SHH medulloblastoma and very early onset of bowel polyps in a child with PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome.

Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) hamartoma tumor syndrome (PHTS) is a cancer predisposition syndrome characterized by an increased risk of developing benign and malignant tumors, caused by germline pathogenic variants of the PTEN tumour suppressor gene. PTEN gene variants often present in childhood with macrocephaly, developmental delay, and/or autism spectrum disorder while tumors and intestinal polyps are commonly detected in adults. PHTS is rarely associated with childhood brain tumors with only two reported cases of medulloblastoma (MB). We report the exceptional case of an infant carrying a germline and somatic pathogenic variant of PTEN and a germline and somatic pathogenic variant of CHEK2 who developed a MB SHH in addition to intestinal polyposis.

Long term use of eltrombopag in children with chronic immune thrombocytopenia: extended real life retrospective multicenter experience of the Italian Association of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology.

Background: The present multicenter retrospective study on eltrombopag administration in Italian children with chronic ITP aims to extend follow-up of our previous study. Materials and methods: This retrospective multicenter study was conducted in 17 centers affiliated to the Italian Association of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology (AIEOP). Patients were classified into three subgroups: group 1 included patients who discontinued treatment due to a stable platelet count; group 2 included patients who discontinued treatment due to ineffectiveness; group 3 included patients who did not permanently discontinue treatment. Results: 56 patients were eligible for analysis. The median duration of eltrombopag treatment was 40 months (7-71 months). Twenty patients (36%) discontinued permanently eltrombopag. The reasons of permanent discontinuation were adverse effects (n = 1), inefficacy (n = 10), stable platelet count (n = 9). All patients of group 1 maintained a durable response without additional treatments after eltrombopag discontinuation. We found that patients of group 2 were on treatment for less time (median treatment time: 13.5 months, min: 6.0 - max: 56.0) than patients of group 1 (median treatment time: 34 months, min: 16.0 - max: 62.0) (p < 0.05). Patients of group 2 mostly did not achieve a stable platelet count in the first 6 months of treatment and underwent concomitant therapies during follow-up respect of group 1 and group 3 (p < 0.01). Conclusion: Our study found that the benefits of eltrombopag treatment, in terms of platelet count improvement and use of additional therapies, are identifiable from the first 6 months of treatment.

A Textual Analysis for Understanding the Relations and the Identity Construction in Adolescent Oncology Patients: Retrospective Personal Views in Order to Educate Health Professionals.

Patient input is critical for all aspects of value-based healthcare design. This contribution describes the following: the specifics of communications with doctors regarding the disease in adolescents and young adults with cancer; the patients' thoughts, emotions and changes in self-perception; "other meanings" taking shape along the treatment pathway; and reacting modes to the disease and treatments. Thirty-five Italian AYA patients in follow-up (age 18-24) were involved in a plenary interview on the cited aspects of their oncological experience. The answers were analyzed by MADIT (Analysis Methodology of Computerized Textual Data) with the software SPAD. MADIT allowed us to perform text analysis, describe the graphical outcomes and discuss the results. Respondents took a first-person perspective and their personal narrative recall had objective and unequivocal connotations. Experience was narrated mainly by maintenance repertoires that fix the reality of disease, its treatments and personal identity. The account focused on the tumor and on an agreed approach to it. The time "after" was described as a distressing space that defines them. Making sense of the events was considered a significant help. Professionals need to focus on the discursive repertoires of communication with which the inner and outer reality are built. Lastly, these patients required a two-way dialogue throughout the entire caring process.

Acute Hematological Toxicity during Cranio-Spinal Proton Therapy in Pediatric Brain Embryonal Tumors.

