Clinical trials in Wilms tumor (WT) have resulted in overall survival rates of greater than 90%. This achievement is especially remarkable because improvements in disease-specific survival have ...occurred concurrently with a reduction of therapy for large patient subgroups. However, the outcomes for certain patient subgroups, including those with unfavorable histologic and molecular features, bilateral disease, and recurrent disease, remain well below the benchmark survival rate of 90%. Therapy for WT has been advanced in part by an increasingly complex risk-stratification system based on patient age; tumor stage, histology, and volume; response to chemotherapy; and loss of heterozygosity at chromosomes 1p and 16q. A consequence of this system has been the apportionment of patients into such small subgroups that only collaboration between large international WT study groups will support clinical trials that are sufficiently powered to answer challenging questions that move the field forward. This article gives an overview of the Children's Oncology Group and International Society of Pediatric Oncology approaches to WT and focuses on four subgroups (stage IV, initially inoperable, bilateral, and relapsed WT) for which international collaboration is pressing. In addition, biologic insights resulting from collaborative laboratory research are discussed. A coordinated expansion of international collaboration in both clinical trials and laboratory science will provide real opportunity to improve the treatment and outcomes for children with renal tumors on a global level.
Sideroblastic anemias are acquired or inherited anemias that result in a decreased ability to synthesize hemoglobin in red blood cells and result in the presence of iron deposits in the mitochondria ...of red blood cell precursors. A common subtype of congenital sideroblastic anemia is due to autosomal recessive mutations in the SLC25A38 gene. The current treatment for SLC25A38 congenital sideroblastic anemia is chronic blood transfusion coupled with iron chelation. The function of SLC25A38 is not known. Here we report that the SLC25A38 protein, and its yeast homolog Hem25, are mitochondrial glycine transporters required for the initiation of heme synthesis. To do so, we took advantage of the fact that mitochondrial glycine has several roles beyond the synthesis of heme, including the synthesis of folate derivatives through the glycine cleavage system. The data were consistent with Hem25 not being the sole mitochondrial glycine importer, and we identify a second SLC25 family member Ymc1, as a potential secondary mitochondrial glycine importer. Based on these findings, we observed that high levels of exogenous glycine, or 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-Ala) a metabolite downstream of Hem25 in heme biosynthetic pathway, were able to restore heme levels to normal in yeast cells lacking Hem25 function. While neither glycine nor 5-Ala could ameliorate SLC25A38 congenital sideroblastic anemia in a zebrafish model, we determined that the addition of folate with glycine was able to restore hemoglobin levels. This difference is likely due to the fact that yeast can synthesize folate, whereas in zebrafish folate is an essential vitamin that must be obtained exogenously. Given the tolerability of glycine and folate in humans, this study points to a potential novel treatment for SLC25A38 congenital sideroblastic anemia.
AREN0321 evaluated the activity of vincristine and irinotecan (VI) in patients with newly diagnosed diffuse anaplastic Wilms tumor (DAWT) and whether a regimen containing carboplatin (regimen UH1) in ...addition to regimen I agents used in the National Wilms Tumor Study 5 (NWTS-5; vincristine, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, and etoposide plus radiotherapy) would improve patient outcomes.
Patients with stage II to IV DAWT without measurable disease received regimen UH1. Patients with stage IV measurable disease were eligible to receive VI (vincristine, 1.5 mg/m
per day intravenously on days 1 and 8; irinotecan, 20 mg/m
per day intravenously on days 1-5 and 8-12 of a 21-day cycle) in an upfront window; those with complete (CR) or partial response (PR) had VI incorporated into regimen UH1 (regimen UH2). The study was designed to detect improvement in outcomes of patients with stage II to IV DAWT compared with historical controls treated with regimen I.
Sixty-six eligible patients were enrolled. Of 14 patients with stage IV measurable disease who received VI, 11 (79%) achieved CR (n = 1) or PR (n = 10) after 2 cycles. Doses of doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, and etoposide were reduced midstudy because of nonhematologic toxicity. Four patients (6%) died as a result of toxicity. Four-year event-free survival, relapse-free survival, and overall survival rates were 67.7% (95% CI, 55.9% to 79.4%), 72.9% (95% CI, 61.5% to 84.4%), and 73.7% (95% CI, 62.7% to 84.8%), respectively, compared with 57.5% (95% CI, 47.6% to 67.4%;
= .26), 57.5% (95% CI, 47.6% to 67.4%;
= .048), and 59.2% (95% CI, 49.4% to 69.0%;
= .08), respectively, in NWTS-5.
