetic markers, MRD, and WBC count are independent predictors of outcome.•These factors should be used together for individual treatment stratification.
We explored the heterogeneity of philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph1-ALL) in a study of the effect of early features on prognosis in children. Here we report the ...long-term results of the FRALLE 93 study conducted in the era before the use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors.
Between 1993 and 1999, 36 children with Ph1-ALL were enrolled into the FRALLE 93 protocol. After conventional four-drug induction, children were stratified by availability of an HLA-matched sibling.
Complete remission (CR) was observed in 26 children (72%), of which 13 underwent allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Thirty-one children were good responders to prednisone, defined on day 8, and 21 were good responders to chemotherapy, defined by day-21 bone marrow (M1). Overall five-year disease-free survival (DFS) was 42 +/- 9.7%. Based on multivariate analysis, two groups showed marked differences in five-year outcome: children with age<10, leukocyte count <100,000/mm3 and day-21 M1 marrow had a more favorable prognosis (14 pts: 100% CR, event free survival EFS: 57%, overall survival OS: 79%), than the high-risk group (22 patients: 55% CR, EFS: 18%, OS: 27%) (p < 0.005). We also observed a non statistically significant difference (p = 0.14) in outcome between these groups for transplanted patients (5-year DFS: 83 +/- 14% and 33 +/- 15%, respectively).
Age, leukocyte count and early response to treatment defined by the D21 bone marrow response provide an accurate model for outcome prediction. The combination of available tools such as minimal residual disease assessment with determination of these simple factors could be useful for refining indications for BMT in the current era of tyrosine-kinase inhibitor-based therapy.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
•SLE occurs in 22% of children with ANA-associated AIC.•Children of age >10 years and ANA titer >1/160 must be monitored long-term, for progression to SLE.
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Autoimmune cytopenia (AIC) ...in children may be associated with positive antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and may progress to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We evaluated the risk of progression to SLE of childhood-onset ANA-associated AIC. In the French national prospective OBS’CEREVANCE cohort, the long-term outcome of children with ANA-associated AIC (ANA titer ≥1/160) and a subgroup of children who developed SLE were described. ANA were positive in 355 of 1803 (20%) children with AIC. With a median follow-up of 5.8 (range, 0.1-29.6) years, 79 of 355 (22%) patients developed SLE at a median age of 14.5 (1.1-21.4) years; 20% of chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura, 19% of autoimmune hemolytic anemia, and 45% of Evans syndrome. None of the patients with ANA-negative test developed SLE. Severe manifestations of SLE were observed in 21 patients, and 2 patients died. In multivariate analysis including patients with positive ANA within the first 3 months after AIC diagnosis, age >10 years at AIC diagnosis (relative risk RR, 3.67; 95% confidence interval CI, 1.18-11.4; P = .024) and ANA titer >1/160 (RR, 5.28; 95% CI, 1.20-23.17; P = .027) were associated with the occurrence of SLE after AIC diagnosis. ANA-associated AIC is a risk factor for progression to SLE, especially in children with an initial ANA titer >1/160 and an age >10 years at AIC diagnosis. ANA screening should be recommended in children with AIC, and patients with ANA should be monitored long-term for SLE, with special attention to the transition period. This trial was registered at www.ClinicalTrials.gov as #NCT05937828.
A minority of patients presenting as children with chronic autoimmune cytopenia (AIC), manifesting as immune thrombocytopenic purpura or autoimmune hemolytic anemia, will subsequently develop systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), but which ones? In a prospective cohort study, Granel and colleagues identified a 22% incidence rate of SLE after diagnosis of AIC if the antinuclear antibody (ANA) was ever positive, with the highest risk in children diagnosed after 10 years of age and where the ANA titer exceeded 160. The authors’ work identified a subgroup of patients needing long-term monitoring for later emergence of SLE.
Vaginal malignant germ cell tumors (MGCT) are rare, occurring in children less than 2 years old and raise the question of the optimal local treatment.
We included children treated for vaginal MGCT ...according to the French TGM-95/2013 regimen. Patients were classified as standard risk (SR: localized disease and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) < 10,000 ng/mL) or high risk (HiR: metastatic and/or AFP > 10,000 ng/mL) and were treated, respectively, with three to five VBP (vinblastine-bleomycin-cisplatin) or four to six VIP (etoposide-ifosfamide-cisplatin), followed by conservative surgery and/or brachytherapy in case of post-chemotherapy residuum.
