Maximal Aerobic Power, Quality of Life, and Ejection Fraction in Survivors of Childhood Cancer Treated with Anthracyclines.

BACKGROUND: Anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity is a frequent complication that can occur at any stage of treatment, even in survivors. OBJECTIVE: To determine maximum aerobic power, quality of life, and left ventricular ejection fraction in childhood cancer survivors treated with anthracyclines. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, observational study. METHODS: The left ventricular ejection fraction was obtained from the transthoracic echocardiogram report in the medical records. Each patient underwent a 6-minute walk test, assessment of maximum aerobic power on a cycle ergometer, and evaluation of perceived exertion using the EPInfant scale, and finally, their quality of life was evaluated using the pediatric quality of life inventory model. RESULTS: A total of 12 patients were studied, with an average of 16.2 years of age. All patients exhibited a left ventricular ejection fraction >60%, the mean distance covered in the 6-minute walk test was 516.7 m, and the mean of the maximum aerobic power was 70 W. Low quality of life scores were obtained in the physical and psychosocial aspects. In the Pearson test, a weak correlation without statistical significance was found between all the variables studied. CONCLUSIONS: Simultaneously with the detection of cardiotoxicity in childhood cancer survivors, it is pertinent to perform physical evaluations as physical condition and cardiotoxicity seem to be issues that are not necessarily dependent.

Diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas: First registry effort in Mexico.

INTRODUCTION: Brainstem tumors comprise 10.9% of all brain tumors, and pediatric diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPG) have a fatal prognosis. Some countries have developed national and international register databases to characterize their populations to aid clinical and public policy decisions. This study provides information regarding the clinical characteristics of a retrospective cohort of children with DIPG in México from 2001 to 2021, and assesses the proposed prognostic factors previously described for survival outcome. METHODS: Health institutions from Mexico were invited to contribute to a retrospective electronic registry of patients with DIPG based on the International DIPG Registry. Fisher's exact test was used to compare long- and short-term survivors. Overall survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Differences between survival curves were evaluated using the log-rank test and Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. RESULTS: Total 110 patients were included. The median age of the patients at diagnosis was 7 years. Sixty patients (54.5%) presented with symptoms in less than 6 months; the most frequent symptom was ataxia (56.4%). Ninety patients received treatment (81.8%), the overall survival at 4 years was 11.4%, and 16 patients (14.5%) were admitted for palliative end-of-life care. We found no significant survival differences for any of the prognostic factors. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the need to develop strategies to standardize healthcare processes and enhance the quality of care to improve clinical diagnosis in Mexico. We also observed a barrier to the acceptance of palliative end-of-life care in the family and medical teams.

Impact of treatment and clinical characteristics on the survival of children with medulloblastoma in Mexico.

Introduction: Data on medulloblastoma outcomes and experiences in low- and middle-income countries, especially in Latin America, is limited. This study examines challenges in Mexico's healthcare system, focusing on assessing outcomes for children with medulloblastoma in a tertiary care setting. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted, involving 284 patients treated at 21 pediatric oncology centers in Mexico. Results: High-risk patients exhibited markedly lower event-free survival than standard-risk patients (43.5% vs. 78.3%, p<0.001). Influential factors on survival included anaplastic subtype (HR 2.4, p=0.003), metastatic disease (HR 1.9, p=0.001); residual tumor >1.5cm², and lower radiotherapy doses significantly impacted event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS). Platinum-based chemotherapy showed better results compared to the ICE protocol in terms of OS and EFS, which was associated with higher toxicity. Patients under 3 years old displayed notably lower OS and EFS compared to older children (36.1% vs. 55.9%, p=0.01).

