Treatment of Nonmetastatic Unilateral Retinoblastoma in Children.

Importance: Multi-institutional collaborative studies that include large patient populations for the management of retinoblastoma with histopathological risk factors could provide important information for patient management. Objective: To evaluate the implementation of a strategy for the management of nonmetastatic unilateral retinoblastoma in children based on standardized diagnostic and treatment criteria. Design, Setting, and Participants: This single-arm prospective study applied a strategy based on a single-center experience. The setting was a multicenter study in Latin America (Grupo de America Latina de Oncologia Pediatrica [GALOP]). Participants were children with nonmetastatic unilateral retinoblastoma (staged with the International Retinoblastoma Staging System). The study opened on July 1, 2008, and closed on December 31, 2014. Follow-up was updated until June 30, 2017. Interventions: Stage 0 patients (without enucleation) were given conservative therapy without a protocol. Stage I patients (with enucleation and no residual tumor) were divided into a high-risk group (retrolaminar invasion and/or scleral invasion) and a low-risk group (all remaining patients). High-risk children received adjuvant chemotherapy with 4 alternating cycles of regimen 1 (cyclophosphamide [65 mg/kg/d] [plus sodium-2-mercaptoethane sulfonate], idarubicin hydrochloride [10 mg/m2/d], and vincristine sulfate [0.05 mg/kg/d]) and 4 cycles of regimen 2 (carboplatin [500 mg/m2/d, days 1 and 2] and etoposide [100 mg/m2/d, days 1-3]). Low-risk children did not receive adjuvant therapy. Children with buphthalmia received neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy for a total of 8 cycles. Main Outcomes and Measures: Probability of event-free survival (extraocular relapse and death from any cause were considered events). Results: Among 187 children registered in the study, 175 were evaluable (92 [52.5%] female; median age, 22 months; age range, 3-100 months). Forty-two were stage 0 children, 84 were stage I low-risk children, and 42 were stage I high-risk children; there were 7 children in the buphthalmia group. With a median follow-up of 46 months, the 3-year probability of event-free survival was 0.97 (95% CI, 0.94-0.99), and the probability of overall survival was 0.98 (95% CI, 0.94-1.00). Stage 0 patients had no events, stage I low-risk patients had 1 event (orbital relapse treated with second-line therapy), stage I high-risk patients had 2 events (1 central nervous system relapse and 1 death from sepsis), and the buphthalmia group had 1 event (orbital relapse, followed by central nervous relapse and death). Conclusions and Relevance: Adjuvant therapy may be effective for high-risk unilateral retinoblastoma but is toxic, and neoadjuvant chemotherapy for buphthalmus appears feasible.

A Phase I Study of the Anti-Idiotype Vaccine Racotumomab in Neuroblastoma and Other Pediatric Refractory Malignancies.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric neuroectodermal malignancies express N-glycolylated gangliosides including N-glycolyl GM3 (NeuGcGM3) as targets for immunotherapy. PROCEDURE: We evaluated the toxicity and maximum tolerated dose and immunological response of racotumomab, an anti-idiotype vaccine targeting NeuGcGM3 through a Phase I study enrolling children with relapsed or resistant tumors expressing NeuGcGM3. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Drug dose was escalated to three levels (0.15-0.25-0.4 mg) of racotumomab administered intradermally. Each drug level included three patients receiving a total of three doses, every 14 days. A confirmation cohort was added to the highest dose level. Antibody response was assessed upon study entry and at 4-week intervals for at least three immunological determinations for each patient. RESULTS: Fourteen patients were enrolled (10 with neuroblastoma, one with retinoblastoma, one with Wilms' tumor, and two with brainstem glioma). Three patients completed the three drug levels and three were enrolled in the confirmation cohort. One patient died of tumor progression before completing the three applications. Racotumomab was well tolerated. The only side effect observed was grade 1-2 toxicity at the injection site. Racotumomab elicited an IgM and/or IgG antibody response directed against NGcGM3 in nine patients and IgM against racotumomab in 11 of 13 evaluable patients. The maximum tolerated dose was not reached and no dose-limiting toxicity was seen. CONCLUSIONS: Racotumomab vaccination has a favorable toxicity profile up to a dose of 0.4 mg, and most patients elicited an immune response. Its activity as immunotherapy for neuroectodermal malignancies will be tested in further clinical trials.