BACKGROUND: Embryonal tumors represent a heterogeneous entity of brain tumors that need a multidisciplinary treatment including cranio-spinal irradiation (CSI), with a known impact on the acute toxicity. Proton therapy (PT) boasts a reduction in acute hematological toxicity. METHODS: We retrospectively examined 20 pediatric patients affected by high-risk medulloblastoma and other rare embryonal brain tumors subjected to CSI with PT from September 2016 to April 2020. Before CSI, all patients received induction chemotherapy, and three patients additionally received two high-dose courses with thiotepa, followed by an autologous haemopoietic stem cell transplantation. We recorded the total white blood cell count, absolute neutrophil count, platelets, and hemoglobin levels for all patients during PT. RESULTS: Leucocytes and neutrophils decreased directly after the beginning of treatment, reaching a complete recovery at the end of treatment. Hemoglobin values remained constant over the treatment course. The median platelet value decreased until reaching a plateau around halfway through therapy, followed by a slow increase. No cases of febrile neutropenia or severe infections were reported. No treatment discontinuation due to hematological toxicity was necessary. CONCLUSIONS: CSI with PT was proven to be safe in this setting of pediatric patients. Our study showed that despite all patients having undergone chemotherapy prior to irradiation, no serious hematological toxicity was reported at the end of the treatment with PT, and, therefore, no treatment was discontinued or delayed.

Diagnostic Delay in Adolescents with Cancer During COVID-19 Pandemic: A New Price for Our Patients to Pay.

Worldwide, the coronavirus 19 disease pandemic caused a worse chance of a timely diagnosis for cancer patients. We conducted a retrospective analysis of new diagnoses registered in the national pediatric oncology database, comparing the first lockdown period (March-May 2020) with the same period of 2015-2019. The total number of cases (0-19 years) dropped by 20.8% (from 441 between 2015 and 2019 to 349 in 2020). A major reduction was observed for adolescents (15-19 years) (-32.9%) and for adolescents with solid tumors (-56.4%, p = 0.03). Our data suggest that the enforced lockdown reduced the possibility for these already vulnerable patients to access the referral centers.

Association of Immune Thrombocytopenia and Celiac Disease in Children: A Retrospective Case Control Study

Objective: The association between celiac disease (CD) and immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is still uncertain. The aim of this study was to characterize the coexistence of these two diseases in Italian children. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective multicenter study investigating the occurrence of CD in 28 children with ITP diagnosed from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2019. Results: The first diagnosis was ITP in 57.1% and CD in 32.1% of patients. In 3 patients (10.7%), the two diagnoses were simultaneous. All the potential and silent cases of CD in our cohort were diagnosed in the groups of "ITP first" and "simultaneous diagnosis". In all children ITP was mild, and in 2 out of 8 not recovered from ITP at the time of CD diagnosis a normalization of platelet counts (>100,000/µL) occurred 3 and 5 months after starting a gluten-free diet, respectively. Conclusion: We think that screening for CD should be considered in children with ITP regardless of the presence of gastrointestinal symptoms. Furthermore, some patients may recover from ITP after starting a gluten-free diet.

Association of Immune Thrombocytopenia and Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Children.

BACKGROUND: The association between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is still uncertain. In this multicenter retrospective study, the coexistence of both diseases was investigated in children diagnosed from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2019. METHODS: Clinical characteristics of both IBD and ITP, onset of disorders, and patient's response to treatment were collected through a structured form sent to 55 Italian pediatric referring centers for hematological disorders. RESULT: Centers responded to the survey and reported the coexistence of IBD and ITP in 14 children. The first diagnosis was ITP in 57.1% and IBD in 35.7% of patients: it was simultaneous in 7.1%. IBD was classified as ulcerative colitis (57.1%), Crohn disease (35.7%), and unclassified (7.1%). No therapy for IBD other than steroids had any effect on ITP course. Colectomy resulted in recovery from ITP in 1 of the 2 patients surgically treated. ITP was always mild but turned to be chronic in half of patients. CONCLUSIONS: In all patients, ITP was mild without any evident impact on IBD severity, but the incidence of chronic ITP seems to be higher than what is usually observed in the pediatric age group. Colectomy had unpredictable effects on ITP.

Infantile Brain Tumors: A Review of Literature and Future Perspectives.