Fourteen patients were included (median age = 12 months), of which six (43%) were classified as HiR. AFP levels were normalized after first-line chemotherapy in all cases but one. A vaginal post-chemotherapy residuum (median size = 8 mm, range: 1-24 mm) was observed in 13/14 patients, treated by complete resection in seven of 13 (viable cells in three of seven), incomplete resection in four of 13 (viable cells in two of four), with adjuvant brachytherapy in two of 13, and exclusive brachytherapy in two of 13 (viable cells in one of six). Among the six patients with viable disease, four patients received adjuvant chemotherapy. One patient (SR) experienced immediate postoperative relapse despite presenting no viable residual cells and was treated with four VIP cycles and brachytherapy. At last follow-up (median = 4.6 years, range: 0.5-16), all patients were alive in complete remission. Five patients suffered from vaginal sequelae with synechiae and/or stenosis (of whom four had undergone brachytherapy).
Childhood vaginal MGCTs show a highly favorable prognosis with risk-adapted chemotherapy and local treatment of post-chemotherapy residuum (preferably by conservative surgery with partial vaginectomy). Brachytherapy could be an alternative when conservative surgery is not deemed possible or in cases of incomplete resection with residual viable cells.
Objective
To describe the clinical characteristics and outcome of patients with Li‐Fraumeni–associated rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS).
Method
Retrospective analysis of data from 31 French patients with RMS ...diagnosed before the age of 20 years associated with a TP53 pathogenic germline variant. Cases were identified through the French Li‐Fraumeni database. Central histologic review was performed in 16 cases.
Results
The median age at diagnosis was 2.3 years, and the median follow‐up was 9.1 years (0.3‐34.8). The main tumor sites were head and neck (n = 13), extremities (n = 8), and trunk (n = 8). The local pathology report classified the 31 tumors in embryonal (n = 26), alveolar (n = 1), pleomorphic (n = 1), and spindle‐cell (n = 1) RMS (missing = 2). After histological review, anaplasia (diffuse or focal) was reported in 12/16 patients. Twenty‐five patients had localized disease, three had lymph node involvement, and three distant metastases. First‐line therapy combined surgery (n = 27), chemotherapy (n = 30), and radiotherapy (n = 14) and led to RMS control in all, but one patient. Eleven patients relapsed, and 18 patients had second malignancies. The 10‐year event‐free, progression‐free, and overall survival rates were 36% (95% CI: 20‐56), 62% (95% CI: 43‐77) and 76% (95% CI: 56‐88), respectively. The 10‐year cumulative risk of second malignancies was 40% (95% CI: 22‐60).
Conclusion
The high incidence of multiple primary tumors strongly influences the long‐term prognosis of RMS associated with TP53 pathogenic germline variants. Anaplastic RMS in childhood, independently of the familial history, should lead to TP53 analysis at treatment initiation to reduce, whenever possible, the burden of genotoxic drugs and radiotherapy in carriers and to ensure the early detection of second malignancies.
Summary
β‐thalassemia is an haemoglobinopathy characterized by a defective synthesis of the β‐globin chain. To assess the current state of health of paediatric patients with β‐thalassemia, data from ...the French national registry regarding children born between 2005 and 2020 with β‐thalassemia intermedia (TI) or major (TM) were collected. A total of 237 patients (median age 7.1 years at last visit) were analysed, of whom 156 (65.8%) were born in France and 162 (68.4%) had a TM phenotype. The probability of survival for children with TM born in France was 98.3% at 15 years. Fifty‐four (22.8%) children received a haematopoietic stem cell transplant with a success rate of 88.8%. Hepatic and cardiac iron overload monitoring in non‐transplanted patients showed moderate overload in 15.7% (18/115) and 7.1% (7/99) of cases, respectively, while clinical complications were found in only 4 patients with TM (hepatic in 3 cases). At last visit, mean ferritinemia was 1293 ng/ml (±759). Overall, less than 10% of children underwent splenectomy. No significant impact of the disease on growth or academic achievement was observed. Deferasirox was the main first‐line chelator, prescribed in 78.2% of cases, with side effects reported in 11.7% of instances.
Purpose
Chemotherapy dosing in neonates represents a major clinical challenge because of a lack of clinical pharmacology information in this patient population. In this study, we investigate the use ...of cisplatin dose adaptation based on therapeutic drug monitoring in a 2-week-old neonate with localized hepatoblastoma.
Methods
Cisplatin concentrations were determined in plasma and ultrafiltrate samples collected on each of six cycles of a monotherapy regimen, beginning with a dose of 1.6 mg/kg at 16 days of age. Pharmacokinetic data were analyzed to generate clearance (CL) and area under the curve (AUC
0–∞
) for each administration. Toxicity and clinical response were monitored.
