v-SYMPHONY career development series: A collaboration to enhance professional awareness for pediatric hematology oncology trainees.

BACKGROUND: A recent survey of pediatric hematology oncology (PHO) physicians identified that a majority believe fellows are struggling to find jobs that align with their goals. Career development for trainees has historically been home institution-specific, limiting fellows' exposures to career path possibilities. The "virtual-Symposium of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology of New York (v-SYMPHONY)" instituted a tristate Career Development Series for PHO trainees to better address their needs and increase awareness of the variety of PHO career opportunities. PROCEDURE: The v-SYMPHONY Career Development Series incorporated three sessions: (a) institutional perspective, (b) individual perspectives, and (c) nuts and bolts of job search. Pre- and post-series surveys were administered to participants to measure impact. RESULTS: Forty-one fellows registered for the series and completed a pre-survey. Over half (54%) were in their third or later year of fellowship. Careers with a clinical focus were the most commonly desired career path (59%). Most had received career development advice only from faculty within their institutions (90%). Post-surveys were completed by 11 PHO fellows. Overall, 100% of respondents reported benefiting from the career sessions and recommended the series should be repeated annually. Over 90% learned new information to prepare for the job search. CONCLUSIONS: The v-SYMPHONY Career Development Series for PHO fellows across multiple institutions was established and was extremely well received by its participants. PHO fellows agreed that these sessions were beneficial in helping prepare them for the job search process. An annual regional Career Development Series is feasible and is strongly suggested to support PHO fellows.

Activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase-extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway in childhood B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

RAS mutations are frequently observed in childhood B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) and previous studies have yielded conflicting results as to whether they are associated with a poor outcome. We and others have demonstrated that the mitogen-activated protein kinase-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MAPK) pathway can be activated through epigenetic mechanisms in the absence of RAS pathway mutations. Herein, we examined whether MAPK activation, as determined by measuring phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (pERK) levels in 80 diagnostic patient samples using phosphoflow cytometry, could be used as a prognostic biomarker for pediatric B-ALL. The mean fluorescence intensity of pERK (MFI) was measured at baseline and after exogenous stimulation with or without pretreatment with the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitor trametinib. Activation levels (MFI stimulated/MFI baseline) ranged from 0.76 to 4.40 (median = 1.26), and inhibition indexes (MFI stimulated/MFI trametinib stimulated) ranged from 0.439 to 5.640 (median = 1.30), with no significant difference between patients with wildtype versus mutant RAS for either. Logistic regression demonstrated that neither MAPK activation levels nor RAS mutation status at diagnosis alone or in combination was prognostic of outcome. However, 35% of RAS wildtype samples showed MAPK inhibition indexes greater than the median, thus raising the possibility that therapeutic strategies to inhibit MAPK activation may not be restricted to patients whose blasts display Ras pathway defects.

Do Not Forget About the Ticks: An Unusual Cause of Fever, GI Distress, and Cytopenias in a Child With ALL.

We report the case of a 5-year-old male with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia in remission, receiving maintenance chemotherapy, who presented with fever, emesis, diarrhea, headache, and lethargy. He developed rapidly progressive cytopenias and was found to have acute human granulocytic anaplasmosis as well as evidence of past infection with Babesia microti. The case highlights the need to maintain a broad differential for infection in children undergoing chemotherapy or other immunosuppressive therapies with possible or known tick exposure.

COVID-19 has changed the way we think about training future pediatric hematologists/oncologists.

COVID-19 has upended medical practice and education, but has also catalyzed enhancements in the field. Early on, a local group of researchers united to investigate the impact of the pandemic on pediatric hematology oncology (PHO). From this group, a regional educational series was established, "virtual-Symposium of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology of New York" (v-SYMPHONY). The implementation of these endeavors while PHO fellowship applications are declining has highlighted our perceptions that education, mentoring, and career expectations are not keeping up with the needs of current trainees. We describe our regional experience joining together to further education and research, and reflect on the current landscape of PHO training and workforce.

Characterization of COVID-19 disease in pediatric oncology patients: The New York-New Jersey regional experience.