Anterior segment invasion in retinoblastoma: is it a risk factor for extraocular relapse?

We report a retrospective review of patients with retinoblastoma and anterior segment invasion (ASI) as risk factors for extraocular relapse. Only those with ASI combined with postlaminar optic nerve invasion and/or scleral invasion received adjuvant chemotherapy and those with tumor at the resection margin received orbital radiotherapy. Those with only uveal invasion did not receive adjuvant therapy. Of 479 evaluable patients, 67 patients had pathologically confirmed ASI, including 52 with anterior chamber invasion and 47 with iris or ciliary body invasion. ASI occurred with other pathology risk factors (25 had concomitant posterior uveal invasion, 36 had postlaminar optic nerve invasion, 11 with cut-end invasion, and 25 with scleral invasion). The 5-year disease-free survival (pDFS) was 0.9 (95% CI, 0.8-0.95) for children with ASI with no significant differences among children with other pathology risk factors with and without ASI. ASI was not significantly associated with extraocular relapse in multivariate analysis. There were no significant differences in pDFS for patients with anterior chamber invasion and those with iris-ciliary body invasion (pDFS 0.89 [95% CI, 0.65-0.96] vs. 0.93 [95% CI, 0.61-0.98]). To conclude, ASI was seen with other pathology risk factors and it did not add a significant risk for extraocular relapse.

Detection of minimally disseminated disease in the cerebrospinal fluid of children with high-risk retinoblastoma by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction for GD2 synthase mRNA.

AIM: To evaluate minimally disseminated disease (MDD) in cytologically negative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens of patients with high-risk retinoblastoma by the detection of the synthase of ganglioside GD2 mRNA by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). METHODS: The CSF was evaluated in 26 patients with high risk for CSF relapse: 14 with postlaminar optic nerve invasion, five of them with tumour at the resection margin, five with massive choroidal invasion, three with overt orbital extension and four patients with systemic metastasis. Serial CSF examinations were repeated at different time intervals according to stage and in the event of suspected relapse. GD2 synthase mRNA was evaluated by RT and nested PCR at each procedure. RESULTS: MDD was present at diagnosis in six cases (23%) and it was significantly associated to massive optic nerve involvement or history of glaucoma (p<0.05). Three of the children with positive MDD had a CSF relapse. Thirteen patients had negative MDD at diagnosis and one had a CSF relapse. In seven children no ARN could be obtained for PCR analysis and two subsequently relapsed. The probability of CSF relapse was 0.50 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.13-0.88) for children with MDD and 0.08 (95% CI 0.02-0.46) for those with negative RT-PCR examination of the CSF at diagnosis (p=0.03). CONCLUSIONS: MDD in the CSF detected by RT-PCR for GD2-synthase mRNA occurred in 31.7% of evaluable high-risk children with retinoblastoma with no initial central nervous system (CNS) involvement. It was significantly associated to optic nerve involvement and glaucoma and increased risk of CSF relapse.

Comparison of staging systems for extraocular retinoblastoma: analysis of 533 patients.

IMPORTANCE: Different staging systems for extraocular retinoblastoma have been published, but to date they have not been validated in large cohorts. OBJECTIVE: To review 533 patients (and pathology slides) with retinoblastoma included in 4 protocols (January 1, 1988, to December 31, 2009) who received uniform treatment. DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective review in a hospital setting. A critical analysis for detecting inconsistencies and omissions was performed. PARTICIPANTS: Patients were reclassified according to the modified St Jude Children's Research Hospital staging system, Grabowski-Abramson staging system, International Retinoblastoma Staging System (IRSS), and American Joint Committee on Cancer TNM staging system. MAIN OUTCOME AND MEASURE: The main outcome measure was disease-free survival (DFS), considering only extraocular relapse as an event. RESULTS: In the IRSS and the St Jude system, higher stages correlated with poorer DFS. For intraocular disease, only the TNM system and the IRSS included pathological definitions, and all systems except for the IRSS included substages without differences in DFS. Omissions of factors significantly associated with lower DFS included scleral invasion by the TNM system and massive choroidal invasion by the Grabowski-Abramson system. The St Jude system omits postlaminar optic nerve involvement, but this omission did not correlate significantly with lower DFS because these patients received intensive therapy. No differences in DFS were observed among substages for metastatic disease except for the presence of central nervous system involvement. All staging systems had inconsistencies in definitions of extent of disease. No system provides guidelines for imaging. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Only the IRSS and the St Jude system allowed for grouping of patients with increasing risk of extraocular relapse. For lower stages, only the IRSS considers all unequivocal pathological prognostic factors. For higher stages, all systems had redundant information, resulting in an excess of substages.

