Search

Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumour in children, accounting for 15% of all paediatric cancer deaths. High-risk neuroblastoma is a particularly challenging-to-treat form of disease that requires multimodality treatment, consisting of chemotherapy, surgery, high-dose chemotherapy with autologous haematopoietic stem cell rescue, radiotherapy and differentiation therapy. However, despite intense multimodal treatment regimens, the prognosis for this patient population remains poor. In recent years, immunotherapy with anti-disialoganglioside 2 (anti-GD2) antibodies was found to improve survival rates for patients with high-risk neuroblastoma. Based on studies led by the SIOPEN (International Society of Paediatric Oncology European Neuroblastoma) group, the anti-GD2 antibody dinutuximab beta was approved for use in high-risk neuroblastoma by the European Medicines Agency and has been implemented into the standard of care in many countries across Europe. However, immunotherapy with dinutuximab beta is associated with a number of adverse events that may be challenging for clinicians, such as pain, fever, hypersensitivity reactions and capillary leak syndrome. While these adverse events are considered manageable, there are currently no formal guidelines to support clinicians with their management. The aim of this article is to discuss the management of the most common adverse events encountered in clinical practice and to provide practical guidance to assist clinicians in minimising toxicity associated with dinutuximab beta.

PROCEDURE The survival of children with rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) has gradually improved as a result of the adoption of multidisciplinary treatments. Dedicated skills and facilities are indispensable and more readily available at reference centers. In this study, we examined the role of centers' experience (based on the number of patients treated) in their management of patients with RMS. METHODS We analyzed 342 patients with localized RMS enrolled in the European RMS 2005 protocol from October 2005 to December 2016 at 31 Italian centers that are part of the Soft Tissue Sarcoma Committee (STSC). We grouped the centers by the number of patients each one enrolled (Group 1: >40; Group 2: 10; and Group 3

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.

Extraosseous Ewing sarcoma of primary cardiac origin is an extremely rare variety among pediatric cardiac neoplasms. We report a case of extraosseous Ewing sarcoma of primary cardiac origin in a 9-year-old girl, treated with debulking surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, and radiotherapy.

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.

Introduction: Rhabdomyosarcoma is a soft tissue malignant musculoskeletal tumor frequent in children. Biliary duct localization is extremely rare, but it is the most common cause of malignant obstructive jaundice in pediatric patients. Methods: This report describes a series of 10 patients under 18 years of age with biliary tract rhabdomyosarcoma who were enrolled, from 1979 to 2004, in 3 consecutive Italian pediatric cooperative protocols that had been drawn up by the Soft Tissue Sarcoma Committee of the Associazione Italiana Ematologia Oncologia Pediatrica (AIEOP). Results: Considering initial and delayed surgery, tumor resection was achieved in 7 cases, 3 complete with free margins (2 liver transplants) and 4 with microscopic residual disease. Chemotherapy was given to all patients and radiotherapy to 3. At present, 5 patients survive in complete remission 90-200 months after diagnosis while 4 died of disease progression or relapse and 1 of liver transplant-related complications. Conclusions: Better outcomes in this series were associated with the feasibility of conservative surgery due to the favorable location of the tumor, in particular in the common bile duct. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy might obviate the need for demolitive surgery or liver transplant, which were linked to worse outcomes in our series.

We analyzed the outcome of 167 consecutive children with second CR acute lymphoblastic leukemia ( ALL), for whom an unrelated donor (UD) search was activated between 1989 and 1998 at a median time of 2 months after relapse. A suitable donor was identified for 70 patients at 1 year and 6.5 months before and after 1995 from search activation, respectively; a further leukemia relapse occurred during the search in 94 children at a median of 4 months after search activation, 36 of whom underwent UD ( 14) or other types of transplant ( 22), beyond second CR, while 58 died of progressive disease. Of 73 patients not experiencing a second relapse, 64 underwent UD ( 46) or other types of transplant ( 18), while nine proceeded with chemotherapy, and only four of them survived. The 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) from second CR for the 167 patients is 15.1%, whereas 3-year DFS after transplant for the 60 UD and 40 alternative donor transplanted children is 31.6 and 25.4%, respectively. In conclusion, a further relapse is the main factor adversely affecting outcome of children with second CR ALL. Thus, for these patients, the search should be activated early after relapse and either a UD or an alternative transplant should be performed as early as possible.

