Giorgio Perilongo

Whole-brain irradiation and decline in intelligence: the influence of dose and age on IQ score.

PURPOSE Decline in intelligence can occur after whole-brain cranial irradiation for childhood malignancy. The purpose of this analysis was to estimate better the impact of dose and age at time of irradiation on IQ decline. PATIENTS AND METHODS A total of 48 children were studied. We combined two previously reported studies that included 15 patients with pediatric acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) and 18 pediatric patients with medulloblastoma/posterior fossa primitive neural ectodermal tumors (PNETs) in whom serial IQ tests were administered. Another 15 patients (nine ALL and six PNET) were studied subsequent to these reports. This experience included ALL patients who were treated with whole-brain irradiation at doses of 18 Gy (n = 9) and 24 Gy (n = 15), and PNET patients who were treated with 18 Gy (n = 5), 22 to 24 Gy (n = 2), and 32 to 40 Gy (n = 17). Multiple regression models were constructed to estimate expected IQ score after treatment based on initial IQ score, age at treatment, and dose of whole-brain irradiation. RESULTS Using a multiple linear regression model to correct for initial IQ and age at treatment, patients who received a dose of 36 Gy to the whole brain were estimated to score 8.2 points less on IQ testing than those with 24 Gy (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.8 to 14.6) and 12.3 points less than those who received 18 Gy (95% CI, 2.7 to 21.7). Older age at the time of irradiation resulted in less decline in subsequent IQ score. The predicted IQ decline is 11.9 points less in a 10-year-old patient than in a 3-year-old patient (95% CI, 4.2 to 19.6) for equivalent doses of irradiation. The model to predict IQ accounts for half the total variation in IQ score. There was no significant difference between the coefficients that reflected IQ decrease from radiation dose between subgroups who had ALL versus those with PNET. CONCLUSIONS One can forecast final IQ score based on the initial IQ score, dose of irradiation, and age at time of irradiation. Our findings should aid in the selection of appropriate therapy when whole-brain irradiation is needed.

Pretreatment prognostic factors for children with hepatoblastoma — results from the International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP) Study SIOPEL 1

The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic significance of pretreatment patient and tumour characteristics for overall (OS) and event-free (EFS) survival in 154 children affected by hepatoblastoma (HB) in the first prospective liver tumour study run by the International Society of Paediatric Oncology. The pretreatment characteristics studied were age, alpha-fetoprotein, platelet count, histology; from radiology: intrahepatic tumour extension (PRETEXT), lung metastases, enlarged hilar lymph nodes, vena cava or extrahepatic vena porta tumour extension and tumour focality. Five-year OS was 75% (95% confidence interval (CI) 68-82%) and EFS 66% (95% CI 59-74%). Both were univariately associated with PRETEXT and the presence of metastases. Additionally tumour focality and enlargement of hilar lymph nodes at diagnosis were univariately associated with EFS. In multivariate analysis, PRETEXT was the only predictor of OS; PRETEXT and metastases were predictors of EFS. There is a need to investigate further these factors to confirm their validity.

Hepatocellular carcinoma in children: results of the first prospective study of the International Society of Pediatric Oncology group.

PURPOSE To improve survival and reduce operative morbidity and mortality in children with primary epithelial liver tumors by using preoperative chemotherapy, as well as to collect information on the epidemiology, natural history, and prognostic factors. PATIENTS AND METHODS Forty children with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were registered onto the Group for Epithelial Liver Tumors International Society of Pediatric Oncologys first study from January 1990 to February 1994. The outcome could be analyzed in 39 of those patients. Disease was often advanced at the time of diagnosis; metastases were identified in 31% of the children and extrahepatic tumor extension, vascular invasion, or both in 39%. Multifocal tumors were common (56%). Thirty-three percent of tumors were associated with hepatic cirrhosis. All but two patients received preoperative chemotherapy (cisplatin and doxorubicin). RESULTS Partial response was observed in 18 (49%) of 37 patients; there was no response or progression in the remainder. Complete tumor resection was achieved in 14 patients (36%). Twenty patients (51%) never became operable. Overall survival at 5 years was 28%, and event-free survival was 17%. Most deaths resulted from tumor progression (26 of 28). Presence of metastases and pretreatment extent of disease system grouping at diagnosis had an adverse influence on overall survival in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION Survival for pediatric HCC patients is significantly inferior to that for children with hepatoblastoma. Complete tumor excision remains the only realistic chance of cure, although it is often prevented by advanced disease. The presence of metastases is the most potent predictor of poor prognosis. A prospective worldwide cooperation in the field of pediatric HCC should be encouraged to look for novel therapeutic concepts.

