High-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation for patients with extracranial germ cell tumors - experience of two Brazilian pediatric centers.

Malignant extracranial germ cell tumors (GCTs) are rare in pediatric patients and are usually extremely sensitive to chemotherapy. Relapsed or refractory tumors, although rare, established the need for second-line therapies, including high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation (HDCT/ASCT). However, there are few data on its use in children with GCTs. We present a retrospective analysis of all patients diagnosed with extracranial GCTs who received HDCT/ASCT at two Brazilian pediatric cancer centers from May 1999 to December 2019. We identified a total of 34 patients with a median age at diagnosis of 2.8 years (range, 0 to 18.8), who received HDCT/ASCT. Most patients (73%) received carboplatin, etoposide and melphalan (CEM) as a HDCT regimen. Fourteen patients received a second-line conventional dose chemotherapy (CDCT), 14 received a third-line CDCT and five received even a fourth-line CDCT prior to HDCT/ASCT. After a median follow-up of 22.7 months (range, 0.3 to 198.1), 16 patients had died after tumor relapse/progression and 2 patients died from HDCT/ASCT toxicity. We observed a 5-year OS of 47.1% and 5-year EFS of 44.1%. The 5-year OS for patients referred for HDCT/ASCT with progressive disease was 10% compared to 62.5% for those who achieved disease control before HDCT/ASCT (p = 0.001). In our experience, heavily pretreated children and adolescents with extracranial GCTs achieved considerable survival rates with HDCT/ASCT since, at least, partial control of their disease was possible before starting HDCT/ASCT. The role of HDCT/ASCT in pediatric patients with GCTs should be investigated in prospective trials.

Immunophenotypic changes in juvenile myelomonocytic leukaemia after treatment with hypomethylating agent: Do they help to evaluate dept of response?

5-Azacitidine has been used before stem cell transplantation in juvenile myelomonocytic leukaemia (JMML) patients. Recently, we have described immunophenotypic features in JMML at diagnosis. Here, our aim was to examine the changes in the immunophenotypic features during azacitidine treatment, correlating it with clinical response. Patients treated with 5-azacitidine were evaluated at diagnosis and after three and six cycles of medication. Among 32 patients entering the study, 28 patients were examined after three cycles and 25 patients after six. Patients showed a reduction in CD34/CD117+ cells: median 3.35% at diagnosis, 2.8% after three cycles and 1.63% after six. B-cell progenitors were decreased at diagnosis and decreased after treatment. Monocytes decreased: 11.91% to 6.4% and 4.18% respectively. Complete response was associated with increase in classical monocytes. T lymphocytes, reduced at diagnosis, increased in patients responding to 5-azacitidine. Immunophenotypic aberrancies including expression of CD7 in myeloid progenitors remained after treatment. This feature was associated with a worse response to treatment, as well as presence of NF1. Immunophenotyping was feasible in all patients. Clinical response was associated with a decrease of myeloid progenitors and monocytes and a rise in T lymphocytes although phenotypic aberrancies persisted. The largest effect was observed after three cycles.

Brazilian Nutritional Consensus in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: children and adolescents.

The Brazilian Nutritional Consensus in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: Children and Adolescents was developed by dietitians, physicians, and pediatric hematologists from 10 Brazilian reference centers in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The aim was to emphasize the importance of nutritional status and body composition during treatment, as well as the main characteristics related to patient´s nutritional assessment. This consensus is intended to improve and standardize nutrition therapy during hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The consensus was approved by the Brazilian Society of Bone Marrow Transplantation.

Brazilian Nutritional Consensus in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: children and adolescents / Consenso Brasileiro de Nutrição em Transplante de Células-Tronco Hematopoiéticas: crianças e adolescentes

ABSTRACT The Brazilian Nutritional Consensus in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: Children and Adolescents was developed by dietitians, physicians, and pediatric hematologists from 10 Brazilian reference centers in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The aim was to emphasize the importance of nutritional status and body composition during treatment, as well as the main characteristics related to patient´s nutritional assessment. This consensus is intended to improve and standardize nutrition therapy during hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The consensus was approved by the Brazilian Society of Bone Marrow Transplantation.

RESUMO O Consenso Brasileiro de Nutrição em Transplante de Células-Tronco Hematopoiéticas: crianças e adolescentes foi elaborado com a participação de nutricionistas, médicos nutrólogos e médicos hematologistas pediátricos de 10 centros brasileiros que são referência em transplante de células-tronco hematopoiéticas. O objetivo foi salientar a importância do estado nutricional e da composição corporal durante o tratamento, bem como as principais características relacionadas à avaliação nutricional do paciente. As intenções, ao se estabelecer o consenso, foram aprimorar e padronizar a terapia nutricional durante o transplante de células-tronco hematopoiéticas. O consenso foi aprovado pela Sociedade Brasileira de Transplante de Médula Óssea.

Hematopoietic cell transplantation in pediatric patients with acute leukemias or myelodysplastic syndrome using unrelated adult or umbilical cord blood donors in Brazil.

The choice of alternative donors for HCT for patients without an HLA-matched related donor depends on several factors. We compared major HCT outcomes in 212 consecutive children transplanted at 11 centers in Brazil for acute leukemia or MDS from an HLA-matched unrelated donor (MUD, n = 95), mismatched unrelated donor (MMUD, n = 47) or unrelated umbilical cord blood (UCB, n = 70). Most had ALL (61%), bone marrow (57%) as the graft source and 95% received a MAC regimen. The 3-year OS probability were 57, 55, and 37% after HCT from MUD, MMUD, and UCB, respectively (HR 1.68, 95%CI 1.07-2.63; P = .02). In comparison with MUD, OS was similar after transplantation of a ≥ 6/8 HLA-matched or a high cell dose (>5 × 107 TNC/kg) CB unit (HR 1.41, 95%CI 0.88-2.27; P = .15). NRM was higher for UCB (HR 3.90, 95%CI 1.43-10.7; P = .01) but not for MMUD (HR 1.03, 95%CI 0.53-2.00; P > .20). Advanced disease (HR 2.05, 95%CI 1.26-3.33; P < .001) and UCB with high probability of being < 6/8 HLA-matched (HR 5.34, 95%CI 2.0-13.9; P < .001) were associated with higher mortality. Relapse and acute GVHD were similar among groups, while PGF was higher among UCB transplants (P = .002) and chronic GVHD among MMUD group (HR 2.88, 95% CI 1.05-7.88; P = .04). Our results suggest that in Brazil HCT outcomes performed with MMUD and MUD donors were comparable, while with UCB units < 6/8 HLA-matched were associated with higher NRM for children with acute leukemia or MDS.