Prospective evaluation of hepatitis B, C and HIV infections as possible sequelae of antineoplastic treatment in paediatric sarcoma patients: a report from the Late Effects Surveillance System.

Cancer therapy and supportive measures entail the risk of infection with hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV) or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The objective of this analysis was to establish the incidence of infections with these viruses during antineoplastic treatment in our paediatric sarcoma patients, who are being followed-up within the Late Effects Surveillance System (LESS), which prospectively registers sequelae of therapy for Ewing's-, soft tissue- and osteosarcoma in patients treated in Germany, Austria and Switzerland within the trials EICESS-92/EURO-E.W.I.N.G.-99, CWS-96/CWS-2002P and COSS-96. We studied 264 eligible relapse-free paediatric patients [median age at diagnosis 14.3 (IQR 11.1-16.4) years], treated from January 7, 1998 until April 24, 2004. According to the LESS protocol, serological examinations for HBV, HCV and HIV were scheduled 4 weeks and 6 months after cessation of antineoplastic treatment. The median follow-up was 20.6 (IQR 12.4-26) months. None of the patients was reported to have acquired HBV, HCV or HIV during antineoplastic treatment. Blood donor screening and prophylactic measures employed in Germany, Austria and Switzerland to prevent infections of cancer patients with HBV, HCV and HIV seem to be very effective, having fully prevented new infections in this large cohort of paediatric sarcoma patients.