Brain tumors in infants including those diagnosed in fetal age, newborns and under a year old represent less than 10% of pediatric nervous system tumors and present differently when compared with older children in terms of clinical traits, location and histology. The most frequent clinical finding is a macrocephaly but non-specific symptoms can also be associated. The prognosis is usually poor and depends on several factors. Surgery continues to be the main option in terms of therapeutic strategies whereas the role of chemotherapy is not yet well defined and radiotherapy is exceptionally undertaken. In view of this situation, a molecular characterization could assist in providing therapeutic options for these tumors. This review highlights the recent advances in the diagnosis and treatment of brain tumors in infants with a particular focus on the molecular landscape and future clinical applications.

Fatigue perception in a cohort of children with chronic immune thrombocytopenia and their caregivers using the PedsQL MFS: Real-life multicenter experience of the Italian Association of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology (AIEOP).

BACKGROUND: Fatigue is an important clinical and psychological aspect for a significant number of children affected by immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). To date, few studies have explored fatigue and its relationship with chronic ITP in pediatric age. The aim of the present multicentric pilot study is to determine fatigue perception in a large group of children with chronic ITP and their caregivers using the PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale (PedsQL MFS), and to compare the results with those of healthy control subjects. PROCEDURE: Children with chronic ITP aged 5-18 years and/or caregivers of children aged 2-18 years were enrolled. Child/adolescent self-report was used for patients aged 5-18 years, and parent proxy-report for patients aged 2-18 years. The questionnaire was offered as online survey. PedsQL MFS is composed of 18 items covering three dimensions: General Fatigue Scale, Sleep/Rest Fatigue Scale, and Cognitive Fatigue Scale. RESULTS: One hundred ninety-one patients affected by chronic ITP and 248 caregivers answered the PedsQL MFS. We have highlighted that lower values of PedsQL MFS scores are obtained in the 13-18 age group. Moreover, sleep/rest fatigue domain appears to be more compromised in all age groups. For all PedsQL MFS scores, pediatric patients with chronic ITP and their caregivers reported statistically significant worse fatigue than healthy children. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that fatigue is relevant among children and adolescents affected by chronic ITP. The PedsQL MFS represents an adequate instrument for measuring fatigue in patients with chronic ITP. Therefore, symptoms of fatigue should be routinely assessed in clinical practice.

Discussing communication issues and needs with adolescents with cancer.

Adolescents with cancer face unique medical and psychosocial challenges and it is important for their doctors to understand the psychological manifestations of cancer diagnosis and treatment in this age group. Using patient dialogues, we describe how simultaneous participation of physicians and patients could help to give voice to patient needs, in particular concerning communication.