VI produced a high response rate in patients with metastatic DAWT. AREN0321 treatment seemed to improve outcomes for patients with stage II to IV DAWT compared with NWTS-5, but with increased toxicity. The UH2 regimen warrants further investigation with modifications to reduce toxicity.
Background The National Wilms Tumor Study (NWTS) approach to treating stage III favorable-histology Wilms tumor (FHWT) is Regimen DD4A (vincristine, dactinomycin, and doxorubicin) and radiation ...therapy. Further risk stratification is required to improve outcomes and reduce late effects. We evaluated clinical and biologic variables for patients with stage III FHWT without combined loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at chromosomes 1p and 16q treated in the Children's Oncology Group protocol AREN0532. Methods From October 2006 to August 2013, 588 prospectively treated, centrally reviewed patients with stage III FHWT were treated with Regimen DD4A and radiation therapy. Tumor LOH at 1p and 16q was determined by microsatellite analysis. Ineligible patients (n = 5) and those with combined LOH 1p/16q (n = 40) were excluded. Results A total of 535 patients with stage III disease were studied. Median follow-up was 5.2 years (range, 0.2 to 9.5). Four-year event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival estimates were 88% (95% CI, 85% to 91%) and 97% (95% CI, 95% to 99%), respectively. A total of 58 of 66 relapses occurred in the first 2 years, predominantly pulmonary (n = 36). Eighteen patients died, 14 secondary to disease. A better EFS was associated with negative lymph node status ( P < .01) and absence of LOH 1p or 16q ( P < .01), but not with gross residual disease or peritoneal implants. In contrast, the 4-year EFS was only 74% in patients with combined positive lymph node status and LOH 1p or 16q. A total of 123 patients (23%) had delayed nephrectomy. Submitted delayed nephrectomy histology showed anaplasia (n = 8; excluded from survival analysis); low risk/completely necrotic (n = 7; zero relapses), intermediate risk (n = 63; six relapses), and high-risk/blastemal type (n=7; five relapses). Conclusion Most patients with stage III FHWT had good EFS/overall survival with DD4A and radiation therapy. Combined lymph node and LOH status was highly predictive of EFS and should be considered as a potential prognostic marker for future trials.
The utility of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) analyses has not been established in the risk stratification of Wilms tumor (WT). We evaluated the detection of ctDNA and selected risk markers in the ...serum and urine of patients with WT and compared findings with those of matched diagnostic tumor samples.
Fifty of 395 children with stage III or IV WT enrolled on Children's Oncology Group trial AREN0533 had banked pretreatment serum, urine, and tumor available. Next-generation sequencing was used to detect ctDNA. Copy-number changes in 1q, 16q, and 1p, and single-nucleotide variants in serum and urine were compared with tumor biopsy data. Event-free survival (EFS) was compared between patients with and without ctDNA detection.
ctDNA was detected in the serum of 41/50 (82%) and in the urine in 13/50 (26%) patients. Agreement between serum ctDNA detection and tumor sequencing results was as follows: 77% for 1q gain, 88% for 16q deletions, and 70% for 1p deletions, with ĸ-coefficients of 0.56, 0.74, and 0.29, respectively. Sequencing also demonstrated that single-nucleotide variants detected in tumors could be identified in the ctDNA. There was a trend toward worse EFS in patients with ctDNA detected in the serum (4-year EFS 80%
100%,
= .14).
ctDNA demonstrates promise as an easily accessible prognostic biomarker with potential to detect tumor heterogeneity. The observed trend toward more favorable outcome in patients with undetectable ctDNA requires validation. ctDNA profiling should be further explored as a noninvasive diagnostic and prognostic tool in the risk-adapted treatment of patients with WT.
Essential medicines for childhood cancer in Europe Unguru, Yoram; Bernhardt, Melanie Brooke; Berg, Stacey L ...
The lancet oncology,
February 2023, 2023-02-00, 20230201, Letnik:
24, Številka:
2
Journal Article
Recenzirano
...our selection process was similar to that used by Otth and colleagues, which selected medicines used in treatment protocols, medicines included in the WHO EMLc 2017, and evidence review for ...medicines not included in the WHO EMLc. ...the methodology for creating an essential medicines list for children is less challenging than ensuring access to essential medicines. ...paediatric cancer is multinational; therefore, developing an essential medicines list for children specific to a particular region fails to acknowledge evidence-based protocols used across jurisdictions and gives inadequate weight to evidence developed in other sites.