Cisplatin, Doxorubicin, and Delayed Surgery for Childhood Hepatoblastoma: A Successful Approach—Results of the First Prospective Study of the International Society of Pediatric Oncology

PURPOSE Hepatoblastoma (HB) is a rare malignant liver tumor which occurs almost exclusively in childhood. In the 1970s, survival was approximately 20% to 30%. Since the introduction of cisplatin (PLA) and doxorubicin (DO) into the chemotherapy regimens used to treat these patients, the survival rate has improved dramatically. In most recent studies, primary surgery preceded chemotherapy. In this study by the liver group of the International Society of Pediatric Oncology the aim was to improve survival and reduce operative morbidity and mortality by using preoperative chemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS After biopsy and assessment of pretreatment extent of disease all patients were treated with continuous 24-hour intravenous infusion of PLA 80 mg/m(2) followed by DO 60 mg/m(2) over 48 hours (PLADO). After four courses of this chemotherapy, patients were reassessed. Where possible, the primary tumor was resected and treatment completed with two more courses of chemotherapy. RESULTS One hundred fifty-four patients were registered in the study, and 138 received preoperative chemotherapy. One hundred thirteen (82%) showed a partial response with tumor shrinkage and serial decrease of serum alpha-fetoprotein levels. One hundred fifteen patients had delayed surgery, and 106 (including six with liver transplants) had complete resection of primary tumor. Five-year event-free survival was 66%, and overall survival was 75%. CONCLUSION This study demonstrates that international collaboration on a large scale is feasible. The toxicity of chemotherapy and morbidity of surgery were acceptable and the overall survival gratifyingly high. We now regard PLADO chemotherapy and delayed surgery to be the best available treatment for children with HB. Other treatment programs should be measured against this standard.

Successful Treatment of Childhood High-Risk Hepatoblastoma With Dose-Intensive Multiagent Chemotherapy and Surgery: Final Results of the SIOPEL-3HR Study

PURPOSE The primary objective was to determine the efficacy of a newly designed preoperative chemotherapy regimen in an attempt to improve the cure rate of children with high-risk hepatoblastoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS High risk was defined as follows: tumor in all liver sections (ie, Pretreatment Extension IV [PRETEXT-IV]), or vascular invasion (portal vein [P+], three hepatic veins [V+]), or intra-abdominal extrahepatic extension (E+), or metastatic disease, or alpha-fetoprotein less than 100 ng/mL at diagnosis. Patients were treated with alternating cycles of cisplatin and carboplatin plus doxorubicin (preoperatively, n = 7; postoperatively, n = 3) and delayed tumor resection. RESULTS Of the 151 patients (150 evaluable for response) 118 (78.7%) achieved a partial response to chemotherapy. Complete resection of the liver tumor could be achieved in 115 patients (76.2%) either by partial hepatectomy (55.6%) or by liver transplantation (20.6%). In 106 children (70.2%), complete resection of all tumor lesions (including metastases) was achieved. Among the patients with initial lung metastases, 52.2% achieved complete remission of the lung lesions with chemotherapy alone. In half of the patients with initial PRETEXT-IV tumor as the only high-risk feature, the tumor could be completely resected with partial hepatectomy. Event-free (EFS) and overall survival (OS) estimates at 3 years were 65% (95% CI, 57% to 73%) and 69% (95% CI, 62% to 77%) for the whole group. EFS and OS for all patients with PRETEXT-IV tumor were 68% and 69%, respectively, and they were 56% and 62%, respectively, for patients with metastasis. CONCLUSION The applied treatment rendered a great proportion of tumors resectable, and, in comparison with previously published results, led to an improved survival in patients with high-risk hepatoblastoma.

Intracranial ependymomas in children: A critical review of prognostic factors and a plea for cooperation

BACKGROUND Current controversies in pediatric intracranial ependymoma include histologic categorization and management. Most of our knowledge of this disease comes from single-institution reports. METHODS A literature search was done, covering the period 1976-1996. The aim of this review is to analyze the prognostic factors reported in the literature over the last 20 years. RESULTS Forty-five series were reviewed, including more than 1,400 children. The largest series reported on 92 patients, and the accrual rate ranged from 0.32-12 patients per year. None of the prognostic factors reported achieved a consensus throughout the different series. Histology remains a major issue, and the range in the incidence of anaplastic ependymo mas (7-89%) highlights the difficulty in agreeing on a histological grading system. The role of surgery on the outcome seems to be determinant. Recent series based on homogeneous imaging-documented extents of resection strongly support the benefit of postoperative radiotherapy. The lack of a proven, effective chemotherapy regimen precludes its use except in prospective pilot studies. CONCLUSIONS Limited information is available from single-institution reports in ependymoma. Only large national or international studies can provide enough information to allow a multivariate analysis of the prognostic factors, and thus lead to new therapeutic proposals.