Objective: To describe and evaluate the incidence and risk factors of severe neurologic events (SNE) in pediatric recipients of allogeneic or autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for hematologic or nonhematologic diseases. Methods: Retrospective analysis of 272 consecutive children admitted to the G. Gaslini Children’s Research Institute and given HSCT (70 from unrelated donors, 115 from related donors, and 87 autologous) between June 1985 and January 2001. Results: Thirty-seven children (13.6%) developed SNE after a median of 90 days (range, 5 days to 8.8 years) after HSCT. Cyclosporine A (CSA) neurotoxicity was the most frequent SNE (n = 21), followed by irradiation or chemotherapy injury (n = 7), CNS infections (n = 7), cerebrovascular events (n = 3), and immune-mediated etiology SNE (n = 2). Eleven patients (30%) died because of the neurologic complications. Type of HSCT, treatment with total body irradiation (TBI), acute graft-vs-host disease (GvHD), GvHD >grade 2, and treatment with CSA were associated with a significant increased risk of SNE. Conclusions: Severe neurologic complications are frequent (14%) among children receiving HSCT, causing 8.5% of deaths after transplant. Transplant from allogeneic donor, especially if unrelated, the development of severe acute GvHD grade >2, and the use of TBI in the preparative regimen are the main risk factors for such complications.

Background Pediatric nonrhabdomyosarcoma soft tissue sarcomas (NRSTS) may rarely occur in visceral tissues, and little is known about their clinical history. The present study retrospectively analyzed a group of patients prospectively registered in Italian pediatric protocols conducted between 1979 and 2004. Methods Inclusion criteria for the study were as follows: a pathological diagnosis of “adult-type NRSTS,” arising at visceral sites (lung-pleurae, liver, kidney, and mesentery-bowel); age under 18 years; no previous treatment except for primary surgery; available clinical data; and written consent. Results Thirty cases with visceral NRSTS were collected and analyzed. Sites of origin were as follows: mesentery-bowel in 12 cases, lung-pleurae in 11, liver in 5, and kidney in 2. According to the Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study (IRS) surgical grouping system, patients were classified as follows: nine IRS group I, three group II, 12 group III, and six group IV. Patients were treated with a multimodal approach including surgery, radiotherapy, and/or chemotherapy, according to their characteristics. For the series as a whole, the 5-year event-free and overall survival rates were 33.3% and 40.0%, respectively. The IRS group (reflecting the feasibility of initial complete resection) emerged as the main prognostic factor. Survival rates also correlated with tumor size and local invasiveness, histological subtype, and tumor sites (the worst outcome was seen for tumors arising in the lung and pleurae). Conclusions This study confirmed that visceral NRSTS are aggressive tumors carrying a worse prognosis than pediatric NRSTS arising in soft tissues of the extremities. Local treatment remains the main challenge for these tumors.

Over the last 20 years MIS has progressively gained popularity in children with cancer. We therefore aimed at evaluating the safety of Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) resection in a series of children affected by adrenal neuroblastoma (NB) presenting without Image-Defined Risk Factors (IDRFs). An Institutional protocol for MIS resection of adrenal NB in pediatric patients without IDRFs has been applied since 2008. Absence of IDRFs represented the main indication for MIS in NB, regardless of tumor size. All pediatric patients who underwent MIS for NB between January 2008 and May 2013 were included. Specific technical considerations, demographic data, and outcome have been recorded. Twenty-one patients underwent MIS resection for IDRFs-negative adrenal NB. Nine of these patients experienced preoperative downgrading of IDRFs after chemotherapy. Radiological median diameter of the mass was 30 mm (range 10–83 mm). Median operative time was 90 min. Median hospital stay was 4 days. All patients were treated successfully, without serious intraoperative complications. One mild intraoperative hemorrhage occurred and was treated without the need for conversion to open surgery nor blood transfusion was required. No postoperative complications, including port-site or peritoneal metastases were experienced. This study demonstrated the safety and effectiveness of MIS for the resection of adrenal NB without IDRFs in children. Pediatric surgeons dedicated to oncology should be aware of this alternative approach to open resection.

