Newborn Screening for the Detection of the TP53 R337H Variant and Surveillance for Early Diagnosis of Pediatric Adrenocortical Tumors: Lessons Learned and Way Forward.

The incidence of pediatric adrenocortical tumors (ACT) is high in southern Brazil due to the founder TP53 R337H variant. Neonatal screening/surveillance (NSS) for this variant resulted in early ACT detection and improved outcomes. The medical records of children with ACT who did not participate in newborn screening (non-NSS) were reviewed (2012-2018). We compared known prognostic factors between the NSS and non-NSS cohorts and estimated surveillance and treatment costs. Of the 16 non-NSS children with ACT carrying the R337H variant, the disease stages I, II, III, and IV were observed in five, five, one, and five children, respectively. The tumor weight ranged from 22 to 608 g. The 11 NSS children with ACT all had disease stage I and were alive. The median tumor weight, age of diagnosis, and interval between symptoms and diagnosis were 21 g, 1.9 years, and two weeks, respectively, for the NSS cohort and 210 g, 5.2 years, and 15 weeks, respectively, for the non-NSS cohort. The estimated surveillance/screening cost per year of life saved is US$623/patient. NSS is critical for improving the outcome of pediatric ACT in this region. Hence, we strongly advocate for the inclusion of R337H in the state-mandated universal screening and surveillance.

Penetrance of the TP53 R337H Mutation and Pediatric Adrenocortical Carcinoma Incidence Associated with Environmental Influences in a 12-Year Observational Cohort in Southern Brazil.

The TP53 R337H mutation is associated with increased incidence of pediatric adrenocortical tumor (ACT). The different environmental conditions where R337H carriers live have not been systematically analyzed. Here, the R337H frequencies, ACT incidences, and R337H penetrance for ACT were calculated using the 2006 cohort with 4165 R337H carriers living in Paraná state (PR) subregions. The effectiveness of a second surveillance for R337H probands selected from 42,438 tested newborns in PR (2016 cohort) was tested to detect early stage I tumor among educated families without periodical exams. Estimation of R337H frequencies and ACT incidence in Santa Catarina state (SC) used data from 50,115 tested newborns without surveillance, ACT cases from a SC hospital, and a public cancer registry. R337H carrier frequencies in the population were 0.245% (SC) and 0.306% (PR), and 87% and 95% in ACTs, respectively. The ACT incidence was calculated as ~6.4/million children younger than 10 years per year in PR (95% CI: 5.28; 7.65) and 4.15/million in SC (CI 95%: 2.95; 5.67). The ACT penetrance in PR for probands followed from birth to 12 years was 3.9%. R337H carriers living in an agricultural subregion (C1) had a lower risk of developing pediatric ACT than those living in industrial and large urban subregion (relative risk = 2.4). One small ACT (21g) without recurrence (1/112) was detected by the parents in the 2016 cohort. ACT incidence follows R337H frequency in each population, but remarkably environmental factors modify these rates.

The frequency of ßS-globin haplotypes in the state of Paraná, Brazil, and clinical manifestations of sickle cell anemia / Frequência dos haplótipos da globina ßS no estado do Paraná, Brasil, e manifestações clínicas em pacientes com anemia falciforme

ABSTRACT Introduction: Haplotypes in the β S-globin cluster are named according to their geographical origin as Central African Republic (CAR), Benin (BEN), Senegal (SEN), Cameroon (CAM) and Arab-Indian. They are considered to have influence on the diversity of clinical manifestations in sickle cell anemia (HbSS). Objective: To identify β S haplotypes and genotypes, their frequencies and their probable association with clinical presentation in patients with sickle cell anemia in the state of Paraná. Method: Longitudinal and descriptive study for the definition of haplotypes, and associative study for analysis of their influence on clinical severity. By polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), polymorphic regions of 100 HbSS patients were identified. The association of haplotypes with clinical manifestations was analyzed in a subset of 52 pediatric patients. Results: In the state of Paraná, haplotype frequencies were: CAR: 76% BEN: 17.5% SEN: 0.5%, CAM: 0.5% and Atypical (Atp): 5.5%. Genotype frequencies were: CAR/CAR: 62%; CAR/BEN: 20%; CAR/Atp: 6%; CAR/ SEN: 1%; CAR/CAM: 1%; BEN/BEN: 6%; BEN/Atp: 3%, Atp/Atp: 1%. The average percentage of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) in CAR/CAR and CAR/BEN patients was higher than in other studies. Clinical manifestations were not influenced by β S haplotypes. Dactylitis and splenic sequestration occurred more frequently in children below 3 years of age. Conclusion: In this study, no association was found between haplotypes and clinical manifestations, probably given the almost absolute predominance of CAR and BEN haplotypes. However, this fact alerts to the possible influence of other polymorphisms and miscegenation in the Brazilian population.

