Skeletal-related side effects of acute lymphoblastic leukemia treatment in children / Az akut lymphoblastos leukaemiával kezelt gyermekek csontrendszerét érinto mellékhatások.

Összefoglaló. Bevezetés: A gyermekkori akut lymphoblastos leukaemia kezelése napjainkban 80% feletti túlélést tesz lehetové, de fontos cél a kezelés okozta mellékhatások kivédése és a gyermekek hosszú távú életminoségének javítása is. Célkituzés: A kemoterápia csontrendszerre kifejtett mellékhatásainak vizsgálata és a prognosztikai tényezok feltárása, a rizikófaktorok összegyujtése. Módszerek: Retrospektív vizsgálatunkba a Semmelweis Egyetem II. Gyermekgyógyászati Klinikáján 2007 és 2016 között kezelt 215, akut lymphoblastos leukaemiás gyermek közül a csontelváltozást észlelt betegeket vontuk be a következo, csontrendszert érinto megbetegedésekkel: 38 gyermeknél csökkent csontásványianyag-tartalom, 5 fonél osteonecrosis, 3 fonél osteomyelitis és 2 fo esetében patológiás fractura volt detektálható. Különbözo követési idopontokban gyujtöttünk oszteodenzitometriai adatokat, D-vitamin-, foszfát-, alkalikusfoszfatáz- és lipidszinteket is. Eredmények: Az oszteodenzitometriai értékek már a diagnóziskor csökkent értéket mutatnak, az intenzív vénás kemoterápia hatására pedig további csökkenés figyelheto meg (a lumbális gerinc Z-score-értéke a kezelés kezdetén: -1,5 ± 1,02, az intenzív vénás kezelés végén -1,8 ± 0,5). A Z-score-értékek a fenntartó terápia végére javuló tendenciát mutattak (-1,6 ± 0,5; p<0,05), majd az utánkövetés során ismételt javulás (-1,2 ± 0,4 [p<0,01] és -0,9 ± 0,4) figyelheto meg. A D-vitamin-szintek esetében az intenzív vénás kemoterápiát követoen fokozatos javulást láthattunk (20 ± 3,1 ng/ml vs. többéves utánkövetéskor 31 ± 2,6 ng/ml; p<0,001). A foszfát- és alkalikusfoszfatáz-szintek nem változtak számottevo mértékben a vizsgált idotartam során. A koleszterinszintek a terápia során folyamatos növekedést mutattak (a kemoterápia kezdetén 3,28 ± 0,3 mM/l vs. a fenntartó kezelés végén 4,62 ± 0,2 mM/l; p<0,0001). A HDL-koleszterin esetében szintén hasonló tendenciát figyelhettünk meg (a diagnóziskor 0,53 ± 0,09 mM/l vs. a fenntartó kezelés végén 1,48 ± 0,14 mM/l). Következtetés: Kiemelendo, hogy a gyógyult gyermekek utánkövetése, az oszteodenzitometriai mérések és a laborparaméterek ellenorzése rendkívül fontos, mivel csontelváltozásokkal a leukaemiás betegek esetén számolni kell. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(49): 2086-2093. INTRODUCTION: Current treatment of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia allows survival above 80%, but it is also very important to prevent treatment-related side effects and to improve long-term quality of life. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to assess the side effects of chemotherapy on the skeletal system and to identify prognostic and risk factors. METHODS: Between 2007 and 2016, 215 children were treated with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at the 2nd Department of Paediatrics, Semmelweis University. In our retrospective study, we analyzed data of these children with skeletal-related side-effects (38 children with reduced bone mineral density, 5 with osteonecrosis, 3 with osteomyelitis and 2 with pathologic fracture). RESULTS: Osteodensitometric data, vitamin D, phosphate, alkaline phosphatase and lipid levels were collected at different follow-up times. Osteodensitometric values were already reduced at the time of diagnosis (lumbar spine Z-score: -1.5 ± 1.02) and intensive venous chemotherapy caused further decrease (-1.8 ± 0.5). Z-score showed an improving tendency at the end of the maintenance therapy (-1.6 ± 0.5; p<0.05), followed by further improvement later (-1.2 ± 0.4 [p<0.01] and -0.9 ± 0.4). Vitamin D levels showed improvement after intensive venous chemotherapy (20 ± 3.1 ng/ml vs. 31 ± 2.6 ng/ml at multi-year follow-up; p<001). Phosphate and alkaline phosphatase levels did not change considerably during the period considered. Cholesterol levels increased continuously during treatment (at the time of diagnosis 3.28 ± 0.3 mM/l vs. at the end of the maintenance therapy 4.62 ± 0.2 mM/l; p<0.0001). A similar trend was observed with HDL cholesterol levels (0.53 ± 0.09 mM/l vs. 1.48 ± 0.14 mM/l). CONCLUSION: In summary, we can conclude that follow-up of these children, osteodensitometric measurements and monitoring of laboratory parameters are extremely important, as bone abnormalities can occur in leukemia patients. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(49): 2086-2093.

