Glutamine for the treatment of vincristine-induced neuropathy in children and adolescents with cancer.

BACKGROUND: Vincristine is an integral treatment component of many childhood tumors with potentially dose-limiting sensory and/or motor neuropathy. Results from a pilot study on the incidence of vincristine-induced peripheral neuropathy (VIPN) as well as the efficacy and safety of glutamine in reducing signs and symptoms of VIPN in children with cancer are presented. METHODS: Fifty-six patients between the ages of 5-21 with newly diagnosed leukemia, lymphoma, extracranial solid tumor or medulloblastoma and expected to receive a minimum cumulative dose of 6 mg/m2 of vincristine over a 30-week period were eligible. Patients' neurological functioning was monitored every 3 weeks using clinical history, exam, and assessment of motor functioning. Upon identification of neuropathy, patients were randomized to either glutamine (6 g/m2 per dose twice daily, maximum 10 g/dose) or placebo for a 3-week period followed by 3-week wash out period (Time 3). RESULTS: Forty-nine patients were fully evaluable and 100 % developed neuropathy per study definitions. No significant differences in demographics or side effects were noted between the randomized groups. The distribution of sensory neuropathy scores between the two groups was statistically significant after the intervention (p = 0.022). Children receiving glutamine also rated their quality of life (QoL) as 8.42 points higher on the PedsQL total score than those receiving placebo (p = 0.031). CONCLUSIONS: Glutamine supplementation is well tolerated and associated with improvements in sensory function and self-reported overall quality of life. Future studies are warranted to confirm the efficacy of glutamine for the treatment of vincristine-related sensory neuropathy in pediatric cancer patients.

Neurocognitive functioning and quality of life in patients with recurrent malignant gliomas treated on a phase Ib trial evaluating topotecan by convection-enhanced delivery.

BACKGROUND: Malignant gliomas are highly proliferative, invasive tumors that are resistant to conventional treatment, and disease progression is often accompanied by physical and mental debilitation. Neurocognitive functioning (NCF) and quality of life (QoL) were evaluated as part of a prospective phase Ib dose-escalation study of topotecan by convection-enhanced delivery (CED) for adult patients with recurrent malignant gliomas. METHODS: Sixteen patients were enrolled, and NCF and QoL were evaluated using the Cognitive Stability Index and SF-36 at baseline and monthly for 4 months post treatment. Descriptive analyses included the reliable change index for serial evaluations and correlations for associations between outcome variables and age, tumor volume, total topotecan dose, and treatment effect. RESULTS: Individual classifications of response to treatment indicated that a majority of patients reported stable scores over the follow-up period. Demographic and treatment-related variables were not associated with outcomes. Baseline processing speed scores were invalid for 6 subjects. Higher rates of valid scores were observed on subsequent administrations. CONCLUSIONS: As the first study to use CED of any kind to evaluate the impact of CED on NCF or QoL, there was no evidence of severe detriment to either outcome. Long-term evaluation is necessary to track changes in NCF and QoL related to disease progression. Invalid scores suggest that computer-based assessments may not be suitable for all patients with malignant gliomas, especially those with cognitive deficits secondary to their disease. Future trials should include a wider range of sensitive measures to assess the impact of CED on patient NCF and QoL.

Elevated childhood cancer incidence proximate to U.S. nuclear power plants.

Numerous reports document elevated cancer rates among children living near nuclear facilities in various nations. Little research has examined U.S. rates near the nation's 103 operating reactors. This study determined that cancer incidence for children < 10 yr of age who live within 30 mi (48 km) of each of 14 nuclear plants in the eastern United States (49 counties with a population > 16.8 million) exceeds the national average. The excess 12.4% risk suggests that 1 in 9 cancers among children who reside near nuclear reactors is linked to radioactive emissions. If cancer incidence in 5 western states is used as a baseline, the ratio is closer to 1 in 5. Incidence is particularly elevated for leukemia. Childhood cancer mortality exceeds the national average in 7 of the 14 study areas.