[Cardiovascular evaluation of patients undergoing cancer treatments at a clinic for childhood cancer survivors in Mexico]. / Evaluación cardiovascular de pacientes sometidos a tratamientos oncológicos en una clínica de supervivientes de cáncer infantil en México

Objetivo: Describir los efectos cardiovasculares del tratamiento del cáncer infantil en supervivientes mediante métodos clínicos, electrocardiográficos y ecocardiográficos. Material y métodos: Estudio transversal y observacional de casos y controles de 34 pacientes de una clínica de supervivientes de cáncer infantil, evaluados de forma clínica, con electrocardiograma, ecocardiografía convencional y strain. Edad promedio de 13.03 años; dosis acumulada de antracíclicos promedio de 219.5 mg/m2; siete además con radiación a tórax. Análisis con pruebas T de Student y regresión lineal. Resultados: Fracción de expulsión izquierda preservada en supervivientes. Strain longitudinal izquierdo en dos, tres cámaras y circunferencial disminuido en supervivientes (p < 0.05). Los enfermos sometidos a radioterapia y antracíclicos mostraron un incremento de la frecuencia cardíaca, disminución de la fracción de expulsión y fracción de acortamiento izquierdos (< 0.05). Ventrículo derecho sin cambios significativos. Discusión y conclusiones: Existe un gran número de supervivientes de cáncer infantil tratados con cardiotóxicos y radioterapia; éstos pueden experimentar cambios en el strain miocárdico ventricular (aun con fracción de expulsión normal) o arritmias, como lo muestra el grupo estudiado, que concuerda con protocolos internacionales previos. Es importante su evaluación cardiovascular completa para predecir el riesgo de insuficiencia cardíaca como parte de un seguimiento protocolizado en clínicas de cardiooncología bien establecidas.

Pediatric mature B-cell NHL, early referral and supportive care problems in a developing country.

OBJECTIVE: Mature B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL) comprises more than 50% of all non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in children and adolescents. An official report published by the Mexican National Center for the Control and Prevention of Cancer in the Pediatric and Adolescent Populations, reported a lymphoma OS of 71% (including all Hodgkin and NHL). The Mexican Association of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology conducted a retrospective study to analyze the clinical characteristics and outcomes of children with diagnosis of B-NHL in Mexico, in order to perceive the main areas of improvement in the health care. METHODS: From 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2016, 166 pediatric patients were diagnosed with B-cell NHL at the participant institutions. RESULTS: According to histology the outcomes were 5-year EFS 63%, for BL/BLL, and 80% DLBCL, (P = .051), 5-year PFS 81%, for BL/BLL, and 91% for DLBCL, (P = .126), and 5-year OS 71%, for BL/BLL, and 83% for DLBCL, (P = .095). DISCUSSION: Overall, 18 patients died due to acute treatment toxicity, resulting in a cumulative incidence of toxic death of 10.84% and an early death rate of 7.23%, defined as <30 days after initial treatment. In conclusion, there is an urgent need to establish an academic collaboration to create strategies to improve pediatric cancer care according to our resources, especially in diseases with expected excellent prognosis as B-NHL. These strategies must include comprehensive supportive care, early referral, and the creation of easy communication between pediatric and adults centers as well as late-effects clinics.

Evaluación cardiovascular de pacientes sometidos a tratamientos oncológicos en una clínica de supervivientes de cáncer infantil en México / Cardiovascular evaluation of patients undergoing cancer treatments at a clinic for childhood cancer survivors in Mexico

Resumen Objetivo: Describir los efectos cardiovasculares del tratamiento del cáncer infantil en supervivientes mediante métodos clínicos, electrocardiográficos y ecocardiográficos. Material y métodos: Estudio transversal y observacional de casos y controles de 34 pacientes de una clínica de supervivientes de cáncer infantil, evaluados de forma clínica, con electrocardiograma, ecocardiografía convencional y strain. Edad promedio de 13.03 años; dosis acumulada de antracíclicos promedio de 219.5 mg/m2; siete además con radiación a tórax. Análisis con pruebas T de Student y regresión lineal. Resultados: Fracción de expulsión izquierda preservada en supervivientes. Strain longitudinal izquierdo en dos, tres cámaras y circunferencial disminuido en supervivientes (p < 0.05). Los enfermos sometidos a radioterapia y antracíclicos mostraron un incremento de la frecuencia cardíaca, disminución de la fracción de expulsión y fracción de acortamiento izquierdos (< 0.05). Ventrículo derecho sin cambios significativos. Discusión y conclusiones: Existe un gran número de supervivientes de cáncer infantil tratados con cardiotóxicos y radioterapia; éstos pueden experimentar cambios en el strain miocárdico ventricular (aun con fracción de expulsión normal) o arritmias, como lo muestra el grupo estudiado, que concuerda con protocolos internacionales previos. Es importante su evaluación cardiovascular completa para predecir el riesgo de insuficiencia cardíaca como parte de un seguimiento protocolizado en clínicas de cardiooncología bien establecidas.

