Search

Ewing's Sarcoma (EWS) has been reported in seven children with Down Syndrome (DS). To date, a detailed assessment of this solid tumor in DS patients is still missing. Here, we characterized a chemo-resistant mediastinal EWS in a 2-year-old DS child, the youngest ever reported case, by exploiting sequencing approaches. The tumor showed a neuroectodermal development driven by the EWSR1-FLI1 fusion. The inherited myeloperoxidase deficiency of the patient caused failure of neutrophil-mediated cell death and promoted genomic instability. In this context, the tumor underwent nearly genome-wide haploidization resulting in a massive overexpression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Recruitment of defective neutrophils fostered the fast evolution of this EWS.

Introduction Advances in the treatment of osteosarcoma (OS) came in the mid-1970s, when adding chemotherapy to surgery significantly improved patient survival. OS outcomes have since plateaued, however, despite exhaustive clinical investigations. Area covered This review focuses on the most significant recent results of trials (in phases II and III) on localized and metastatic/relapsing OS and offers an overview of new targeted drugs. Expert opinion Recent findings confirm the MAP (methotrexate, doxorubicin and cisplatin) regimen as the gold standard for OS patients, also in metastatic cases, and the inefficacy of augmenting or modifying chemotherapy in poor responder patients. Immunotherapy and several tyrosine kinase inhibitors seem to be effective and promising in the treatment of OS. Optimizing the use of active drugs available by personalizing chemotherapies might prove important in the future. We urgently need bench-to-bedside research on OS. This will need to involve the extensive sequencing and immunoprofiling of all resected tumor tissue to find new therapeutic agents, especially for relapsing/metastatic patients. The low incidence of OS, its genomic complexity, and differences within and between tumors combine to complicate efforts to elucidate the biology of this disease. This means that we need to pool the resources of different groups studying OS and support translational research.

Simple Summary The prognosis of patients with primary disseminated multifocal Ewing sarcoma (PDMES) remains dismal. Previously, a combination of temozolomide and irinotecan (TEMIRI) was tested in patients with refractory or relapsed disease. The aim of our study was to evaluate the activity and tolerability of TEMIRI (two courses) as a front-line treatment in PDMES. With thirty-four patients enrolled, the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST), after TEMIRI, was acceptable with a manageable toxicity and a high percentage of patients showing an amelioration in their Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG)/Lansky scores. TEMIRI in front-line therapy showed encouraging activity and deserves further evaluation combined with conventional treatments in non-metastatic patients; meanwhile, new treatment strategies for PDMES are urgently needed. Abstract Purpose: The main objective was to evaluate the activity and tolerability of TEMIRI as a front-line treatment in primary disseminated Ewing sarcoma (PDMES) using the RECIST 1.1 criteria. The secondary objectives included the assessment of toxicity and the performance status/symptom changes. Methods: Between 2012 and 2018, patients with PDMES received two courses of temozolomide 100 mg/sqm/day + irinotecan 50 mg/sqm/day for 5 days every 3 weeks as an amendment to the Italian Sarcoma Group/Associazione Italiana EmatoIogia ed Oncologia Pediatrica (ISG/AIEOP) EW-2 protocol (EUDRACT#2009-012353-37, Vers. 1.02). Results: Thirty-four patients were enrolled. The median age at diagnosis was 19 years (range 3–55). After TEMIRI, the RECIST response was as follows: a partial response in 20 (59%) patients, stable disease in 11 (32%), and disease progression in 3 (9%). The ECOG/Lansky score was improved in 25/34 (73.5%) cases, and a reduction or disappearance of pain was observed in 31/34 patients (91%). The incidence of grade 3–4 toxicity was 3%. The 3-year event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) were 21% (95% CI 6–35%) and 36% (95% CI: 18–54%), respectively. Conclusion: the smooth handling and encouraging activity demonstrated by up-front TEMIRI did not change the EFS in PDMES, so this result suggests the need for the further evaluation of the efficacy of TEMIRI in combination with conventional treatments in non-metastatic patients.

