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Objectives To study E2F3a expression and its clinical significance in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia ( ALL). Methods We quantified E2F3a expression at diagnosis in 148 children with ALL by real-time PCR. In the test cohort ( n = 48), receiver operating characteristic ( ROC) curve was used to find the best cut-off point to divide the patients into E2F3a low- and high-expression groups. The prognostic significance of E2F3a expression was investigated in the test cohort and confirmed in the validation cohort ( n = 100). The correlations of E2F3a expression with the clinical features and treatment outcome of these patients were analyzed. Results ROC curve analysis indicated that the best cut-off point of E2F3a expression was 0.3780. In the test cohort, leukemia-free survival ( LFS) and event-free survival ( EFS) of the low-expression group were lower than those of the high-expression group (log rank: P = 0.026 for both). This finding was verified in the validation cohort. LFS, EFS, and overall survival were also lower in the low-expression group than in the high-expression group (log rank, P = 0.015, 0.008, and 0.002 respectively). E2F3a low expression was correlated with the existence of BCR- ABL fusion. An algorithm composed of E2F3a expression and minimal residual disease ( MRD) could predict relapse or induction failure more precisely than current risk stratification. These results were still significant in the ALL patients without BCR- ABL fusion. Conclusions Low expression of E2F3a was associated with inferior prognosis in childhood ALL. An algorithm composed of E2F3a expression and MRD could predict relapse or induction failure more precisely than that of the current risk stratification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: To identify possible prognostic factors in children with head and neck rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS). Methods: A total of 98 patients with head and neck RMS were enrolled in this retrospective study from February 2005 to September 2017. Prognostic factors were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analysis using Cox's proportional hazards model. Survival curves were calculated by Kaplan–Meier method. Results: At the study closing date, there were 60 patients alive, 37 patients died, one patient was lost to follow‐up, and 47 patients relapsed. The median disease‐specific survival was 60.00 ± 25.36 months, and the overall survival (OS) rate was 61.9%. Complete remission was associated with a longer disease‐specific survival (86.6%) compared with partial remission (6.7%). In addition, patients with age >3 years had better OS rate (69.0%) compared with age ≤3 years (42.3%). Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that chemotherapy efficacy and age were prognostic factors of disease‐specific survival. Conclusions: Improvement in outcome was obtained with comprehensive treatment for head and neck RMS. Both chemotherapy efficacy and age of patients were prognostic factors for children with head and neck RMS, which provide some valuable information for further treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]