Late mortality in survivors of childhood cancer in Hungary.

The Hungarian Pediatric Oncology Network provides centralized treatment and population-based registration for cases of childhood cancer since 1973. We collected and analized data on late mortality, secondary malignancies and cardiac diseases in survivors (> 5 years) of childhood cancer to evaluate long-term risks. We extracted all solid tumour cases (3,650 followed up for 5-39.3 years, diagnosis: 1973-2008) from the database of the Hungarian Childhood Cancer Registry and checked against the Population Registry. Among the 301 patients who died after 5 years (8.2%) the most common causes of death were progression of primary cancer (52.5%), secondary malignancies (16%) and cardiovascular diseases (8%). Late mortality rates (SMR, total: 35,006 pyrs) showed highly elevated risk of death (SMR: 10.7 95% CI 9-12.4) for the second 5 years of follow up and moderately elevated risk for 10-year survivors (SMR: 3.5 95% CI 3-4.1). Marked differences were detected in the pattern of causes of death between diagnostic groups of primary cancer; with highest risks beyond 10 years for CNS tumours, Hodgkin disease, osteosarcoma and advanced stage neuroblastoma. The longstanding mortality risk for 5-year survivors underlines the need for tailored long-term follow-up and monitoring of late consequences according to the context of different primary diseases of childhood cancer.

[Epigenetic effects affecting etoposide distribution and metabolism in the human body]. / Az etopozid szervezeten belüli eloszlásában és metabolizmusában szerepet játszó epigenetikai hatások.

Etoposide is a topoisomerase II inhibitor antitumor agent which is widely used in the treatment of several hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. The therapeutic index of etoposide is quite high, thus its application causes several short-term and long-term side effects which can decrease the chance to cure patients. Drug dosing is based on body surface area calculation; recommendations for individual dosing do not exist yet. The biotransformation and transportation of etoposide are carried out by enzymes and transporters as reported in pharmacogenomic studies published in this area. Nowadays pharmacoepigenetics research has come to the fore. The authors wish to give an insight into the research of the epigenetical changes of the etoposide pathways, especially focusing on published findings on enzymes and transporters with pharmacokinetic relevance. In the future, epigenetical changes of the etoposide pathway might have a great role in diagnostics, prognostics and personalized medicine. Orv Hetil. 2018; 159(32): 1295-1302.

[New and traditional directions in the biology and management of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia]. / Új és hagyományos irányok a gyermekkori akut lymphoblastos leukaemia biológiájában és ellátásában.

Owing to clinical trials and improvement over the past few decades, the majority of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) survive by first-line chemotherapy and combat with the problems of returning to community. However, many patients may have severe acute or late therapeutic side effects, and the survival rate in some groups (e.g., patients with MLL rearrangements, hypodiploidy, IKZF1 mutation or early precursor T cell phenotype) is far behind the average. Innovative strategies in medical attendance provide better clinical outcomes for them: complete gene diagnostics, molecularly targeted anticancer treatment, immuno-oncology and immune cell therapy. The number of genes with identified alterations in leukemic lymphoblasts is over thirty and their pathobiologic role is only partly clear. There are known patient groups where the use of specific drugs is based on gene expression profiling (e.g., tyrosine kinase inhibitors in Philadelphia-like B-cell ALL). The continuous assessment of minimal residual disease became a routine due to the determination of a leukemia-associated immunophenotype by flow cytometry or a sensitive molecular marker by molecular genetics at diagnosis. Epitopes of cluster differentiation antigens on blast surface (primarily CD19, CD20 and CD22 on malignant B cells) can be attacked by monoclonal antibodies. Moreover, antitumor immunity can be strengthened utilizing either cell surface markers (bispecific T cell engagers, chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy) or tumor-specific immune cells (immune checkpoint inhibitors). This review gives an insight into current knowledge in these innovative therapeutic directions. Orv Hetil. 2018; 159(20): 786-797.

[Extracellular vesicles and their role in hematological malignancies]. / Extracelluláris vesiculák és hematológiai malignitásokban játszott szerepük.

Extracellular vesicles are produced in all organisms. The most intensively investigated categories of extracellular vesicles include apoptotic bodies, microvesicles and exosomes. Among a very wide range of areas, their role has been confirmed in intercellular communication, immune response and angiogenesis (in both physiological and pathological conditions). Their alterations suggest the potential use of them as biomarkers. In this paper the authors give an insight into the research of extracellular vesicles in general, and then focus on published findings in hematological malignancies. Quantitative and qualitative changes of microvesicles and exosomes may have value in diagnostics, prognostics and minimal residual disease monitoring of hematological malignancies. The function of extracellular vesicles in downregulation of natural killer cells' activity has been demonstrated in acute myeloid leukemia. In chronic lymphocytic leukemia, microvesicles seem to play a role in drug resistance. Orv. Hetil., 2016, 157(35), 1379-1384.