RESUMO Introdução: A variabilidade nas manifestações clínicas da anemia falciforme (HbSS) pode ser influenciada pelos haplótipos no grupamento da globina β S, nomeados de acordo com a origem geográfica: República Centro-Africana (CAR), Benin (BEN), Senegal (SEN) Camarões (CAM) e árabe-indiano. Objetivo: Identificar haplótipos e genótipos da globina β S, suas frequências e as possíveis associações com manifestações clínicas em pacientes com anemia falciforme no estado do Paraná. Método: Estudo longitudinal e descritivo na distribuição dos haplótipos e associativo na análise da influência destes sobre as manifestações clínicas. Identificaram-se as regiões polimórficas da globina β S de 100 pacientes HbSS pela técnica da polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). A associação dos haplótipos com as manifestações clínicas foi analisada em um subgrupo de 52 pacientes pediátricos. Resultados: As frequências dos haplótipos foram CAR: 76%; BEN: 17,5%; SEN: 0,5%; CAM: 0,5% e Atípico (Atp): 5,5%. Os genótipos foram CAR/CAR: 62%; CAR/BEN: 20%; CAR/Atp: 6%; CAR/SEN: 1%; CAR/CAM: 1%; BEN/BEN: 6%; BEN/Atp: 3% e Atp/Atp: 1%. A porcentagem média de hemoglobina fetal (HbF) dos pacientes CAR/CAR e CAR/BEN foi maior que em outros estudos. Os haplótipos da globina β S não tiveram influência nas manifestações clínicas. A dactilite e o sequestro esplênico ocorreram com mais frequência nas crianças abaixo de 3 anos de idade. Conclusão: Na população estudada, não foi possível identificar associação dos haplótipos com as manifestações clínicas. Esse fato pode ser decorrente do predomínio quase absoluto dos haplótipos CAR e BEN, de diferentes polimorfismos e da miscigenação da população brasileira.

Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis After Initiation of Chemotherapy for Bilateral Adrenal Neuroblastoma.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare and aggressive syndrome characterized by overactivation of the immune system. Although secondary HLH has been frequently associated with malignancies, this entity is rarely triggered by solid tumors, such as neuroblastomas. Herein, we describe a 14-month-old girl with a late diagnosis of bilateral adrenal neuroblastoma who developed HLH 6 days after the initiation of chemotherapy. On the basis of the large tumoral mass and the time of onset of her symptoms suggestive of HLH, we hypothesize that tumor cell destruction induced by chemotherapy drugs was the trigger to the development of hematophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis syndrome.

Impact of neonatal screening and surveillance for the TP53 R337H mutation on early detection of childhood adrenocortical tumors.

PURPOSE: The incidence of pediatric adrenocortical tumors (ACTs) is remarkably high in southern Brazil, where more than 90% of patients carry the germline TP53 mutation R337H. We assessed the impact of early detection of this mutation and of surveillance of carriers. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Free newborn screening was offered at all hospitals in the state of Paraná. Parents of positive newborns were tested, and relatives in the carrier line were offered screening. Positive newborns and their relatives age < 15 years were offered surveillance (periodic clinical, laboratory, and ultrasound evaluations). ACTs detected by imaging were surgically resected. RESULTS: Of 180,000 newborns offered screening, 171,649 were screened, and 461 (0.27%) were carriers. As of April 2012, ACTs had been diagnosed in 11 of these carriers but in only two neonatally screened noncarriers (P < .001); six patient cases were identified among 228 carrier relatives age < 15 years (total, 19 ACTs). Surveillance participants included 347 (49.6%) of 699 carriers. Tumors were smaller in surveillance participants (P < .001) and more advanced in nonparticipants (four with stage III disease; two deaths). Neonatally screened carriers also had neuroblastoma (n = 1), glioblastoma multiforme (n = 1), choroid plexus carcinoma (n = 2), and Burkitt lymphoma (n = 1). Cancer histories and pedigrees were obtained for 353 families that included 1,704 identified carriers. ACTs were the most frequent cancer among carrier children (n = 48). CONCLUSION: These findings establish the prevalence of the TP53 R337H mutation in Paraná state and the penetrance of ACTs among carriers. Importantly, screening and surveillance of heterozygous carriers are effective in detecting ACTs when readily curable.