PURPOSE: Pediatric oncology patients undergoing active chemotherapy are suspected to be at a high risk for severe disease secondary to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection; however, data to support this are lacking. We aim to describe the characteristics of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in this population and also its impact on pediatric cancer care in the New York region during the peak of the pandemic. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This multicenter, retrospective study included 13 institutions. Clinical and laboratory information on 98 patients ≤21 years of age receiving active anticancer therapy, who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by nasopharyngeal swab polymerase chain reaction (PCR), was collected. RESULTS: Of the 578 pediatric oncology patients tested for COVID-19, 98 were positive, of whom 73 were symptomatic. Most experienced mild disease, 28 required inpatient management, 25 needed oxygen support, and seven required mechanical ventilation. There is a slightly higher risk of severe disease in males and obese patients, though not statistically significant. Persistent lymphopenia was noted in severe cases. Delays in cancer therapy occurred in 67% of SARS-CoV-2-positive patients. Of four deaths, none were solely attributable to COVID-19. The impact of the pandemic on pediatric oncology care was significant, with 54% of institutions reporting delays in chemotherapy, 46% delays in surgery, and 30% delays in transplant. CONCLUSION: In this large multi-institutional cohort, we observed that mortality and morbidity from COVID-19 amongst pediatric oncology patients were low overall, but higher than reported in general pediatrics. Certain subgroups might be at higher risk of severe disease. Delays in cancer care due to SARS-CoV-2 remain a concern.

From Favorable Histology to Relapse: The Clonal Evolution of a Wilms Tumor.

Favorable histology (FH) Wilms tumor (WT) is one of the most curable of all human cancers, yet a small minority of patients fail treatment. The underlying biological pathways that lead to therapy resistance are unknown. We report a case of initially unresectable, FH WT which revealed limited necrosis and persistent blastemal predominant histology following neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Despite intensification of therapy and whole abdominal radiation, the patient relapsed and succumbed to her disease. In an effort to discover candidate drivers of drug resistance, whole exome sequencing and copy number analysis were performed on samples from all 3 tumor specimens. Sequencing results revealed outgrowth of clones with a dramatically different genetic landscape including dominant mutations that could explain therapy evasion, some of which have not been previously reported in WT. Our results implicate PPM1D, previously shown to be associated with drug resistance in other tumors, as the major driver of treatment failure.

Primary Ewing Sarcoma of the Mastoid: A Novel Case Mimicking Acute Mastoiditis.

Ewing sarcoma (EWS) is a primitive neuroectodermal tumor arising in bone or soft tissue. It is the second most common primary bone malignancy of children and adolescents, with a peak incidence in the second decade of life. It most often arises in the long bones of the extremities and pelvis. Here, we present a novel case of EWS arising from the mastoid bone in a 5-year-old African American male who presented with symptoms of acute mastoiditis. This unique presentation highlights the importance of considering EWS in a patient who presents with atypical mastoiditis or a rapidly growing mass in the postauricular region.

NSD2 E1099K drives relapse in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia by disrupting 3D chromatin organization.

BACKGROUND: The NSD2 p.E1099K (EK) mutation is shown to be enriched in patients with relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), indicating a role in clonal evolution and drug resistance. RESULTS: To uncover 3D chromatin architecture-related mechanisms underlying drug resistance, we perform Hi-C on three B-ALL cell lines heterozygous for NSD2 EK. The NSD2 mutation leads to widespread remodeling of the 3D genome, most dramatically in terms of compartment changes with a strong bias towards A compartment shifts. Systematic integration of the Hi-C data with previously published ATAC-seq, RNA-seq, and ChIP-seq data show an expansion in H3K36me2 and a shrinkage in H3K27me3 within A compartments as well as increased gene expression and chromatin accessibility. These results suggest that NSD2 EK plays a prominent role in chromatin decompaction through enrichment of H3K36me2. In contrast, we identify few changes in intra-topologically associating domain activity. While compartment changes vary across cell lines, a common core of decompacting loci are shared, driving the expression of genes/pathways previously implicated in drug resistance. We further perform RNA sequencing on a cohort of matched diagnosis/relapse ALL patients harboring the relapse-specific NSD2 EK mutation. Changes in patient gene expression upon relapse significantly correlate with core compartment changes, further implicating the role of NSD2 EK in genome decompaction. CONCLUSIONS: In spite of cell-context-dependent changes mediated by EK, there appears to be a shared transcriptional program dependent on compartment shifts which could explain phenotypic differences across EK cell lines. This core program is an attractive target for therapeutic intervention.