Results
The first cisplatin dose (1.6 mg/kg) resulted in an AUC
0–∞
of 535 µg/mL · min, was well tolerated and associated with a good response. This AUC was, therefore, considered as an appropriate target for this patient. Increases in cisplatin CL were observed across consecutive treatment cycles, and, therefore, dose was gradually increased to finally reach 2.5 mg/kg on the sixth cycle. Treatment was well tolerated over the six courses and resulted in a good response, with the patient remaining in remission at 15 months. Cisplatin CL was significantly correlated to age (
p
= 0.013) and weight (
p
= 0.013).
Conclusions
Our study provides useful data on the pharmacokinetics of cisplatin monotherapy in neonates treated within the first few weeks of life. These data provide a reference point to support clinicians in determining appropriate dosing regimens for neonates and support the implementation of therapeutic drug monitoring in such challenging patients.
Introduction
Pediatric-onset Evans syndrome (pES) is defined by the association between immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) and autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) before the age of 18 years and may ...be associated to various immunopathological manifestations (IMs). No comprehensive study of this rare disease exists, and its long-term outcomes are poorly described.
Methods
Patients from the nationwide French prospective OBS'CEREVANCE cohort with pES and more than 5 years of follow-up were included (excepted pES secondary to bone marrow transplantation or primary immunodeficiencies known at the inclusion). All patients, including those with less than 5 years of follow-up, were included in survival analyses. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyze factors associated with time-dependent variables.
Results
Of the 216 patients with pES in the cohort, 151 (88 males and 63 females) were included with a median (min-max) follow-up time after first cytopenia diagnosis of 11.3 (5.1-38) years. Median age at final follow-up was 18.5 (6.8-50.0) years.
The proportion of patients achieving a sustained complete response (i.e. persisting until final follow-up) increased after cytopenia onset (Fig. 1A). ITP and AIHA were in complete remission in 40.5% and 54.5%, 74.1% and 62.3%, and 78.4% and 86% of patients at 5, 10, and 15 years, respectively.
Clinical IMs (cIMs) developed in 100/151 patients (66%), before the first diagnosis of cytopenia in 21/100 cases. The number of cIMs increased over time (Fig. 1B). The proportions of patients with one and more than one cIM were 50% and 14%, 57% and 19%, and 81% and 44% at 5, 10, and 15 years after the first cytopenia diagnosis, respectively. A broad spectrum of cIMs were present, lymphoproliferation (n = 71), dermatological (n = 26), gastrointestinal/hepatic (n = 23), and pneumological manifestations (n = 16) being the most common. Three patients had a hematological malignancy. Biological IMs (bIMs) were diagnosed in 101/151 patients (67%) and also increased over time, with hypogammaglobulinemia (n = 54) being the most common. Autoimmune neutropenia developed in 43 patients (28.5%) and was independently associated with the number of cIMs (hazard ratio HR, 2.4; 95% confidence interval CI, 1.5-3.8; p = 0.0002). Severe or recurrent infections were present in 53 patients (35%).
The number of second-line treatments received (i.e. other than steroids and immunoglobulins) increased over time without reaching a plateau (Fig. 1C). Half of the patients had received at least one, two, and three different treatments at 2.7, 10.5, and 14.7 years after the first cytopenia diagnosis, respectively. The number of cIMs was independently associated with the number of second-line treatments received (HR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.08-1.6; p = 0.006).
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was diagnosed in 11/151 patients (7.3%, 1/88 males and 10/63 females) and autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS) in six (4.0%).
Sixteen of the 151 patients followed for more than 5 years (10.6%) died, and seven died before the fifth year of follow-up (23 deaths in total). Survival at 5, 10, and 15 years after the first cytopenia was 97%, 92%, and 84%, respectively (Fig. 1D). Deaths occurred regularly throughout the follow-up period, at a median age of 18.0 (1.7-31.5) years. The most frequent cause of death was infections (n = 12, 52%). Four patients (18%) died of hemorrhage, all were less than 13 years old. The numbers of second-line treatments (HR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.1-1.6; p = 0.004) and severe or recurrent infections (HR, 3.4; 95% CI, 1.2-9.7; p = 0.02) were independently associated with mortality after 5 years of follow-up.
Overall, 20-year-old compared to 10-year-old patients more frequently showed a sustained complete response for AIHA (72% vs. 30%) and ITP (50% vs. 26%), but more frequently had cIMs (74% vs. 37%), bIMs (75% vs. 39%), and ongoing second-line treatments (88% vs. 47%; p < 0.001 for all comparisons).
Conclusions
Long-term outcomes of pES were associated to IMs and second-line treatment burden, not active cytopenia. The significant mortality rates, mostly among adolescents and young adults, were linked to drug-induced and/or constitutive immunodeficiencies. Few cases were associated with SLE or ALPS, which is consistent with a heterogeneous genetic background. These results highlight the importance of multidisciplinary care during the transition from childhood to adulthood.
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No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
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