SNP array profiling of childhood adrenocortical tumors reveals distinct pathways of tumorigenesis and highlights candidate driver genes.

CONTEXT: Childhood adrenocortical tumors (ACT) are rare malignancies, except in southern Brazil, where a higher incidence rate is associated to a high frequency of the founder R337H TP53 mutation. To date, copy number alterations in these tumors have only been analyzed by low-resolution comparative genomic hybridization. OBJECTIVE: We analyzed an international series of 25 childhood ACT using high-resolution single nucleotide polymorphism arrays to: 1) detect focal copy number alterations highlighting candidate driver genes; and 2) compare genetic alterations between Brazilian patients carrying the R337H TP53 mutation and non-Brazilian patients. RESULTS: We identified 16 significantly recurrent chromosomal alterations (q-value < 0.05), the most frequent being -4q34, +9q33-q34, +19p, loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of chromosome 17 and 11p15. Focal amplifications and homozygous deletions comprising well-known oncogenes (MYC, MDM2, PDGFRA, KIT, MCL1, BCL2L1) and tumor suppressors (TP53, RB1, RPH3AL) were identified. In addition, eight focal deletions were detected at 4q34, defining a sharp peak region around the noncoding RNA LINC00290 gene. Although non-Brazilian tumors with a mutated TP53 were similar to Brazilian tumors, those with a wild-type TP53 displayed distinct genomic profiles, with significantly fewer rearrangements (P = 0.019). In particular, three alterations (LOH of chromosome 17, +9q33-q34, and -4q34) were significantly more frequent in TP53-mutated samples. Finally, two of four TP53 wild-type tumors displayed as sole rearrangement a copy-neutral LOH of the imprinted region at 11p15, supporting a major role for this region in ACT development. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight potential driver genes and cellular pathways implicated in childhood ACT and demonstrate the existence of different oncogenic routes in this pathology.

Molecular epidemiology of adrenocortical tumors in southern Brazil.

The high frequency of TP53 R337H carriers in southern Brazil is responsible for the highest known incidence of childhood adrenocortical tumor (ACT). Our aims were to examine other contributing mutations, age-related risk factors, epidemiological differences in ACT and to shed light on a method for increasing the survival rate of children. The fetal zone of the adrenal cortex is believed to be one of the tissues most susceptible to adenoma or carcinoma formation due to loss of p53 function. The founder germline R337H mutation is found in 95% of ACTs of young children, a much greater proportion than in adults. Despite intense educational campaigns about the high incidence of ACT in Paraná State, advanced cases remain common. Four advanced ACT cases (4/5) were admitted to a single institution in the first 6months of 2011 in Paraná State, none of the families knew about ACT, and 2 reported no familial cancer syndrome. Curative resection is possible when a small ACT is detected early.

High frequency of loss of heterozygosity at 11p15 and IGF2 overexpression are not related to clinical outcome in childhood adrenocortical tumors positive for the R337H TP53 mutation.

A germline TP53 R337H mutation is present in childhood adrenocortical tumors (ACT) from southern Brazil. Other genetic alterations are also frequently found in these tumors. This study was designed to assess whether alterations of the 11p15 region exist in childhood ACT, accounting for IGF2 overexpression in these tumors, and how they are related to clinical outcome. Tumor DNA of 12 children with ACT (4 adenomas and 8 carcinomas) and from the blood of their parents was analyzed. All patients showed 11p15 loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in the tumor. In contrast to the single case of paternal LOH, IGF2 was overexpressed in tumors with maternal allele loss. Our data show that 11p15 LOH is a widespread finding in childhood ACT not related with malignancy, contrary to adult ACT. Alterations in the expression of other genes in the same region (e.g., CDKN1C) may contribute to ACT tumorigenesis.

Mitotane associated with cisplatin, etoposide, and doxorubicin in advanced childhood adrenocortical carcinoma: mitotane monitoring and tumor regression.