Levocarnitine for pegaspargase-induced hepatotoxicity in older children and young adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

BACKGROUND: Pegaspargase (PEG-ASP) is an integral component of therapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) but is associated with hepatotoxicity that may delay or limit future therapy. Obese and adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients are at high risk. Levocarnitine has been described as potentially beneficial for the treatment or prevention of PEG-ASP-associated hepatotoxicity. METHODS: We collected data for patients age ≥10 years who received levocarnitine during induction therapy for ALL, compared to a similar patient cohort who did not receive levocarnitine. The primary endpoint was conjugated bilirubin (c.bili) >3 mg/dl. Secondary endpoints were transaminases >10× the upper limit of normal and any Grade ≥3 hepatotoxicity. RESULTS: Fifty-two patients received levocarnitine for prophylaxis (n = 29) or rescue (n = 32) of hepatotoxicity. Compared to 109 patients without levocarnitine, more patients receiving levocarnitine were obese and/or older and had significantly higher values for some hepatotoxicity markers at diagnosis and after PEG-ASP. Levocarnitine regimens varied widely; no adverse effects of levocarnitine were identified. Obesity and AYA status were associated with an increased risk of conjugated hyperbilirubinemia and severe transaminitis. Multivariable analysis identified a protective effect of levocarnitine on the development of c.bili >3 mg/dl (OR 0.12, p = 0.029). There was no difference between groups in CTCAE Grade ≥3 hepatotoxicity. C.bili >3 mg/dl during induction was associated with lower event-free survival. CONCLUSIONS: This real-world data on levocarnitine supplementation during ALL induction highlights the risk of PEG-ASP-associated hepatotoxicity in obese and AYA patients, and hepatotoxicity's potential impact on survival. Levocarnitine supplementation may be protective, but prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Immunotherapy in Pediatric B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Advances and Ongoing Challenges.

Leukemia, most commonly B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), accounts for about 30% of childhood cancer diagnoses. While there have been dramatic improvements in childhood ALL outcomes, certain subgroups-particularly those who relapse-fare poorly. In addition, cure is associated with significant short- and long-term side effects. Given these challenges, there is great interest in novel, targeted approaches to therapy. A number of new immunotherapeutic agents have proven to be efficacious in relapsed or refractory disease and are now being investigated in frontline treatment regimens. Blinatumomab (a bispecific T-cell engager that targets cluster of differentiation [CD]-19) and inotuzumab ozogamicin (a humanized antibody-drug conjugate to CD22) have shown the most promise. Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cells, a form of adoptive immunotherapy, rely on the transfer of genetically modified effector T cells that have the potential to persist in vivo for years, providing ongoing long-term disease control. In this article, we discuss the clinical biology and treatment of B-ALL with an emphasis on the role of immunotherapy in overcoming the challenges of conventional cytotoxic therapy. As immunotherapy continues to move into the frontline of pediatric B-ALL therapy, we also discuss strategies to address unique side effects associated with these agents and efforts to overcome mechanisms of resistance to immunotherapy.

The NSD2 p.E1099K Mutation Is Enriched at Relapse and Confers Drug Resistance in a Cell Context-Dependent Manner in Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