Purpose: To analyze toxicity and outcome predictors in Ewing sarcoma patients with lung metastases treated with busulfan and melphalan (BU-MEL) followed by whole-lung irradiation (WLI). Methods: This retrospective study included 68 lung metastatic Ewing Sarcoma patients who underwent WLI after BU-MEL with autologous stem cell transplantation, as part of two prospective and consecutive treatment protocols. WLI 12 Gy for &lt, 14 years old and 15 Gy for ≥14 years old patients were applied at least eight weeks after BU-MEL. Toxicity, overall survival (OS), event-free survival (EFS) and pulmonary relapse-free survival (PRFS) were estimated and analyzed. Results: After WLI, grade 1–2 and grade 3 clinical toxicity was reported in 16.2% and 5.9% patients, respectively. The five-year OS, EFS and PRFS with 95% confidence interval (CI) were 69.8% (57.1–79.3), 61.2% (48.4–71.7) and 70.5% (56.3–80.8), respectively. Patients with good histological necrosis of the primary tumor after neoadjuvant chemotherapy showed a significant decreased risk of pulmonary relapse or death compared to patients with poor histological necrosis. Conclusions: WLI at recommended doses and time interval after BU-MEL is feasible and might contribute to the disease control in Ewing sarcoma with lung metastases and responsive disease. Further studies are needed to explore the treatment stratification based on the histological response of the primary tumor.

11520 Background: Currently, there is no accepted standard chemotherapy regimen for recurrent osteosarcoma. We performed a retrospective study to evaluate the effectiveness, toxicity and clinical benefit of second line therapy with Gemcitabine (G) in combination with Docetaxel (D), in patients with relapsed high-grade osteosarcoma who have been previously treated with High-dose Ifosfamide (HD-IFO) during first-line treatment (ClinicalTrials ID: NCT04651179). Methods: Patients were eligible to the analysis according to the following criteria: episode of first relapse of osteosarcoma, previous first line treatment according to poor responders’ arm of ISG-AIEOP OS 2 Protocol based on methotrexate, cisplatin, doxorubicin and HD-IFO (3gr/m2/day, day 1-5) ± Mifamurtide, presence of measurable disease according to RECIST 1.1, treatment with at least two cycles of Gemcitabine 900 mg/m2/day, days 1 and 8 and Docetaxel 75 mg/m2 day 8 every 21 days. Primary objective: overall survival (OS) at 12 months; secondary objectives: overall response rate (ORR) (complete response + partial response), progression-free survival (PFS) at 6-12 months, toxicity and quality of life. Results: 14 patients were included in the analysis. All patients were previously treated according to poor responders’ arm of ISG-AIEOP OS 2 Protocol, 7/14 (50%) of them received Mifamurtide. Most of patients (12/14, 86%) received 4 GD cycles and the total number of cycles administered was 60. Median OS was 20 months (range 11-69); OS at 12 and 24 months was 84% (95% CI 65-100) and 51% (95% CI 22-79), respectively; ORR were 35,7% after six cycles. Median PFS was 12 months (range 2-69); 6-months and 12-months PFS were 86% (95% CI 67-100) and 56% (30-83) respectively. For 8/14 (57%) patients a surgical approach was feasible after 2 and 6 GD cycles. Previous use of Mifamurtide correlate with a better 6-months PFS rate (100% vs 57%, P = 0.0011). Also, amelioration of ECOG/Lansky score showed a positive correlation with both PFS (P = 0.01) and OS (P = 0.04). No extra-hematological toxicities grade ≥3 was observed according to CTCAE v4.03 criteria. Conclusions: This trial confirms that GD combination has an anti-tumor activity for relapsed high-grade osteosarcoma with a well-tolerated toxicity profile. Furthermore, GD guarantee a surgical tumor remotion for patients with a chemo-resistant disease such as patients previously treated with a poor responders’ arm improving their OS and PFS rate. Promising results for patients previously treated with Mifamurtide need to be confirmed in future trials. Clinical trial information: NCT04651179.