Abstract Objective: To describe the cardiovascular effects of childhood cancer treatment in survivors through clinical, electrocardiogram and echocardiographic methods. Material and methods: Prospective, observational case-control study of 34 patients of a Childhood Cancer Survivors Clinic, evaluated clinically, with electrocardiogram, with conventional echocardiography and strain. Average age 13.03 years; cumulative average anthracyclic dose 219.5 mg/m2; seven also with chest radiation. Analysis with student T tests and linear regression. Results: Left ejection fraction in survivors was preserved. Longitudinal left strain in 2, 3 chambers and circumferential was decreased in survivors (p < 0.05). Those undergoing radiotherapy and anthracyclic presented increased heart rate, ejection fraction and left shortening fraction decreased (< 0.05). Right ventricle without significant changes. Discussion and conclusions: There are a large number of childhood cancer survivors treated with cardiotoxics and radiotherapy. They may present changes in ventricular myocardial strain (even with normal ejection fraction) and/or arrhythmias, as evidenced in the group studied, which is consistent with previous international studies. Its complete cardiovascular evaluation is important to predict the risk of heart failure as part of a protocolized follow-up in well-established cardio oncology clinics.

Linfoma no Hodgkin: primera y segunda neoplasia o, transformación histológica: dificultad diagnóstica: reporte de un caso / Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: first and second neoplasia or, histological transformation: diagnostic difficulty: a case report

El LF es una enfermedad heterogénea con muchos diferentes subgrupos, en términos de edad de inicio, órganos involucrados (especialmente sitios extranodales) y anormalidades genéticas. Con grandes variaciones en el curso clínico, algunas veces muy indolente o no; puede mostrar transformación a linfomas de alto grado, se han reportado transformaciones a Linfoma de Células Grandes B Difusas (siendo este el más común), de Burkitt, Leucemia/Linfoma, Linfoma Linfoblástico (reportado en raras ocasiones), con un curso clínico agresivo. En el 2008 la OMS estableció 3 nuevas variantes: 1) LF Pediátrico, 2) LF Primario Intestinal y 3) LF in situ. Patólogos y clínicos debemos considerar estas patologías cuando se decide el diagnóstico y el tratamiento. La transformación histológica se refiere al evento biológico que lleva al desarrollo de un Linfoma No Hodgkin agresivo de alto grado en pacientes con un LF subyacente. El Linfoma Folicular (LF) pediátrico es una neoplasia excesivamente rara, que difiere del LF del adulto.

FL is a heterogeneous disease with many different subgroups, in terms of age of onset, organs involved (especially extranodal sites) and genetic abnormalities. With great variations in the clinical course, sometimes very indolent or not; can show transformation to high-grade lymphomas, transformations to Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma (this being the most common), Burkitt's, Leukemia / Lymphoma, Lymphoblastic. Lymphoma (reported rarely), with an aggressive clinical course have been reported. In 2008 the WHO established 3 new variants: 1) Pediatric FL, 2) Intestinal Primary FL and 3) in situ FL. Pathologists and clinicians must consider these pathologies when deciding on diagnosis and treatment. Histological transformation refers to the biological event that leads to the development of high-grade aggressive Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma in patients with an underlying FL. Pediatric Follicular Lymphoma (FL) is an excessively rare neoplasm, which differs from adult FL.

Acute myelogenous leukemia switch lineage upon relapse to acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a case report.

Acute leukemia, the most common form of cancer in children, accounts for approximately 30% of all childhood malignancies, with acute lymphoblastic leukemia being five times more frequent than acute myeloid leukemia. Lineage switch is the term that has been used to describe the phenomenon of acute leukemias that meet the standard French-American-British system criteria for a particular lineage (either lymphoid or myeloid) upon initial diagnosis, but meet the criteria for the opposite lineage at relapse. Many reports have documented conversions of acute lymphoblastic leukemia to acute myeloid leukemia. Here, we report the case of a 4-year-old child with acute myeloid leukemia, which upon relapse switched to acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The morphologic, phenotypic, and molecular features suggest the origin of a new leukemic clone.