The NSD2 p.E1099K (EK) mutation is observed in 10% of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) samples with enrichment at relapse indicating a role in clonal evolution and drug resistance. To discover mechanisms that mediate clonal expansion, we engineered B-precursor ALL (B-ALL) cell lines (Reh, 697) to overexpress wildtype (WT) and EK NSD2, but observed no differences in proliferation, clonal growth, or chemosensitivity. To address whether NSD2 EK acts collaboratively with other pathways, we used short hairpin RNAs to knockdown expression of NSD2 in B-ALL cell lines heterozygous for NSD2 EK (RS4;11, RCH-ACV, SEM). Knockdown resulted in decreased proliferation in all lines, decreased clonal growth in RCH-ACV, and increased sensitivity to cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents, although the pattern of drug sensitivity varied among cell lines implying that the oncogenic properties of NSD2 mutations are likely cell context specific and rely on cooperative pathways. Knockdown of both Type II and REIIBP EK isoforms had a greater impact than knockdown of Type II alone, suggesting that both SET containing EK isoforms contribute to phenotypic changes driving relapse. Furthermore, in vivo models using both cell lines and patient samples revealed dramatically enhanced proliferation of NSD2 EK compared with WT and reduced sensitivity to 6-mercaptopurine in the relapse sample relative to diagnosis. Finally, EK-mediated changes in chromatin state and transcriptional output differed dramatically among cell lines further supporting a cell context-specific role of NSD2 EK. These results demonstrate a unique role of NSD2 EK in mediating clonal fitness through pleiotropic mechanisms dependent on the genetic and epigenetic landscape. IMPLICATIONS: NSD2 EK mutation leads to drug resistance and a clonal advantage in childhood B-ALL.

Extensive Remodeling of the Immune Microenvironment in B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

A subset of B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) patients will relapse and succumb to therapy-resistant disease. The bone marrow microenvironment may support B-ALL progression and treatment evasion. Utilizing single-cell approaches, we demonstrate B-ALL bone marrow immune microenvironment remodeling upon disease initiation and subsequent re-emergence during conventional chemotherapy. We uncover a role for non-classical monocytes in B-ALL survival, and demonstrate monocyte abundance at B-ALL diagnosis is predictive of pediatric and adult B-ALL patient survival. We show that human B-ALL blasts alter a vascularized microenvironment promoting monocytic differentiation, while depleting leukemia-associated monocytes in B-ALL animal models prolongs disease remission in vivo. Our profiling of the B-ALL immune microenvironment identifies extrinsic regulators of B-ALL survival supporting new immune-based therapeutic approaches for high-risk B-ALL treatment.

Patient-reported cognitive side effects of antiepileptic drugs: predictors and comparison of all commonly used antiepileptic drugs.

Subjective cognitive side effects (CSEs) are common in patients taking antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). The objective of this study was to predict which patients are at risk for CSEs, and compare the CSE profiles of all commonly used AEDs. In this nonrandomized retrospective study, medical records of 1694 adult outpatients with epilepsy seen at our center over a 5-year period who had taken one or more AEDs were examined. Non-AED predictors of CSEs were investigated, and rates of AED-related CSEs were compared in 1189 patients (546 on monotherapy) newly started on an AED at our center. The average rate of AED-related intolerable CSEs (leading to dosage change or discontinuation) was 12.8%. On multivariate analysis, no significant non-AED predictors of CSEs were found. Significantly more intolerable CSEs were attributed to topiramate (21.5% of 130 patients) than to most other AEDs, including carbamazepine (9.9%), gabapentin (7.3%), levetiracetam (10.4%), lamotrigine (8.9%), oxcarbazepine (11.6%), and valproate (8.3%). CSE rates with zonisamide (14.9%) were significantly higher than those for gabapentin and lamotrigine. After exclusion of CSEs during the first 8 weeks of therapy, rates of CSEs were lower, but relative differences remained unchanged. In monotherapy, significantly more intolerable CSEs occurred with topiramate (11.1% of 18 patients) than with carbamazepine or valproate, and both phenytoin and zonisamide were associated with more CSEs than valproate. From this study, it can be concluded that intolerable patient-reported CSEs are most common with topiramate, followed by zonisamide, phenytoin, and oxcarbazepine. They are least likely to be reported with gabapentin, valproate, lamotrigine, carbamazepine, and levetiracetam.