Musculoskeletal manifestations of childhood cancer and differential diagnosis with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (ONCOREUM): a multicentre, cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Presenting symptoms of childhood cancers might mimic those of rheumatic diseases. However, the evidence available to guide differential diagnosis remains scarce. Preventing wrong or delayed diagnosis is therefore important to avoid incorrect administration of glucocorticoid or immunosuppressive therapy and worsening of prognosis. As such, we aimed to assess the prevalence and characteristics of presenting musculoskeletal manifestations in patients at cancer onset and to identify the factors that differentiate childhood malignancies with arthropathy from juvenile idiopathic arthritis. METHODS: We did a multicentre, cross-sectional study at 25 paediatric haemato-oncology centres and 22 paediatric rheumatology centres in Italy. We prospectively recruited patients who were younger than 16 years that were newly diagnosed with cancer or juvenile idiopathic arthritis. We excluded patients with glucocorticoid pre-treatment (>1 mg/kg per day of oral prednisone or equivalent for ≥2 consecutive weeks). We collected data for patients with a new diagnosis of cancer or juvenile idiopathic arthritis using an electronic case report form on a web-based platform powered by the Cineca Interuniversity Consortium. The primary outcome was to describe the frequency and characteristics of musculoskeletal manifestations at cancer onset; and the secondary outcome was to identify factors that could discriminate malignancies presenting with arthropathy, with or without other musculoskeletal symptoms, from juvenile idiopathic arthritis using multivariable logistic regression analysis. FINDINGS: Between May 1, 2015, and May 31, 2018, 1957 patients were eligible, of which 1277 (65%) had cancer and 680 (35%) had juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Musculoskeletal symptoms occurred in 324 (25% [95% CI 23·0-27·8]) of 1277 patients with cancer, of whom 207 had arthropathy. Patients with malignant bone tumours had the highest frequency of musculoskeletal symptoms (53 [80%] of 66), followed by patients with Langerhans histiocytosis (16 [47%] of 34), leukaemia (189 [32%] of 582), soft-tissue sarcomas (16 [24%] of 68), and neuroblastoma (21 [19%] of 109). In the 324 patients with cancer and musculoskeletal symptoms, the most common complaints were joint pain (199 [61%]), followed by limb bone pain (112 [35%]). Joint involvement had a prevalent monoarticular pattern (100 [48%] of 207) and oligoarticular pattern (86 [42%] had 2-4 joints involved and 20 [10%] had >4 joints involved), with the most frequently involved joints being the hip (88 [43%] of 207) and knee (81 [39%]). On multivariable analysis, limb bone pain was the independent variable most strongly associated with cancer (odds ratio [OR] 87·80 [95% CI 18·89-408·12]), followed by weight loss (59·88 [6·34-565·53]), thrombocytopenia (12·67 [2·40-66·92]), monoarticular involvement (11·30 [4·09-31·19]), hip involvement (3·30 [1·13-9·61]), and male sex (2·40 [1·03-5·58]). Factors independently associated with juvenile idiopathic arthritis were morning stiffness (OR 0·04 [95% CI 0·01-0·20]), joint swelling (0·03 [0·01-0·09]), and involvement of the small hand joints (0·02 [0-1·05]). INTERPRETATION: Our study provides detailed information about presenting musculoskeletal manifestations of childhood cancers and highlights the clinical and laboratory features that are most helpful in the differential diagnosis with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. FUNDING: Associazione Lorenzo Risolo.

Infantile/Congenital High-Grade Gliomas: Molecular Features and Therapeutic Perspectives.

Brain tumors in infants account for less than 10% of all pediatric nervous system tumors. They include tumors diagnosed in fetal age, neonatal age and in the first years of life. Among these, high-grade gliomas (HGGs) are a specific entity with a paradoxical clinical course that sets them apart from their pediatric and adult counterparts. Currently, surgery represents the main therapeutic strategy in the management of these tumors. Chemotherapy does not have a well-defined role whilst radiotherapy is rarely performed, considering its late effects. Information about molecular characterization is still limited, but it could represent a new fundamental tool in the therapeutic perspective of these tumors. Chimeric proteins derived from the fusion of several genes with neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase mutations have been described in high-grade gliomas in infants as well as in neonatal age and the recent discovery of targeted drugs may change the long-term prognosis of these tumors, along with other target-driven therapies. The aim of this mini review is to highlight the recent advances in the diagnosis and treatment of high-grade gliomas in infants with a particular focus on the molecular landscape of these neoplasms and future clinical applications.

Ectopic ACTH Secretion in a Child With Metastatic Ewing's Sarcoma: A Case Report.

Ectopic ACTH syndrome is rare in pediatric age. Sarcomas that cause Ectopic ACTH Syndrome (EAS) are even more uncommon. Currently, only three cases of EAS caused by Ewing' sarcoma have been reported. We detail a 10-year-old boy with Cushing's syndrome symptoms caused by ectopic ACTH production by a metastatic Ewing's sarcoma of the right ischio-pubic and ileo-pubic branches. The rapid appearance of cushingoid symptoms, with significant weight gain, acne, hirsutism, and hypercortisolism were implications of ectopic ACTH production as paraneoplastic Cushing's Syndrome. The very high levels of ACTH and non-suppression at the high dose dexamethasone test confirmed the clinical suspicion. We underline the possibility EAS was caused by an ACTH-secreting tumor, including soft tissue sarcomas.