Cisplatin versus Cisplatin plus Doxorubicin for Standard-Risk Hepatoblastoma

BACKGROUND Preoperative cisplatin alone may be as effective as cisplatin plus doxorubicin in standard-risk hepatoblastoma (a tumor involving three or fewer sectors of the liver that is associated with an alpha-fetoprotein level of >100 ng per milliliter). METHODS Children with standard-risk hepatoblastoma who were younger than 16 years of age were eligible for inclusion in the study. After they received one cycle of cisplatin (80 mg per square meter of body-surface area per 24 hours), we randomly assigned patients to receive cisplatin (every 14 days) or cisplatin plus doxorubicin administered in three preoperative cycles and two postoperative cycles. The primary outcome was the rate of complete resection, and the trial was powered to test the noninferiority of cisplatin alone (<10% difference in the rate of complete resection). RESULTS Between June 1998 and December 2006, 126 patients were randomly assigned to receive cisplatin and 129 were randomly assigned to receive cisplatin plus doxorubicin. The rate of complete resection was 95% in the cisplatin-alone group and 93% in the cisplatin-doxorubicin group in the intention-to-treat analysis (difference, 1.4%; 95% confidence interval [CI], -4.1 to 7.0); these rates were 99% and 95%, respectively, in the per-protocol analysis. Three-year event-free survival and overall survival were, respectively, 83% (95% CI, 77 to 90) and 95% (95% CI, 91 to 99) in the cisplatin group, and 85% (95% CI, 79 to 92) and 93% (95% CI, 88 to 98) in the cisplatin-doxorubicin group (median follow-up, 46 months). Acute grade 3 or 4 adverse events were more frequent with combination therapy (74.4% vs. 20.6%). CONCLUSIONS As compared with cisplatin plus doxorubicin, cisplatin monotherapy achieved similar rates of complete resection and survival among children with standard-risk hepatoblastoma. Doxorubicin can be safely omitted from the treatment of standard-risk hepatoblastoma. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00003912.)

Activation of β-catenin in epithelial and mesenchymal hepatoblastomas

Wnt/β-catenin signaling is frequently activated in cancer cells by stabilizing mutations of β-catenin or loss-of-function mutations of the APC tumor suppressor gene. We have analysed the role of β-catenin in the pathogenesis of hepatoblastoma (HB), an embryonic liver tumor occurring mainly in children under 2 years of age. Sequence analysis of the β-catenin NH2-terminal domain in 18 epithelial and mixed HBs revealed missense mutations in the GSK3β phosphorylation motif or interstitial deletions in 12 tumors (67%). In the remaining cases, no truncating mutation of APC could be evidenced. Immunohistochemical analysis of β-catenin in 11 HBs demonstrated nuclear/cytoplasmic accumulation of the protein in all tumors analysed, with predominant nuclear β-catenin immunostaining in undifferentiated cells. Membranous β-catenin localization was preserved only in fetal-type tumoral hepatocytes and was associated with E-cadherin expression. Moreover, we show that β-catenin is aberrantly overexpressed in a large spectrum of tumor components, including hepatocyte-like cells at various differentiation stages and heterologous elements such as squamous, osteoid and chrondroid tissues, and in occasional other mesenchymally-derived cells. These data strongly suggest that activation of β-catenin signaling is an obligatory step in HB pathogenesis, and raise the possibility that it interferes with developmental signals that specify different tissue types at early stages of hepatic differentiation.

Childhood solid tumours: a developmental disorder

Several lines of evidence demonstrate that the biology, genetics and environment of childhood solid tumours (CSTs) sets them apart from adult solid tumours. The nature of the progenitor cells from which these tumours arise, and their immature tissue environment, allows CSTs to develop with fewer defects in cell regulatory processes than adult cancers. These differences could explain why CSTs are more susceptible to therapeutic intervention than adult tumours. How does the aetiology of these cancers differ from those occurring in adults and how might this affect the development of more effective therapies?

Methotrexate treatment in juvenile localized scleroderma: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE Juvenile localized scleroderma is a chronic progressive fibrotic disorder of the skin that causes permanent disability and aesthetic damage. This study was undertaken to assess the safety and efficacy of methotrexate (MTX) in the treatment of juvenile localized scleroderma. METHODS In this double-blind study, patients with active juvenile localized scleroderma were randomized (2:1) to receive oral MTX (15 mg/m², maximum 20 mg) or placebo once weekly, for 12 months or until treatment failure. Both groups received oral prednisone (1 mg/kg/day, maximum 50 mg) for the first 3 months. A target lesion was evaluated clinically, with infrared thermography and using a computerized scoring system with skin score rate (SSR) evaluation. Response to treatment was defined as the absence of new lesions, SSR ≤ 1, and a decrease in lesion temperature of at least 10% compared to baseline. Treatment failure was defined as the occurrence of new lesions, SSR > 1, or increased lesion temperature. All analyses were done on the intent-to-treat population. RESULTS Of the 85 patients screened, 70 (ages 6-17 years) were randomized (46 to the MTX group, 24 to the placebo group). The mean disease duration was 2.3 years. After an initial response in all patients, disease relapsed in 15 MTX-treated patients (32.6%) and 17 placebo-treated patients (70.8%) (P < 0.005). New lesions appeared in 3 MTX-treated patients (6.5%) versus 4 placebo-treated patients (16.7%). The mean SSR decreased from 1 to 0.79 in the MTX group and increased from 1 to 1.1 in the placebo group, and the mean target lesion temperature decreased by 44.4% in the MTX group versus 12.1% in the placebo group. Twenty-six patients in the MTX group (56.5%) and 11 patients in the placebo group (45.8%) developed mild side effects related to treatment. None of the side effects were severe enough to necessitate treatment discontinuation. CONCLUSION Our findings indicate that MTX is efficacious in the treatment of juvenile localized scleroderma and is well tolerated.