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a rare bone malignant tumour with a poor prognosis in the case of recurrence. So far, there is no agreement on the best systemic therapy for relapsed OS. The availability of next generation sequencing techniques has recently revolutionized clinical research. The sequencing of the tumour and its matched normal counterpart has the potential to reveal a wide landscape of genetic alterations with significant implications for clinical practice. The knowledge that the genomic profile of a patient’s tumour can be precisely mapped and matched to a targeted therapy in real time has improved the development of precision medicine trials (PMTs). PMTs aiming at determining the effectiveness of targeted therapies could be advantageous for patients with a tumour refractory to standard therapies. Development of PMTs for relapsed OS is largely encouraging and is in its initial phase. Assessing OS features, such as its rarity, its age distribution, the technical issues related to the bone tissue origin, and its complex genomic landscape, represents a real challenge for PMTs development. In this light, a multidisciplinary approach is required to fully exploit the potential of precision medicine for OS patients.

Primitive myxoid mesenchymal tumor of infancy is a rare soft tissue tumor. The present case is one of the most invasive primitive myxoid mesenchymal tumor of infancy reported to date. To our knowledge, it is the first case described with extensive involvement of pelvis and the third described developing metastasis and with an invasion of the spinal canal without evidence of transformation into undifferentiated sarcoma. The patient failed to respond to chemotherapy (CHT). According to the few available data, CHT seems to be more effective in the presence of metastatic disease or increased cellularity. However, CHT, including high-dose ifosfamide, resulted ineffective even after lung metastasis development with pathologic evidence of increased mitotic rate. The management of this case and the data in the literature confirm surgery as the gold standard treatment in this pathology.

ObjectivesAnthracycline cardiotoxicity is an important side-effect in long-term childhood cancer survivors. We evaluated the incidence of and factors associated with anthracycline cardiotoxicity in a population of patients diagnosed with bone or soft tissue sarcoma.Materials and methodsWe retrospectively enrolled patients diagnosed with bone or soft tissue sarcoma, from 1995 to 2011, treated with anthracycline chemotherapy at our Centre and with a follow-up echocardiography carried out ⩾3 years from cardiotoxic therapy completion. Cardiac toxicity was graded using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.0.ResultsA total of 82 patients were eligible. The median age at treatment was 11.9 years (1.44–18). We evaluated the median cumulative anthracycline dose, age at treatment, sex, thoracic radiotherapy, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and high-dose cyclophosphamide treatment as possible risk factors for cardiotoxicity. The median cumulative anthracycline dose was 390.75 mg/m2(80–580). Of the 82 patients, 12 (14.6%) developed cardiotoxicity with grade ⩾2 ejection fraction decline: four patients were asymptomatic and did not receive any treatment; six patients were treated with pharmacological heart failure therapy; one patient with severe cardiomyopathy underwent heart transplantation and did not need any further treatment; and one patient died while waiting for heart transplantation. The median time at cardiac toxicity, from the end of anthracycline frontline chemotherapy, was 4.2 years (0.05–9.6). Cumulative anthracycline dose ⩾300 mg/m2(p 0.04) was the only risk factor for cardiotoxicity on statistical analyses.ConclusionsIn our population, the cumulative incidence of cardiotoxicity is comparable to rates in the literature. This underlines the need for primary prevention and lifelong cardiac toxicity surveillance programmes in long-term childhood cancer survivors.

Over the last decade, next-generation sequencing technologies have improved our ability to assess biological aspects, at genomic and transcriptomic levels, on a large scale- and have been increasingly used for the management of adult cancers. However, their efficacy and feasibility within pediatrics is still under investigation. "Omic" approaches represent an opportunity to understand the oncogenic mechanisms driving the onset and progression of bone sarcoma and improve the clinical management of young patients with bone sarcomas. This review focuses on the current genomic and transcriptomic characteristics of managing pediatric patients, affected by Ewing sarcoma and osteosarcoma.