Use of Eltrombopag in Children With Chronic Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP): A Real Life Retrospective Multicenter Experience of the Italian Association of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology (AIEOP).

Background: The thrombopoietin receptor agonist eltrombopag has been shown to be safe and effective for children with chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). The aim of the present study was to characterize eltrombopag use in current clinical practice. Material and Methods: This is a retrospective multicenter study conducted in 17 centers affiliated to the Italian Association of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology (AIEOP). The primary objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of eltrombopag use in Italian children affected by chronic ITP, after EMA authorization for pediatric age. The secondary objective was to assess efficacy in the first 6 months and safety during the whole period of eltrombopag treatment in current clinical practice. A total of 386 children with chronic ITP were retrospectively enrolled and eligible for analysis. Among these patients, 71 received eltrombopag. Results: The prevalence of eltrombopag use was 19% (95% CI 0.15-0.23). Thirty-one patients (44%) were male and 40 patients (56%) were female. The median age at the first dose of eltrombopag was 12 years (3-17 years). The median duration of eltrombopag treatment was 11 months (1-32 months) and the median starting dose was 50 mg/day (12, 5-75 mg/day). Thirty-two patients (45%) required one or more concomitant ITP medications during the first 6 months of treatment with eltrombopag. Thirty-nine patients (55%) never required concomitant medications. Median platelet counts and proportion of patients achieving the target platelet count of at least 30 × 109/L and 100 × 109/L significantly increased during the first 6 months of treatment (p < 0.0001). Additionally, eltrombopag has been proved effective in the absence of concomitant therapies. The most common Adverse Events were headache (7%) and thrombocytosis (6%). Conclusion: Our study highlighted the crucial role of eltrombopag as second line treatment in children with chronic ITP.

Where Are Adolescents with Soft Tissue Sarcomas Treated? An Italian Nationwide Study on Referrals Based on Hospital Discharge Records.

Purpose: Adolescents (15-19 years) with soft tissue sarcomas (STS) have worse survival than children. One reason is the former's limited access to expert centers. We investigated where adolescents with STS are treated in Italy, analyzing hospital discharge records (HDRs) countrywide. Methods: We applied to the Health Ministry to obtain the HDRs of all adolescents hospitalized in 2002-2015. We excluded prevalent cases hospitalized with STS in 2002-2006 to obtain a cohort of incident cases 2007-2014. We defined main treatments observing 12 months from diagnosis. Thus, the cohorts end in 2014 rather than 2015. We computed "hospital volume" as the number of adolescents treated by a hospital in 8 years. Patient migration across geographical areas was investigated comparing patients' place of residence and of hospitalization. Results: We identified 381 adolescents with STS, 63% of them were treated at AIEOP (Associazione Italiana Ematologia Oncologia Pediatrica [Italian Association of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology]) centers. These patients were treated at 44 different AIEOP centers, with 1 center treating 62 adolescents (26% of all those treated by AIEOP centers). The remaining 142 adolescents with STS were treated at 66 non-AIEOP centers, one of which managed 17 adolescents. Centers in the north of Italy were more likely to attract patients from other regions. Conclusion: Although HDRs have some limitations, they are the only tool for investigating access to care in countries without national cancer registries. Our findings support the use of HDRs for such purposes, confirm the efficacy of the Italian pediatric oncology network, and make the case for closer collaboration between pediatric and adult oncologists.

Evolving Services for Adolescents with Cancer in Italy: Access to Pediatric Oncology Centers and Dedicated Projects.