New targeted therapies for relapsed pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

INTRODUCTION: The improvement in outcomes for children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is one of the greatest success stories of modern oncology however the prognosis for patients who relapse remains dismal. Recent discoveries by high resolution genomic technologies have characterized the biology of relapsed leukemia, most notably pathways leading to the drug resistant phenotype. These observations open the possibility of targeting such pathways to prevent and/or treat relapse. Likewise, early experiences with new immunotherapeutic approaches have shown great promise. Areas covered: We performed a literature search on PubMed and recent meeting abstracts using the keywords below. We focused on the biology and clonal evolution of relapsed disease highlighting potential new targets of therapy. We further summarized the results of early trials of the three most prominent immunotherapy agents currently under investigation. Expert commentary: Discovery of targetable pathways that lead to drug resistance and recent breakthroughs in immunotherapy show great promise towards treating this aggressive disease. The best way to treat relapse, however, is to prevent it which makes incorporation of these new approaches into frontline therapy the best approach. Challenges remain to balance efficacy with toxicity and to prevent the emergence of resistant subclones which is why combining these newer agents with conventional chemotherapy will likely become standard of care.

Factors Associated with Supplemental Formula Feeding of Breastfeeding Infants During Postpartum Hospital Stay.

OBJECTIVE: To determine reasons potentially amenable to interventions that mothers choose to supplement breastfeeding with formula in the immediate postpartum period. STUDY DESIGN: We distributed surveys to all mothers in the postpartum unit who delivered a live newborn on day of maternal discharge to assess feeding behaviors during their inpatient admission. We evaluated, when applicable, their reasons for supplementation and examined cultural and demographic information to uncover trends for formula use and potential areas for provider intervention. RESULTS: Seven hundred twelve of 1,400 mothers responded, of which 478 (65%) reported supplementing breastfeeding with formula (BF+F). The most common reasons for formula supplementation were perception of inadequate milk supply (36.4%), desire for sleep (35.4%), and a plan to breast and bottle feed (35.2%). Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) was associated with primiparous status (OR 1.95; 95% CI 1.3-3.0), higher education level (OR 2.6; 95% CI 1.7-3.9), and having been breastfed as an infant (OR 1.54; 95% CI 1-2.37). Mothers who experienced skin-to-skin contact also had higher rates of EBF (29.5% versus 19.9%). Factors associated with exclusive formula feeding included single marital status, birth of mother in the United States, Catholic religion, multiparity, and cesarean delivery. Religious and cultural factors also played important roles in maternal feeding behaviors. CONCLUSION: Clinicians can anticipate risk factors for formula use in mothers who plan to breastfeed and tailor counseling appropriately to increase EBF rates.

Comparative effectiveness of 10 antiepileptic drugs in older adults with epilepsy.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) for use in older adults with epilepsy. DESIGN: Retrospective review. SETTING: Columbia Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York, New York. PATIENTS: Four hundred seventeen outpatients 55 years and older newly taking any of the 10 most commonly prescribed AEDs between 2000 and 2005. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The percentage of patients who remained taking the AED for 12 or more months (12-month "retention"). We also measured efficacy (12-month seizure freedom) and adverse effects leading to dose change. Retention and seizure-freedom rates were analyzed by pairwise comparisons using chi(2) for the overall group and patients with refractory and nonrefractory disease as well as patients newly taking their first AED. RESULTS: The 10 AEDs newly taken by 10 or more patients were analyzed. There were no significant non-AED predictors of retention. Without controlling for severity, lamotrigine had the highest 12-month retention rate (79%), significantly higher than carbamazepine (48%), gabapentin (59%), oxcarbazepine (24%), phenytoin (59%), and topiramate (56%). The retention rate for levetiracetam (73%) was second highest and significantly higher than carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine. Oxcarbazepine had the lowest retention rate, significantly lower than all other AEDs. Lamotrigine had the highest 12-month seizure-freedom rate (54%), followed by levetiracetam (43%). When stratified into patients with nonrefractory and refractory disease, relative rates of seizure freedom and retention remained comparable with the overall group. Imbalance, drowsiness, and gastrointestinal symptoms were the most common intolerable adverse effects. CONCLUSION: In this study of older adults with epilepsy, lamotrigine was the most effective AED as measured by 12-month retention and seizure freedom, with levetiracetam a close second. Oxcarbazepine was consistently less effective than most other AEDs.