11501 Background: The role of dose intensification of chemotherapy in Ewing sarcoma (ES) is under evaluation in prospective trials. This is a controlled, randomized phase III study evaluating the impact on event-free survival (EFS) of two arms at different intensity of induction therapy in localized ES at onset. Methods: Newly diagnosed localized ES patients aged 2-40 were eligible. They were randomized to receive 4-courses induction therapy - 1 every 21 days - either with a standard arm (arm A) as per ISG/SSGIII protocol (Ferrari S, et at, Ann Oncol. 2011;22(5):1221) or with an intense arm B, consisting of vincristine 1,5mg/sqm+ doxorubicin 80mg/sqm+ifosfamide 9g/sqm for each course. After induction, patients underwent surgery and/or radiotherapy,followed by an adaptive treatment. Good responders received standard courses chemotherapy: arm A pts received 9 courses, while arm B pts received 5 courses. Poor responders in both arms received 4 courses followed by high-dose busulfan/melphalan+autologous stem cell rescue. The primary outcome measure was EFS for the 2 arms in the intention-to-treat population. Kaplan-Meier curves compared with log-rank test and Cox model were performed to assess differences between study arms. A secondary outcome was toxicity differences, assessed by means of the Fisher’s exact test. Initial sample size was 230 pts, type I error rate 5%, power 80%. Results: Between 2009 and 2019, 234 patients were randomized (arm A-115; arm B-119). M:F ratio was 1.8; median age 14 years (range 2-40); tumour site extremity in 55%, axial/pelvis in 45%; tumour volume < 200ml in 31% and ≥200ml in 69%. A good response was obtained in 56% in arm A and 60% in arm B. Median follow-up was 68 months. EFS was not significantly different between arms; HR: 0.85; 95% CI: 0,51-1,41, 5-year EFS (95% CI) was 73% (64-82%) in arm A and 75% (67-83%) in arm B ( p = 0.526). Good responders in arm A and in arm B and poor responders in arm B had comparable results: 5-year EFS (95% CI) was 80% (71-91%), 77% (67-88%), and 72% (59-86%), respectively, while poor responders in arm A showed a worse, not statistically significant (p = 0.164) performance (63%; 50-78%). Subgroup analyses showed similar outcome for age, tumour site and volume in both arms. Hematological, gastrointestinal, and cardiovascular grade ≥3 toxicities were more pronounced in arm B (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Intense induction therapy with arm B did not improve 5-year EFS when compared with the standard arm A. The higher toxicity observed in arm B than in arm A was counterbalanced, in good responders, by a similar outcome with a shorter treatment plan. For poor responders, with almost 30 patients per arm event-free and with < 48-month FUP, better 5-year EFS in arm B than in arm A was observed but needs further observation. Clinical trial information: NCT02063022.

11527 Background: Overexpression of ABCB1/P-glycoprotein (Pgp) predicts poor outcome in retrospective osteosarcoma series.Two prospective trials with Pgp expression and post-induction histologic response as stratification factors were activated in Italy (ISG/OS-2) and Spain (GEIS-33). Methods: Patients ≤ 40 years with extremity non-metastatic high-grade osteosarcoma were eligible. Analysisi of Pgp expression from diagnostic biopsy was centralized. Preoperatively, all patients received methotrexate, adriamycin, cisplatinum (MAP). Surgery was performed at week 8. All patients received a dose of adriamycin following surgery. In case of Pgp overexpression (Pgp+), mifamurtide (2 mg/m2 twice/week for 3 months then weekly for 6 months) was added after surgery, with 4 consecutive cycles of ifosfamide 3 gr/m2/day, day 1-5 (HDIFO) in case of poor histologic response (necrosis < 90%) to MAP. Patients without overexpression of Pgp (Pgp-) received MAP postoperatively, regardless the pathological response. From March 2013, an amendment increased high dose methotrexate cumulative dose from 60 g/m2 (5 cycles) to 120 mg/m2 (10 cycles). The post-amendment regimen was adopted in the observational prospective study by GEIS. Here we present the merged analysis of ISG/OS-2 patients treated post-amendment and GEIS-33. Results: From March 2013 to April 2018, 274 patients were included. Median age was 14 years (range 4-38), male/female: 163/111; 90 were Pgp-, 164 were Pgp+, 20 not evaluable. With a median follow-up of 48 months (1.3-78.5 months), the 3-year EFS and OS were 71.9% (95%CI 66-76.9) and 88% (95%CI: 83.2-91.5) respectively, with no inferior survival for Pgp positive patients and improved survival for good responders (Table). Conclusions: In this prospective uncontrolled study with a risk-adapted strategy for non-metastatic osteosarcoma, survival is superior to that of all ISG/GEIS previous series. The 3-year EFS of 71.9% compares favorably with other reports. Pgp+ patients performed well in this study, in which mifamurtide and HDIFO were added after a poor response to MAP. Clinical trial information: NCT01459484; NCT04383288. [Table: see text]

