Mohammad H Abu Arja

Synchronous Central Nervous System Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumor and Malignant Rhabdoid Tumor of the Kidney: Case Report of a Long-Term Survivor and Review of the Literature

BACKGROUNDnAtypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor (AT/RT) of the central nervous system (CNS) with synchronous or metachronous extra-CNS disease is a rare childhood malignancy with a dismal prognosis.nnnCASE DESCRIPTIONnWe report a 7-week-old female with metastatic AT/RT and synchronous malignant rhabdoid tumor of the kidney who received an intensive multimodal approach combining surgical resection, intrathecal chemotherapy, and high-dose chemotherapy with autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplant (PBSCT). She is currently 24 months old without any evidence of disease. In addition, we completed an extensive literature review of cases with CNS AT/RT and synchronous or metachronous extra-CNS primary tumors. To date, 31 pediatric cases have been reported, and the median overall-survival was 6 months after diagnosis. The only 3 survivors received autologous PBSCT, and 2 of these patients had complete resection of their CNS tumor.nnnCONCLUSIONSnThe rarity of CNS AT/RT with extra-CNS primary disease and the lack of standard treatment contribute to its reported dismal prognosis. We report a case of a long-term survivor with metastatic AT/RT and synchronous extra-CNS primary tumor. Maximal surgical resection, intrathecal chemotherapy, and consolidative autologous PBSCT may improve prognosis and avoid radiation.

Re-induction chemotherapy regimens in patients with recurrent central nervous system mixed malignant germ cell tumors

BackgroundThe lack of a standard treatment approach has contributed to poor outcomes of patients with recurrent central nervous system (CNS) mixed malignant germ cell tumors (MMGCT). There are no data in the literature supporting optimal re-induction chemotherapy regimens that should be used for patients with recurrent CNS MMGCT.MethodsWe conducted a literature review to explore the response rate of patients with recurrent CNS MMGCT to different re-induction chemotherapy regimens by searching PubMed from 1985 through November 2017. Tumors were classified according to Japanese, European, and North American prognostic group classifications determined at initial presentation.ResultsForty-two responses to various re-induction chemotherapy regimens reported in 38 patients were included. Two patients were inevaluable and their responses to re-induction chemotherapy were excluded. Thirty-five responses to various re-induction chemotherapy regimens were evaluable in 33 patients following a first relapse. Six (17%) responses were reported as complete or continuous complete responses, seven (20%) partial responses, two (6%) were stable disease, two (6%) were mixed responses, and 18 (51%) were progressive disease. Five of ten patients treated without platinum-based chemotherapy experienced tumor progression. There was a trend towards a higher rate of tumor progression among histological poor prognostic group patients, and among patients relapsing within 24xa0months of initial diagnosis; however, it was not statistically significant.ConclusionsThe histological prognostic group and time to relapse may affect the response to re-induction chemotherapy. However, further studies with larger sample size are needed to examine these associations and determine the optimal re-induction chemotherapy regimens for patients with recurrent MMGCT.

Brentuximab-vedotin maintenance following chemotherapy without irradiation for primary intracranial embryonal carcinoma in down syndrome

BackgroundGerm cell tumors (GCT) are the most common central nervous system (CNS) tumors in individuals with Down syndrome. Patients with Down syndrome treated with CNS irradiation are at increased risk of developing cerebrovascular complications such as moyamoya disease. Embryonal carcinoma components are recognized to be more resistant to conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy and confer a very poor prognosis. CD30 is a member of the tumor necrosis factor-receptor superfamily. CD30+ has a limited expression in normal cells but is the defining marker for embryonal carcinoma. Brentuximab-vedotin is a novel antibody-drug conjugate consisting of the chimeric anti-CD30 antibody conjugated to an anti-tubulin synthetic analog monomethyl auristatin E.MethodsA retrospective review of the patient’s records was conducted in September 2017.ResultsWe report upon our management of a teenage girl with Down syndrome and a suprasellar pure embryonal carcinoma utilizing an intensive chemotherapy regimen followed by brentuximab-vedotin without irradiation. The patient received two cycles of carboplatin and etoposide interspersed with one cycle of cyclophosphamide and etoposide for induction followed by three cycles of marrow-ablative thiotepa and carboplatin rescued by autologous hematopoietic stem cell. Finally, She received six cycles of intravenous brentuximab-vedotin. The patient continues without evidence of recurrent tumor by MRI and tumor marker surveillance 24 months since diagnosis, with no adverse sequelae of her treatment.ConclusionsBrentuximab-vedotin may provide a selective and safe alternative (or adjunct) to radiotherapy in the management of patients with CD30-positive CNS embryonal carcinoma, especially for those patients at high risk of developing irradiation-related complications.