PURPOSE: To define a mitotane dose for pediatric patients with adrenocortical cancer (ACC) that maintains therapeutic plasma levels (TL) between 14 and 20 microg/mL and to verify its antitumor efficacy in association with 8 cycles of cisplatin, etoposide, and doxorubicin (CED). METHODS: Powdered mitotane was dissolved in a medium chain triglyceride oil and administered to 11 children with ACC (2.4 to 15.4 y of age); an initial low dose was increased to 4 g/m2/d. Ten of the 11 children had a germline TP53 R337H mutation. Mitotane plasma levels were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS: The mitotane dose to maintain TL in 7 patients ranged from 1.0 to 5.3 g/m2/d. Six children reached mitotane levels of 10 microg/mL in 3.6 months (1.5 to 5.0 mo), whereas 5 children took 8 months (6.5 to 12.5 mo). Minor to partial tumor remission was found in 5 patients (<1 y) and complete remission was found in 2 patients. Of the 3 patients who are alive at the time of report, 1 patient has been without disease for 16 months, and 2 patients have progressive disease. All patients had recurrent metastatic disease (2 to 9 times). Mitotane toxic effects were nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, neurologic alterations, gynecomastia, a rare case of hypertensive encephalopathy, and CED-related hematologic toxic effects. CONCLUSIONS: Mitotane daily dose to maintain TL is variable and monitoring should start 1.5 months after the beginning of treatment. CED combined with mitotane is the best available pharmacologic treatment for ACC, but further studies are required to characterize different profiles of therapeutic response.

SF-1 overexpression in childhood adrenocortical tumours.

The steroidogenic factor 1 (SF-1) gene encodes a transcription factor playing a pivotal role in the regulation of adrenogenital development. We have recently shown that SF-1 is amplified in childhood adrenocortical tumours (ACT). This study was aimed to assess if an increase in SF-1 gene copy number was associated with increased protein levels and to study the correlation between SF-1 expression and ACT clinical parameters. An increased SF-1 copy number was detected in eight of the 10 ACT cases studied. Conversely, the SF-1 protein was found to be overexpressed in all cases, compared to normal age-matched adrenal glands. No significant correlation was found between SF-1 protein levels and its gene copy number. Furthermore, no significant correlation existed with histological grade or with the clinical manifestation or evolution of disease. This data show that SF-1 overexpression is widespread in childhood ACT and is likely to play a role in its pathogenesis.

Neuroblastoma in southern Brazil: an 11-year study.

The authors report on the incidence and clinical characteristics of neuroblastoma in southern Brazil. The aims of the study were to evaluate the age at diagnosis, tumor stage, MYCN status, and tumor histopathology, and to relate these factors to survival. All patients with neuroblastoma, 15 years old or younger (n = 125), admitted to the three major pediatric oncology hospitals in the state of Parana over a period of 11 years (between January 1990 and December 2000), were included in the analysis. All patients were followed for at least 5 years. In addition, a FISH evaluation for MYCN status was conducted in a subset of 34 tumors. Overall survival for tumor stages 1, 2, 3, and 4 was 100%, 72%, 59%, and 17%, respectively. Sixty-two percent (77/125) of all patients were older than 2 years; these represented 71% (57/80) of the patients with stage 4 disease. Children who presented with an unfavorable histopathology had a significantly worse prognosis (20% survival) than children with a favorable histopathology (67% survival). MYCN amplification was detected most commonly in stages 3 and 4 tumors (13/16). These data showed a delayed diagnosis of neuroblastoma in children in southern Brazil, and consequently survival was considerably lower in these patients.

Mortality rate of adrenocortical tumors in children under 15 years of age in Curitiba, Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Several reports refer to an increased frequency of adrenal cortex tumors (ACT) among children in Southern Brazil, yet all data have been derived from hospital-based registries. An inherited germline mutation in the p53 gene (TP53 R337H) is detected in virtually all children with ACT in this region and accounts for the excess cases observed. PROCEDURE: We reviewed all death certificates that mentioned ACT or adrenal neuroblastoma (NB) and which were reported to the Paraná State Department of Health between 1998 and 2003, for individuals younger than 15 years who resided in the Curitiba metropolitan region. RESULTS: Eight deaths from ACT and ten from NB were identified. The age-standardized mortality rate per million children <15 years of age in the Curitiba metropolitan region during the years 1998-2003 was 1.6 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4, 1.8) for ACT and 2.3 (95% CI 2.0, 2.5) for NB. The ratio of the adrenal NB and ACT age-adjusted mortality rates was 1.43. The incidence of ACT estimated from the mortality data, assuming an ACT survival rate of 0.542, was 3.5 (95% CI 2.9, 4.2). CONCLUSIONS: Our investigation of population-based mortality confirms the evidence from hospital-based registries of a clustering of ACT in Southern Brazil. In addition, our data suggest that the incidence of ACT in this region is about 12-18 times the incidence reported in the United States and Europe.