Purpose: Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary bone tumor. Despite complete surgical removal and intensive chemotherapeutic treatment, 30%-35% of patients with OS have local or systemic recurrence. Some patients survive multiple recurrences, but overall survival after OS recurrence is poor. This analysis aims to describe and identify factors influencing post-relapse survival (PRS) after a second OS relapse. Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of 60 patients with a second relapse of OS of the extremities in 2 Italian centers between 2003 and 2013. Results: Treatment for first and subsequent relapses was planned according to institutional guidelines. After complete surgical remission (CSR) following the first recurrence, patients experienced a second OS relapse with a median disease-free interval (DFI) of 6 months. Lung disease was prevalent: 44 patients (76%) had pulmonary metastases. Survival after the second relapse was 22% at 5 years. Lung disease only correlated with better survival at 5 years (33.6%) compared with other sites of recurrence (5%; p = 0.008). Patients with a single pulmonary lesion had a better 5-year second PRS (42%; p = 0.02). Patients who achieved a second CSR had a 5-year second PRS of 33.4%. Chemotherapy (pConclusions: This analysis confirms the importance of an aggressive, repeated surgical approach. Lung metastases only, the number of lesions, DFI and CSR influenced survival. It also confirms the importance of chemotherapy in patients in whom surgical treatment is not feasible.

Background: Data on temozolomide (TEM) and irinotecan (IRI) activity in recurrent Ewing sarcoma (EWS), especially in adult patients, are limited. Methods: Patients receiving TEM 100 mg/m2/day oral, and IRI 40 mg/m2/day intravenous, days 1–5, every 21 days, were included in this multi-institutional retrospective study. Disease control rate (DCR) [overall response rate (ORR) [complete response (CR) + partial response (PR)] + stable disease (SD)], 6-months progression-free survival (6-mos PFS) and 1-year overall survival (OS) were assessed. Results: The median age of the 51 patients was 21 years (range 3–65 years): 34 patients (66%) were adults (≥18 years of age), 24 (48%) had ECOG 1 and 35 (69%) were presented with multiple site recurrence. TEMIRI was used at first relapse/progression in 13 (25%) patients, while the remainder received TEMIRI for second or greater relapse/progression. Fourteen (27%) patients had received prior myeloablative therapy with busulfan and melphalan. We observed five (10%) CR, 12 (24%) PR and 19 (37%) SD, with a DCR of 71%. 6-mos PFS was 49% (95% CI 35–63) and it was significantly influenced by ECOG (6-mos PFS 64% [95% CI 45–83] for ECOG 0, 34% [95% CI 14–54] for ECOG ≥1; p =.006) and LDH (6-mos PFS 62% [95% CI 44–79] for normal LDH, 22% [95% CI 3–42] for high LDH; p =.02), with no difference according to line of treatment, age and metastatic pattern. One-year OS was 55% (95% CI 39–70), with RECIST response (p =.001) and ECOG (p =.0002) independently associated with outcome. Grade 3 and 4 toxicity included neutropenia in 12% of patients, thrombocytopenia in 4%, diarrhea in 4%. Conclusions: This series confirms the activity of TEMIRI in both adults and pediatric patients. This schedule offers a 71% DCR, independently of the line of chemotherapy. Predictive factors of response are ECOG and LDH.