Background Ewing Sarcoma Family Tumours (ESFT) are rare in early childhood. The aim of this study was to report the clinical characteristics and outcome of children under 6 years of age affected by ESFT of the bone in Italy. Methods The records of all the children diagnosed with osseous ESFT in centres members of the Associazione Italiana di Ematologia ed Oncologia Pediatrica (AIEOP) from 1990 to 2008 were reviewed. The Kaplan–Meier method was used for estimating overall and progression-free survival (OS, PFS) curves; multivariate analyses were performed using Cox proportional hazards regression model. Results This study includes 62 patients. An axial primary localization was present in 66% of patients, with the primary site in the chest wall in 34%. Fourteen (23%) patients presented metastatic disease. The 5-year OS and PFS were 73% (95% confidence interval, CI, 58–83%) and 72% (95% CI 57–83%) for patients with localized disease and 38% (95% CI 17–60%) and 21% (95% CI 5–45%) for patients with metastatic disease. Metastatic spread, skull/pelvis/spine primary localization, progression during treatment and no surgery predicted worse survival (P

Background: Ganglioside GD2 is a glycolipid highly expressed on neuro-ectodermal tumors including melanoma and neuroblastoma (NB). It is ranked on position 12 of the list of tumor associated antigens by the NCI. Anti-GD2 antibody (Ab) ch14.18/CHO targets this antigen and effectively orchestrates innate immune effector mechanisms against GD2 expressing malignancies. However, one on target effect of anti-GD2 Abs is the induction of neuropathic pain when applied as short term infusion (STI) requiring co-medication with intravenous morphine. Here we investigated whether long-term infusion (LTI) of anti-GD2 Ab ch14.18/CHO may have an improved pain toxicity profile and at the same time mediate an effective immune response in patients (pts) with high risk relapsed/refractory NB which translates to objective clinical responses and an improved survival. Methods: 97 pts received 6x106 IU/m2 sc IL2 (d1-5; 8-12), LTI of 100 mg/m2 ch14.18/CHO (d8-17) and 160 mg/m2 oral 13-cis-RA (d19-32) in an ongoing SIOPEN Phase II study (APN311-202) (NCT01701479) (44 pts) and a closed single center program (53 pts) (APN311-303). Response assessments followed INRG criteria. Serum ch14.18/CHO concentration-time curves were determined by validated ELISA methods and pharmacokinetics parameter were analyzed using standard non-compartmental methods. Fcγ;-receptor polymorphisms FCGR2A (H131R), -3A (V158F) and -3B (NA1/NA2) and patient-specific antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC), complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) and whole blood cytotoxicity (WBT) responses were determined. Results: LTI was associated with low pain scores and a decreasing morphine usage compared to STI. Clinical overall responses were 30% (APN311-303) and 31% (APN311-202). The survival update of the APN311-303 cohort revealed a 1-y & 4-y OS of 94.2±3.2% & 60.9±9.0% (median FU 2.9y [0.7-5.2y]) and a 1-y & 4-y PFS of 54.4±6.9% & 32.3%±6.9% (median FU 2.8y [0.7 - 4.9y]). Median TTP was 571d (95% CI: 232.7d). The comparator is the reported historical gold standard for relapsed refractory NB patients with 1-y & 4-y PFS of 19±2% & 8±3% and OS of 56±3% & 14±4% and a median TTP of 63 d (95% CI: 56.8d). NB pts with high affinity FCGR alleles and an increase in ADCC (cut off 15%) are associated with longer PFS and OS rates (p Parameters of immune modulation (CDC, and WBT) and PK of ch14.18/CHO were comparable between APN311-202 and -303 cohorts. PK of ch14.18/CHO was analyzed in cycle 1: Cmax=12.2±0.4μg/ml, t½=8.4±1.1 d, AUC=145.3± 5.8 μg*d/ml, Vdss=9.3±0.5L/m2. A pro-inflammatory cytokine response (IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IFNγ) translated into the expansion of effector NK- (3x) and T-cells (2x). We observed HACA in 17/97 pts (17.5%) of which only 9/97 (9.3%) were neutralizing with respect to the inhibition of CDC and WBT activity. In HACA negative patients, levels of ch14.18/CHO and functional parameters (CDC and WBT) analyzed before subsequent treatment cycles indicate persistent anti-NB activity for the entire treatment period. Conclusion: LTI of ch14.18/CHO has an improved pain toxicity profile and at the same time is active and effective in high-risk relapsed/refractory NB. Citation Format: Holger N. Lode, Dominique Valteau-Couanet, Alberto Garaventa, Juliet Gray, Victoria Castel, Isaac Yaniv, Nikolai Siebert, Christian Jensen, Stefanie Endres, Lena Pill, Christin Eger, Diana Seidel, Madlen Jüttner, Silke Kietz, Karoline Ehlert, Evelyne Janzek, Carla Manzitti, Ina Müller, Hans Loibner, Ruth Ladenstein. Immunotherapy with ch14.18/CHO in combination with IL2 is active and effective in high-risk relapsed/refractory neuroblastoma patients. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR Inaugural International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating Science into Survival; September 16-19, 2015; New York, NY. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2016;4(1 Suppl):Abstract nr A032.