Câncer de tireóide na infância e adolescência: relato de 15 casos / Thyroid cancer in childhood and adolescence: report of 15 cases

Tumores tireoideanos são raros na infância e adolescência. Foram revisados os prontuários de quinze pacientes (8 do sexo feminino) com idades entre 5,8 e 15,2 anos, atendidos na Unidade de Endocrinologia Pediátrica (UEP) do HC-UFPR entre fevereiro de 1988 e março de 2003. Nódulo cervical anterior foi a queixa inicial mais freqüente. Dez pacientes eram portadores de carcinoma papilífero (CP), quatro apresentavam carcinoma medular (CMT; dos quais, três com NEM-2B) e um, carcinoma folicular. Dois pacientes com NEM-2B apresentam mutação de novo (Met918Thr) do proto-oncogene RET. PAAF, efetuada em dez pacientes, foi positiva para neoplasia em cinco deles. Todos os pacientes foram submetidos a tireoidectomia total. Terapia adjuvante com 131I foi realizada em dez pacientes. Dois pacientes faleceram por doença não relacionada ao tumor. Nove pacientes não apresentam evidência clínica ou laboratorial do tumor; um (CP) apresentou recidiva 5 anos após o tratamento inicial e três (1 CP, 2 CMT) ainda têm evidência da doença. Nossos dados estão de acordo com a literatura em relação ao prognóstico e manifestações clínicas. Entretanto, a prevalência de CMT (27 por cento), a distribuição por sexo e os resultados da PAAF diferem da maioria das casuísticas publicadas, o que pode ser atribuído ao número de casos aqui relatado.

[Thyroid cancer in childhood and adolescence--report of 15 cases]. / Câncer de tireóide na infância e adolescência--relato de 15 casos.

Thyroid tumors are rare in childhood and adolescence. A retrospective analysis was done of fifteen patients (8 female) with thyroid carcinoma attended in the Pediatric Endocrinology Unit of the HC-UFPR, from February 1988 to March 2003. The most frequent initial complaint was an anterior cervical nodule. Ten patients were papillary carcinoma (PTC) bearers, four had medullary carcinoma (MTC; three of them with MEN-2B) and one had follicular carcinoma. Two patients with MEN-2B have de novo proto-oncogene RET mutation (Met918Thr). Fine needle aspiration (FNA) was performed in ten patients and was malignancy positive in only five of them. All patients underwent total thyroidectomy. Adjuvant radioiodine (131I) therapy was made in ten patients. Two patients died from unrelated diseases. Nine patients presented no clinical or laboratorial evidence of disease; one (PTC) developed recurrence 5 years after initial treatment and three (1 PTC, 2 MTC) have disease evidence yet. Our prognosis and clinical manifestations data are according to the literature. However, MTC prevalence (27%), sex distribution and FNA results differ from the majority of published casuistics, that can be attributed to the number of cases reported here.

Síndrome mieloproliferativa transitória associada à trissomia do 21 e fibrose hepática / Transient myeloproliferative disorder associated with trisomy 21 and liver fibrosis

Recém-nascidos com Síndrome de Down (SD) podem apresentar uma proliferaçäo transitória de células imaturas no sangue periférico e medula óssea. A leucometria pode estar muito elevada, impossibilitando o diagnóstico diferencial com leucemia mielóide aguda (LMA). Em contraste com a LMA, a SMT regride espontaneamente em quatro a oito semanas. Objetivo: Apresentar uma criança com SD, SMT e fibrose hepática, que resultou num prognóstico desfavorável. Relato do Caso: D.M.S., masculino, estigmas da SD, hepatoesplenomegalia, sopro sistólico. Hemograma: 95.000 leucócitos/mm³, 19 por cento blastos, 170.000 plaquetas/mm³, hemoglobina 16,2g/dL. Bilirrubina total 35,86 mg/dL, GOT 184 UI, GPT 122 UI. Ecocardiograma: canal átrio-ventricular total, hipertensäo pulmonar, persistência do canal arterial. Sorologias negativas. Biópsia hepática: colestase, fibrose portal e sinusoidal, elementos mielóides imaturos. Após normalizaçäo da leucometria, manteve plaquetopenia e disfunçäo hepática. No 50º dia de vida, quimioterapia com Daunoblastina e Citarabina. Evoluiu com pneumonia e insuficiência renal. Obito no 61ºdia. Comentários: A história natural da SMT gera questöes intrigantes a respeito de sua origem, evoluçäo e desenvolvimento de leucemia subseqüente. A disfunçäo hepática e a fibrose têm impacto prognóstico. Em relato anterior, de cada oito casos de SMT com disfunçäo hepática, seis evoluíram para óbito, sendo que fibrose hepática difusa, associada a eritropoese extra-medular, foi encontrada em quatro casos. Acredita-se que a lesäo hepática resulta da produçäo de citocinas pelos megacariócitos, por ser o fígado o segundo órgäo hematopoético de células anormais, após a medula óssea