Incidences and characteristics of primary lung malignancies in childhood in Germany: An analysis of population-based data from German cancer registries.

BACKGROUND: Primary lung malignancies are a heterogeneous group of cancers that occur very rarely in childhood. Due to limited knowledge of their epidemiologic and clinical features, these tumors present a challenge to the treating physicians. This study aimed to increase the knowledge about the occurrence of primary lung malignancies in childhood in Germany. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pseudonymized data of cases recorded at the German Center for Cancer Registry Data (ZfKD) between 1990 and 2017 were retrieved. Primary lung malignancies were identified using the ICD- and ICD-O classification. Numbers were compared to those reported to the German Childhood Cancer Registry (GCCR). Crude incidence rates were calculated using the ZfKD database. RESULTS: A total of 168 patients diagnosed with primary lung malignancies in the age below 19 years were identified from the ZfKD. The median age at diagnosis was 13 years. The most common tumor entities were lung carcinoids (n = 49), lung carcinoma (n = 36), and pleuropulmonary blastoma (n = 14). An unexpected accumulation of lung cancer cases was noted in the first year of life without a clearly specified histopathological diagnosis. A substantial discrepancy in the numbers of primary lung malignancies between ZfKD and GCCR was found. CONCLUSIONS: We present population-based data on the occurrence of primary childhood lung malignancies in Germany, which were more frequent than previously anticipated but likely remained underreported. For better understanding and optimal treatment of these entities, cancer registration needs to be improved through mandatory reporting to the GCCR and regular data sharing between GCCR, population-based and clinical cancer registries.

Rare pediatric tumors in Germany - not as rare as expected: a study based on data from the Bavarian Cancer Registry and the German Childhood Cancer Registry.

Very rare pediatric tumors (VRTs) pose a challenge for treating physicians as little is known about the best diagnostic assessment and therapeutic decision-making in these malignancies. A large proportion of these cancers occur in adolescence. Therefore, the established structures of pediatric oncology including cancer registration may partly be circumvented. This may lead to an underregistration in clinical cancer registries of yet unclear extent. The aim of this study is to increase the knowledge on the occurrence of VRTs in pediatric patients in Germany. Pseudonymized data of cases recorded in the Bavarian Cancer Registry (BCR) between 2002 and 2014 were retrieved. VRTs according to the definition of the European Cooperative Study Group for Pediatric Rare Tumors were identified using the ICD and ICD-O classification. The numbers of registered patients were compared to those reported to the German Childhood Cancer Registry (GCCR). 6.3% (n = 290) of all malignancies (n = 4615) in the age below 18 years were classified as VRTs. Median age at diagnosis was 15 years (range 0-17 years). The most common tumor types included malignant melanoma, skin carcinoma, and gonadal tumors. During the same period, 49 pediatric patients from Bavaria with matchable VRTs were reported to the GCCR, accounting for 17% of cases reported to the BCR. CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of VRTs in Germany is underestimated in the national GCCR. With this study, we present population-based data on the incidence of VRTs in Germany for the first time. In order to gain additional knowledge about these malignancies, registration of VRTs must be improved through enhanced data exchange between the GCCR, the public cancer registries, and the clinical Registry for Rare Pediatric Tumors (STEP). WHAT IS KNOWN: • Rare pediatric tumors pose a challenge for treating physicians as limited knowledge is available on these malignancies for diagnostic and therapeutic decision-making. • Little is known about the frequency of these rare tumors in pediatric patients. WHAT IS NEW: • The frequency of rare pediatric tumors in Germany is distinctly underestimated in the German Childhood Cancer Registry. • We present population-based data on the incidence of these rare pediatric cancers for the first time.

Rare malignant pediatric tumors registered in the German Childhood Cancer Registry 2001-2010.