Background: Few new compounds are available for relapsed osteosarcoma. We retrospectively evaluated the activity of gemcitabine (G) plus docetaxel (D) in patients with relapsed high-grade osteosarcoma and high-grade spindle cell sarcoma of bone (HGS). Methods: Patients receiving G 900 mg/m2 d 1, 8; D 75 mg/m2 d 8, every 21 days were eligible. Primary end-point: progression-free survival (PFS) at 4 months; secondary end-point: overall survival (OS) and response rate. Results: Fifty-one patients were included, with a median age of 17 years (8-71), 26 (51 %) were pediatric patients. GD line of treatment: 2nd in 14 patients, ≥3rd in 37. 25 (49 %) patients had metastases limited to lungs, 26 (51 %) multiple sites. Histology: 40 (78 %) osteosarcoma, 11 (22 %) HGS. Eight (16 %) patients achieved surgical complete response (sCR2) after GD. Four-month PFS rate was 46 %, and significantly better for patients with ECOG 0 (ECOG 0: 54 % vs ECOG 1: 43 % vs ECOG 2: 0 %; p = 0.003), for patients undergoing metastasectomy after GD (sCR2 75 % vs no-sCR2 40 %, p = 0.02) and for osteosarcoma (osteosarcoma 56 % vs HGS 18 %; p = 0.05), with no differences according to age, line of treatment, and pattern of metastases. Forty-six cases had RECIST measurable disease: 6 (13 %) patients had a partial response (PR), 20 (43 %) had stable disease (SD) and 20 (43 %) had progressive disease (PD). The 1-year OS was 30 %: 67 % for PR, 54 % for SD and 20 % for PD (p = 0.005). Conclusions: GD is an active treatment for relapsed high-grade osteosarcoma, especially for ECOG 0 patients, and should be included in the therapeutic armamentarium of metastatic osteosarcoma.

Purpose: After standard multimodal therapy, the prognosis of relapsed and unresectable high-grade osteosarcoma is dismal and unchanged over the last decades. Recently, mitogen-activated protein kinases were shown to be activated in osteosarcoma specimens, suggesting, therefore, they are suitable targets for the multikinase inhibitor sorafenib. Thus, we explored sorafenib activity in patients with relapsed and unresectable osteosarcoma. Experimental design: Patients >14 years, progressing after standard treatment, were eligible to receive 400 mg of sorafenib twice daily until progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS) at 4 months. Secondary objectives were PFS, overall survival (OS), clinical benefit rate (CBR), defined as no progression at 6 months and safety. This nonrandomized phase II study used a Simon two-stage design. PFS and OS at 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method. All tests were two sided. Results: Thirty-five patients were enrolled. PFS at 4 months was 46% (95% CI 28% to 63%). Median PFS and OS were 4 (95% CI 2-5) and 7 (95% CI 7-8) months, respectively. The CBR was 29% (95% CI 13% to 44%). We observed 3 (8%) partial responses (PRs), 2 (6%) minor responses (

In pediatric oncology, positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) is emerging as an essential diagnostic tool in characterizing suspicious neoplastic lesions and staging malignant diseases. Most studies regarding the possible role of FDG-PET/CT in the management of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients are limited to adults. Here we report a pediatric patient with recurrent ALL, in which FDG-PET/CT was used both to define more precisely the cause of lymphadenopathy and to assess the effect of the second-line therapy.

s / Digestive and Liver Disease 46 (2014) e85–e127 e101 TREATING ANDMONITORING VIRAL HEPATITIS B INFECTION IN PAEDIATRIC PATIENTS RECEIVING IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE THERAPIES OR WITH THE PROSPECTIVE OF HAEMATOPOIETIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION Sara Tardito1,∗, Michele Pinon1, Sebastian Dorin Asaftei2, Francesca Carraro2, Mareva Giacchino2, Franca Fagioli 2, Alfredo Marzano3, Pier Luigi Calvo1 1 Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Regina Margherita Children’s Hospital, Azienda Ospedaliera Citta della Salute e della Scienza, University of Turin, Turin, Italy 2 Paediatric Onco-Haematology, Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Division, Regina Margherita Children’s Hospital, Azienda Ospedaliera Citta della Salute e della Scienza, University of Turin, Turin, Italy 3 Gastro-Hepatology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Citta della Salute e della Scienza, University of Turin

10533^ Background: After standard therapy OST relapse is an ominous event almost uniformly fatal in non resectable cases. Our group explored the activity of the multikinase inhibitor S demonstratin...