In National Wilms Tumor Study 5 (NWTS-5), tumor-specific combined loss of heterozygosity of chromosomes 1p and 16q (LOH1p/16q) was associated with adverse outcomes in patients with favorable ...histology Wilms tumor. The AREN0533/AREN0532 studies assessed whether augmenting therapy improved event-free survival (EFS) for these patients. Patients with stage I/II disease received regimen DD4A (vincristine, dactinomycin and doxorubicin) but no radiation therapy. Patients with stage III/IV disease received regimen M (vincristine, dactinomycin, and doxorubicin alternating with cyclophosphamide and etoposide) and radiation therapy.
Patients were enrolled through the AREN03B2 Biology study between October 2006 and October 2013; all underwent central review of pathology, surgical reports, and imaging. Tumors were evaluated for LOH1p/16q by microsatellite testing. EFS and overall survival were compared using the log-rank test between NWTS-5 and current studies.
LOH1p/16q was detected in 49 of 1,147 evaluable patients with stage I/II disease (4.27%) enrolled in AREN03B2; 32 enrolled in AREN0532. LOH1p/16q was detected in 82 of 1,364 evaluable patients with stage III/IV disease (6.01%) in AREN03B2; 51 enrolled in AREN0533. Median follow-up for 83 eligible patients enrolled in AREN0532/0533 was 5.73 years (range, 2.84 to 9.63 years). The 4-year EFS for patients with stage I/II and stage III/IV disease with LOH1p/16 was 87.3% (95% CI, 75.1% to 99.5%) and 90.2% (95% CI, 81.8% to 98.6%), respectively. These results are improved compared with the NWTS-5 updated 4-year EFS of 68.8% for patients with stage I/II disease (
= .042), and 61.3% for patients with stage III/IV disease (
= .001), with trends toward improved 4-year overall survival. The most common grade 3 or higher nonhematologic toxicities with regimen M were febrile neutropenia (39.2%) and infections (21.6%).
Augmentation of therapy improved EFS for patients with favorable histology Wilms tumor and LOH1p/16q compared with the historical NWTS-5 comparison group, with an expected toxicity profile.
Distinguishing nephrogenic rests from small Wilms tumors can be challenging. This retrospective study was performed to determine if imaging characteristics can be used to distinguish nephrogenic ...rests from Wilms tumors.
All cases of pathologically confirmed nephrogenic rests and Wilms tumors smaller than 5 cm in maximum dimension on imaging in patients younger than 5 years old were identified from the Children's Oncology Group AREN03B2 study (July 2006-August 2016). Exclusion criteria were chemotherapy before pathologic evaluation or more than 30 days between imaging and surgery; in addition, patients with nephrogenic rests occurring within or juxtaposed to a Wilms tumor and patients with diffuse hyperplastic perilobar nephroblastomatosis were excluded. Two radiologists who were blinded to pathology results assessed all lesions. The two-sample
test was used for continuous variables, and the Fisher exact test was used for categoric variables. ROC analysis was performed to determine the optimal size cutoff for distinguishing between nephrogenic rests and Wilms tumors.
Thirty-one pathologically confirmed rests (20 perilobar, 11 intralobar) and 26 Wilms tumors smaller than 5 cm met the eligibility criteria for study inclusion. The median diameter of the nephrogenic rests was 1.3 cm (range, 0.7-3.4 cm) and the median diameter of the Wilms tumor was 3.2 cm (range, 1.8-4.9 cm) (
< 0.001). Imaging findings supportive of Wilms tumors were spherical (
< 0.001) and exophytic (
< 0.001) lesions. Perilobar rests (17/20) were more likely to be homogeneous than intralobar rests (3/11) or Wilms tumor (3/26) (
< 0.001). ROC analysis showed that the optimal size cutoff for distinguishing between nephrogenic rests and Wilms tumors was 1.75 cm.
In children younger than 5 years old, the diagnosis of a Wilms tumor should be favored over a nephrogenic rest when a renal mass is spherical, exophytic, or larger than 1.75 cm. Homogeneity favors the diagnosis of perilobar nephrogenic rests, whereas intralobar rests and Wilms tumors are more likely to be inhomogeneous.