Previous studies have reported a poor outcome for synovial sarcoma patients whose tumours relapse.This study analysed 44 relapsing cases in a series of 118 consecutive patients21 yr of age with non-metastatic synovial sarcoma prospectively enrolled in Italian paediatric protocols between 1979 and 2006. In an effort to identify a possible risk-adapted stratification enabling a better planning of second-line treatment, the relapsing patients' outcome was analysed vis-à-vis their clinical picture at onset, first-line treatments, clinical findings at the time of first relapse and second-line treatment modalities.The first event was a local recurrence in only 15 cases, and metastatic in 29 (associated with local relapse too in 7 cases). The time to relapse ranged from 4 to 108 months (median 20 months). Overall survival was 29.7% and 21.0% five and ten years after relapsing, respectively. The variables influencing survival were the timing and type of relapse (combined) and the chances of a secondary remission, which correlated strongly with the feasibility of complete surgery.Our study confirmed a largely unsatisfactory prognosis after recurrences in children and adolescents with synovial sarcoma: the chances of survival can be estimated on the basis of several variables for the purposes of planning risk-adapted salvage protocols. An aggressive surgical approach should be recommended. New effective systemic agents are warranted, and experimental therapies can be offered to patients with little chance of salvage.

(2009). Voriconazole for Cryptococcal Meningitis in Children with Leukemia or Receiving Allogeneic Hemopoietic Stem Cell Transplant. Journal of Chemotherapy: Vol. 21, No. 1, pp. 108-109.

Abdominal irradiation, especially if associated with doxorubicin administration, increases the risk of a secondary malignant neoplasm (SMN) after treatment of nephroblastoma. Secondary malignant salivary tumors are rare and usually occur in patients with previous cranial irradiation. The authors describe the case of a parotid mucoepidermoid carcinoma arising 13 years after diagnosis of nephroblastoma. This patient showed no characteristics reported in the literature as statistically significant for the development of an SMN. The authors believe that long-term, regular clinical examination is necessary even in patients at low risk of developing an SMN.

