Birgitte Klug Albertsen

Asparaginase-associated pancreatitis in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in the NOPHO ALL2008 protocol.

L‐asparaginase is an important drug in the treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). Treatment is associated with several toxicities, including acute pancreatitis. Clinical course, presentation, re‐exposure to L‐asparginase after pancreatitis and risk of recurrent pancreatitis within an asparaginase‐intensive protocol has been poorly reported. Children (1–17 years) on the ongoing Nordic Society of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology (NOPHO) ALL2008 protocol with asparaginase‐associated pancreatitis (AAP) diagnosed between 2008 and 2012 were identified through the online NOPHO ALL toxicity registry. NOPHO ALL2008 includes eight or 15 doses of intramuscular pegylated L‐asparginase (PEG‐asparaginase) 1000 iu/m2/dose at 2–6 weeks intervals, with a total of 30 weeks of exposure to PEG‐asparaginase (clinicaltrials.gov no: NCT00819351). Of 786 children, 45 were diagnosed with AAP with a cumulative risk of AAP of 5·9%. AAP occurred after a median of five doses (range 1–13), and 11 d (median) from the latest administration of PEG‐Asparaginase. Thirteen patients developed pseudocysts (30%) and 11 patients developed necrosis (25%). One patient died from pancreatitis. Twelve AAP patients were re‐exposed to L‐asparginase, two of whom developed mild AAP once more, after four and six doses respectively. In conclusion, re‐exposure to PEG‐asparaginase in ALL patients with mild AAP seems safe.

Cerebral sinus venous thromboses in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia - a multicentre study from the Nordic Society of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology.

We present a prospective multicentre cohort of 20 children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) and cerebral sinus venous thrombosis (CSVT). The study covers a period of 5 years and comprises 1038 children treated according to the Nordic Society of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology (NOPHO) ALL 2008 protocol. The cumulative incidence of CSVT was 2%. Sixteen of the thromboses were related to asparaginase and 16 to steroids. Most CSVTs occurred in the consolidation phase. Nearly all were treated with low molecular weight heparin without bleeding complications. Mortality related to CSVT directly or indirectly was 10%, emphasizing the importance of this complication.

PEG-asparaginase allergy in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in the NOPHO ALL2008 protocol.

L‐Asparaginase is an effective drug in the treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The use of L‐asparaginase may be limited by serious adverse events of which allergy is the most frequent. The objective of this study was to describe the clinical aspects of PEG‐asparaginase allergy in children treated according to the Nordic Society of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology (NOPHO) ALL2008 protocol.

Leukemic blasts are present at low levels in spinal fluid in one-third of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia cases.

Central nervous system (CNS) involvement is associated with relapse in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and is a diagnostic challenge.

Asparaginase-associated pancreatitis: a study on phenotype and genotype in the NOPHO ALL2008 protocol.

Asparaginase (ASP)-associated pancreatitis (AAP) occurs during acute lymphoblastic leukemia treatment. Among 1285 children (1.0–17.9 years) diagnosed during July 2008–December 2014 and treated according to the Nordic/Baltic ALL2008 protocol, 86 (cumulative incidence=6.8%) developed AAP. Seventy-three cases were severe (diagnostic AAP criteria persisting >72 h) and 13 mild. Cases were older than controls (median: 6.5 vs 4.5 years; P=0.001). Pseudocysts developed in 28%. Of the 20 re-exposed to ASP, 9 (45%) developed a second AAP. After a median follow-up of 2.3 years, 8% needed permanent insulin therapy, and 7% had recurrent abdominal pain. Germline DNA on 62 cases and 638 controls was genotyped on Omni2.5exome-8-v1.2 BeadChip arrays. Overall, the ULK2 variant rs281366 showed the strongest association with AAP (P=5.8 × 10−7; odds ratio (OR)=6.7). Cases with the rs281366 variant were younger (4.3 vs 8 years; P=0.015) and had lower risk of AAP-related complications (15% vs 43%; P=0.13) compared with cases without this variant. Among 45 cases and 517 controls <10 years, the strongest associations with AAP were found for RGS6 variant rs17179470 (P=9.8 × 10−9; OR=7.3). Rs281366 is located in the ULK2 gene involved in autophagy, and RGS6 regulates G-protein signaling regulating cell dynamics. More than 50% of AAP cases <10 years carried one or both risk alleles.

Prospective study of thromboembolism in 1038 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a Nordic Society of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology (NOPHO) study

Essentials Children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are at risk of thromboembolism (TE). This is a prospective evaluation of the incidence, risk factors and outcomes of TE in 1038 children with ALL. TE occurred in 6.1% of children, with the highest incidence (20.5%) among those aged 15–17 years. A TE‐associated case fatality of 6.4% indicates that TE is a severe complication of ALL treatment.

Cerebrospinal fluid asparagine depletion during pegylated asparaginase therapy in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

L‐asparaginase is an important drug in the treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) asparagine depletion is considered a marker of asparaginase effect in the central nervous system (CNS) and may play a role in CNS‐directed anti‐leukaemia therapy. The objective of this study was to describe CSF asparagine depletion during 30 weeks of pegylated asparaginase therapy, 1000 iu/m2 i.m. every second week, and to correlate CSF asparagine concentration with serum L‐asparaginase enzyme activity. Danish children (1–17 years) with ALL, treated according to the Nordic Society of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology ALL2008 protocol, standard and intermediate risk, were included. CSF samples were obtained throughout L‐asparaginase treatment at every scheduled lumbar puncture. A total of 128 samples from 31 patients were available for analysis. Median CSF asparagine concentration decreased from a pre‐treatment level of 5·3 μmol/l to median levels ≤1·5 μmol/l. However, only 4/31 patients (five samples) had CSF asparagine concentrations below the limit of detection (0·1 μmol/l). In 11 patients, 24 paired same day serum and CSF samples were obtained. A decrease in CSF asparagine corresponded to serum enzyme activities above 50 iu/l. Higher serum enzyme activities were not followed by more extensive depletion. In conclusion, pegylated asparaginase 1000 iu/m2 i.m. every second week effectively reduced CSF asparagine levels.

Immunophenotype-defined sub-populations are common at diagnosis in childhood B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Immunophenotype-defined sub-populations are common at diagnosis in childhood B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Parents' and Adolescents' Preferences for Intensified or Reduced Treatment in Randomized Lymphoblastic Leukemia Trials.

When offered participation in clinical trials, families of children with cancer face a delicate balance between cure and toxicity. Since parents and children may perceive this balance differently, this paper explores whether adolescent patients have different enrollment patterns compared to younger children in trials with different toxicity profiles.

Hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome during maintenance therapy of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia is associated with continuous asparaginase therapy and mercaptopurine metabolites

Hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS) during treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has mainly been associated with 6‐thioguanine. The occurrence of several SOS cases after the introduction of extended pegylated asparaginase (PEG‐asparaginase) therapy in the Nordic Society of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology (NOPHO) ALL2008 protocol led us to hypothesize that PEG‐asparaginase, combined with other drugs, may trigger SOS during 6‐thioguanine‐free maintenance therapy.