BACKGROUND: The German Childhood Cancer Registry (GCCR) annually registers approximately 2,000 children diagnosed with a malignant disease (completeness of registration >95%). While most pediatric cancer patients are diagnosed and treated according to standardized cooperative protocols of the German Society for Pediatric Oncology and Hematology (GPOH), patients with rare tumors are at risk of not being integrated in the network including trials and reference centers. PROCEDURE: A retrospective analysis of all rare extracranial solid tumors reported to the GCCR 2001-2010 (age <18 years) was undertaken using a combination of the International Classification of Childhood Cancer (ICCC-3) and the International Classification of Diseases-Oncology (ICD-O-3). Tumors accounting for <0.3% of all malignancies were defined as rare (approx. 6 cases/year and registered malignancy). RESULTS: According to this definition 1,189 rare extracranial solid tumors (18.2% of all malignant extracranial solid tumors) were registered, among these 232 patients (19.5% of rare tumor cases), were not included in preexisting GPOH studies/registries. Within 10 years, the number of registered non-GPOH-trial patients with a rare tumor increased. CONCLUSIONS: Though most of the GCCR-registered patients with rare malignant tumors are treated within GPOH trials, there is a considerable number of patients that have been diagnosed and treated outside the structures of the GPOH. These patients should be reported to the recently founded German Pediatric Rare Tumor Registry (STEP). Active data accrual and the development of appropriate structures will allow for better registration and improvement of medical care in these patients.

Patient-reported long-term outcome following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in pediatric chronic myeloid leukemia.

Background: Pediatric CML is very rare. Before the introduction of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) from a donor -if available- was the standard cure attempt. Data on the long-term outcome and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in former pediatric CML patients undergoing HSCT are lacking. Study question: We investigated long-term survivors' self-reporting to a questionnaire sent out to patients formerly enrolled in pediatric CML-HSCT trials. Methods: Individuals with CML transplanted at age <18 years were identified from the German Childhood Cancer Registry database. Long-term survivors received a questionnaire based on the SF-36 and FACT-BMT asking them to self-report HRQOL issues. (Ethical vote #541_20 B, Medical Faculty, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg). Results: 111/171 (64.9%) individuals survived HSCT long-term and 86/111 (77.5%) fulfilled all inclusion criteria and received the questionnaire. 37/86 (43%) participants (24 female, 13 male, median age at HSCT 12 years [range 2-18], median age at the time of the survey 29 years [range 18-43]) responded after a median follow-up period of 19 years (range 4-27) after HSCT. 10/37 (27%) participants underwent no regular medical follow-up examinations. Self-reported symptoms like chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGvHD)-associated organ impairments and conditioning regimen consequences could causatively not sharply be separated in each case. Complains comprised hypothyroidism (N=11, 30%), infertility (N=9, 24%), lung problems, dry eyes (each N=7, 19%), skin alterations (N=6, 17%), hair problems (N=4, 11%), and sexual dysfunction (N=3, 9%). 10 (27%) participants experienced 13 CML relapses after a median interval from HSCT of 31 months (range 2-93). Only one patient underwent 2nd SCT after failure of relapse treatment with TKIs. Six secondary malignancies (dysplastic melanocytic nevus and ALL, basal cell carcinoma (N=2), rhabdomyosarcoma, and thyroid carcinoma developed in 5 (13%) participants. As assessed by the SF-36 questionnaire, impaired physical health was mainly associated with cGvHD. The mental component summary score showed that also participants without cGvHD scored significantly lower than the general population. When assessed by the FACT-BMT, participants with cGvHD scored significantly lower while participants without cGvHD scored even 5 points higher than the data from controls. 18 (49%) participants considered the sequelae of HSCT an obstacle to education. Out of the total cohort, N=20 (54%), N=7 (19%), N=5 (14%), and N=4 (11%) participants worked full time, part-time, were unemployed, or had not yet finalized their education, respectively. 20 (54%) participants lived as singles, 8 (22%) lived in a partnership, 6 (16%) were married, and 3 (8%) had been divorced. Four (11%) participants reported a total number of 7 children. Conclusion: This first assessment of HRQOL in former pediatric patients with CML surviving HSCT for more than two decades demonstrates self-reported satisfactory well-being only in the absence of cGvHD. Research-based on self-reported outcomes sheds light on former patients' perspectives and provides an additional layer of valuable knowledge for pediatric and adult hematologists. Regular follow-up examinations are mandatory helping to avoid that late secondary neoplasias, CML-relapse, and disorders forming the broad range of possible long-term consequences of HSCT are not detected too late.

Corrigendum: Patient-reported long-term outcome following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in pediatric chronic myeloid leukemia.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.963223.].