Purpose: To describe how the provision of services for adolescents with cancer has evolved in Italy, the study evaluated access to pediatric oncology centers affiliated to the national cooperative group Associazione Italiana Ematologia Oncologia Pediatrica (AIEOP), and the development of dedicated local projects. Methods: We calculated the observed/expected (O/E) ratio of adolescent patients (15-19 years old) admitted to AIEOP centers during the years 2013-2017. Observed cases were obtained from the AIEOP database (model 1.01). Expected cases were calculated on the incidence rates derived from the population-based registries. In addition, a questionnaire investigated the presence of any formal upper age limits for admitting patients, and to the development of local projects. Results: In the years 2013-2017, 9534 cases of cancer were registered in the AIEOP database, that is, 8031 children (0-14 years) and 1503 adolescents (15-19 years). The overall O/E ratio was 0.81, that is, 1.06 for children, and 0.37 for adolescents, and differed according the different tumor types. Concerning the questionnaire, 26% of centers reported age limits <18 years. Nineteen centers reported to have local projects dedicated to adolescents. Conclusions: The study shows an improvement in the services for adolescents in Italy, with an increase percentage of cases treated at AIEOP centers (from 10% of previous study, to 37%), the decrease of centers with admission age limits <18 years (from 44% 10 years ago, to 26%), and the development of many specific local projects. Effective cooperation with adult oncology societies and government recognition remain goals to be achieved.

Pediatric intracranial ependymoma: correlating signs and symptoms at recurrence with outcome in the second prospective AIEOP protocol follow-up.

PURPOSE: The aims of patients' radiological surveillance are to: ascertain relapse; apply second-line therapy; accrue patients in phase 1/2 protocols if second-line therapy is not standardized/curative; and assess/treat iatrogenic effects. To lessen the emotional and socioeconomic burdens for patients and families, we ideally need to establish whether scheduled radiological surveillance gives patients a better outcome than waiting for symptoms and signs to appear. METHODS: We analyzed a prospective series of 160 newly-diagnosed and treated pediatric/adolescent patients with intracranial ependymoma, comparing patients with recurrent disease identified on scheduled MRI (the RECPT group; 34 cases) with those showing signs/symptoms of recurrent disease (the SYMPPT group; 16 cases). The median follow-up was 67 months. RESULTS: No significant differences emerged between the two groups in terms of gender, age, tumor grade/site, shunting, residual disease, or type of relapse (local, distant, or concomitant). The time to relapse (median 19 months; range 5-104) and the MRI follow-up intervals did not differ between the SYMPPT and RECPT groups. The presence of signs/symptoms was an unfavorable factor for overall survival (OS) after recurrence (5-year OS: 8% vs. 37%, p = 0.001). On multivariable analysis, an adjusted model confirmed a significantly worse OS in the SYMPPT than in the RECPT patients. CONCLUSIONS: Symptomatic relapses carried a significantly worse survival for ependymoma patients than recurrences detected by MRI alone. It would therefore be desirable to identify recurrences before symptoms develop. Radiological follow-up should be retained in ependymoma patient surveillance because there is a chance of salvage treatment for relapses found on MRI.

MRI features as a helpful tool to predict the molecular subgroups of medulloblastoma: state of the art.

Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant pediatric brain tumor. Medulloblastoma should not be viewed as a single disease, but as a heterogeneous mixture of various subgroups with distinct characteristics. Based on genomic profiles, four distinct molecular subgroups are identified: Wingless (WNT), Sonic Hedgehog (SHH), Group 3 and Group 4. Each of these subgroups are associated with specific genetic aberrations, typical age of onset as well as survival prognosis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is performed for all patients with brain tumors, and has a key role in the diagnosis, surgical guidance and follow up of patients with medulloblastoma. Several studies indicate MRI as a promising tool for early detection of medulloblastoma subgroups. The early identification of the subgroup can influence the extent of surgical resection, radiotherapy and chemotherapy targeted treatments. In this article, we review the state of the art in MRI-facilitated medulloblastoma subgrouping, with a summary of the main MRI features in medulloblastoma and a brief discussion on molecular characterization of medulloblastoma subgroups. The main focus of the article is MRI features that correlate with medulloblastoma subtypes, as well as features suggestive of molecular subgroups. Finally, we briefly discuss the latest trends in MRI studies and latest developments in molecular characterization.