Wilms’ tumour (WT) is the most common primary genitourinary tumour of childhood with the annual incidence of approximately 8 per million children younger than 15 years of age. Genetic plays an important role in this cancer. WT1 located on chromosome 11p13, WT2 on 11p15, loci at 1p, 7p, 16q, 17p (the p53 tumor suppressor gene), and 19q (the putative familial WT gene FWT2) are believed to harbor genes involved in the biology of WT. The majority of these children are surviving into adult life and due to the combination of genetic susceptibility, irradiation and antineoplastic treatment, are at increased risk for second malignant neoplasms (SMNs). We report the case of a young man with a parotid carcinoma occurring thirteen years after diagnosis of WT. The patient was initially treated according to the SIOP 6 Nephroblastoma protocol, comprising a 4-week two-drug (Actinomycin D, Vincristine) presurgical treatment, nephrectomy and 22-week treatment with biweekly Actinomycin D and Vincristine. No radiation therapy was given. Nine months after the end of therapy he experienced an isolated hepatic relapse, treated with Peptichemio (450 mg/m2), two courses of Cisplatin (40 mg/m2/day for 5 days) and Etoposide (100 mg/m2/day for 5 days) and two cycles of the combination Ifosfamide (2 gr/m2/day for 5 days), Doxorubicin (40 mg/m2/day for 2 days), Vincristine (1.5 mg/m2). Resection of a complete necrotic lesion at the fourth hepatic segment was subsequently performed. Treatment was completed with high dose association of Melphalan (200 mg/M2) and Vincristine (4 mg/M2) followed by autologous bone marrow transplantation (BMT). After 13 years since WT diagnosis and 11 years after BMT the patient presented a right non tender, homogeneous and mobile parotideal mass. After the total parotidectomy the diagnosis was consistent with a low-grade mucoepidermoidal carcinoma. In the National WT Study Group review regarding 43 SMNs out of 5278 patients enrolled between 1969 and 1991 the relevant risk factor for developing a SMN were radiation therapy (RT), the association of Doxo-rubicin and RT and utilization of chemo-therapy for the treatment of the relapse. All these risk factors were present in the only reported case of parotideal carcinoma in these series. In the SIOP survey RT was related to secondary bone cancer and the use of epipodophyllotoxin with leukemia occurrence. On these basis in our patient a clear pathogenetic mechanism is lacking, then we can also attribute the secondary parotid carcinoma simply to the chance. Physician needto be aware that even unusual SMNs, can develop also in subjects that for their primary malignancy and related treatment are at low risk.

To evaluate incidence, risk factors and outcome of SNE after BMT, we retrospectively evaluated 272 (169 M, 103 F) consecutive children that between June 1985 and January 2001 underwent BMT at the “G. Gaslini” Institute. Subjects with solid tumor were excluded. Their median age at transplant was 8 years (range 2 mos. – I 9 yr.), and the source of stem cells was autologous (A), related donor (RD)., and unrelated donor (UD) in 87, 115 and 70 subjects, respectively. 166 children received total body irradiation (TBI) as part of the conditioning regimen; 63 received Busulfan while 43 were treated with other drugs; finally, 54 children received cranial prophylactic irradiation (CPI) (1800 cGy) during front line treatment before BMT.A total of 41 SNE were observed in 37 children (18 M, 19 F); their median age at BMT was 10 years (range 2–16 yr.). Neurological symptoms occurred after a median time of 92 days (range 5–3203) The source of HSCT was UD-BM, RD-BM, and A-BM in 19, 16, and 2 cases respectively.). Ten of them received CPI before BMT. Neuralogical symptoms were: seizures (n=20), changes of mental status and coma (n=12), motor or sensitive defects (n=6), progressive loss of cognitive functions (n=3), clonus and myoclonus (n=2) and visual impairment (n=1). Causes of neurological symptoms were attributed to CSA toxicity (CSA-t) in 21 pt. (77%), to irradiation or chemotherapy injury (IC-i) in 7 (2.6%), to CNS infections (CNS-I) in 7 (2.6%), to CNS hemorrhages in 3 pt. (1.1%) and to immunomediated pathogenesis in the remaining 3 (1.1%). CSA-t occurred in 21 out of 185 patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy. Onset of symptoms was after a median of 96 days (range 20–370 days) after BMT. When CSA was discontinued, a complete resolution of SNE was observed in all cases. The 7 IC-i occurred between 1 month and 7 years after BMT. Mental deterioration and/or coma were observed in 5, clonus and dysarthria in one and visual impairment in another. CNS-I were observed in 7 pt. and were mostly of viral origin (2 cases of EBV, and 1 of CMV, HHV6 and adenovirus, respectively), whereas the 2 remaining cases had neuratoxoplasmosis and aspergillosis. The 3 CNS hemorrhages occurred 30, 50 and 250 days fram BMT, respectively. Finally the 3 immunomedia-ted SNE were due to a demyelinating leucoencephalopathy in the context of ex-tensive chranic GvHD in 2 cases; and to a Guillain-Barré syndrome in the remainning one.Preliminary analysis shows that type of BMT (p