Outcome of children with retinoblastoma and isolated choroidal invasion.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the outcome of children with different degrees of choroidal invasion, to compare different systems for grading the extent of choroidal invasion, and to assess the role of concomitant prelaminar optic nerve and anterior segment invasion as predictors of extraocular relapse. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of children included in 4 prospective protocols (January 1, 1989, through June 31, 2010). Children with postlaminar optic nerve or scleral involvement and overt extraocular disease were excluded. Adjuvant chemotherapy was not scheduled. All slides were reviewed, and massive involvement was classified according to 3 definitions: (1) extending at least 3 mm in any dimension, (2) through the choroid's whole thickness, and (3) more than 50% of the thickness and/or more than 1 cluster. RESULTS: One hundred sixty-seven children (35 with massive invasion) were studied (136 did not receive adjuvant therapy). The probability of 5-year event-free survival was 98.1% and the probability of overall survival was 98.7% because 1 patient relapsed. Children with massive invasion had a significantly lower event-free survival probability (94.2%) compared with those with focal invasion (99.2%) (P = .04). However, no significant difference was found in overall survival probability (98.7% vs 99.2%; P = .29). No significant effect of other risk factors was found. CONCLUSIONS: Survival was excellent without adjuvant therapy, and no other factors correlated with survival. Children with massive invasion have a higher relapse rate but comparable survival to those with focal invasion provided that aggressive therapy for extraocular relapse is available with adequate safety conditions.

Immunosuppressive therapy allows recovery from liver failure in children with autoimmune hepatitis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) frequently have liver failure (LF) at the time of diagnosis; their response to immunosuppressive therapy has not been thoroughly analyzed. We evaluated the outcomes of children with AIH and LF who received immunosuppressive therapy and analyzed predictors of liver function recovery. METHODS: We collected data from 237 children that had AIH between September 1996 and December 2008; 50 had LF (defined as prothrombin time <50%) and had not received prior treatment. Patients were treated with either 2 mg/kg/day prednisone at doses up to 60 mg/day (n = 13) or 1 mg/kg/day prednisone at doses up to 40 mg/day plus cyclosporine at blood levels of 200 ± 50 ng/mL (n = 37). RESULTS: Of the 50 patients studied, 45 (90%) achieved prothrombin time >50% in a median time of 24 days (range of 4-257 days); 93% of these patients achieved this within the first 90 days of treatment. Two of the 45 patients who responded to immunosuppression required liver transplantation because of complications related to portal hypertension, and 3 died because of infection. Three of the 5 nonresponders received liver transplants - 1 remained on the waiting list, and the other died because of central nervous system bleeding. Infection was the only independently associated significant factor that delayed recovery from LF (odds ratio = 7.7, 95% confidence interval, 1.5-40). Each therapeutic approach had similar efficacy. CONCLUSIONS: Most pediatric patients with AIH recover after LF with immunosuppressive therapy; liver transplantation could be avoided or delayed. Infection was the most frequent cause of morbidity and mortality in these patients.

Results of a prospective study for the treatment of unilateral retinoblastoma.

BACKGROUND: Few prospective studies about the management of unilateral retinoblastoma with pathology risk factors (PRFs) have been published. METHODS: Patients (n = 114) were divided into four groups: Group 1 (initial chemoreduction) (n = 17). Groups 2 and 3, included patients initially enucleated with no, or lower risk PRFs: (n = 65) and with higher risk PRFs (n = 30), respectively. The later included postlaminar optic nerve involvement (PLONI) (n = 23), tumor at resection margin of optic nerve (n = 5) or isolated scleral invasion (n = 2). Group 3 received adjuvant chemotherapy including a total eight cycles of carboplatin and etoposide, alternating with cyclophosphamide, idarubicin, and vincristine. Orbital radiotherapy (45 Gy) was given to patients with invasion to the resection margin. Group 4 included patients with metastatic disease (n = 2). They were given neoadjuvant therapy followed by surgery and high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell rescue. RESULTS: Five-year event-free survival is 0.94 (1 for Group 1, 0.94 for Group 2, 0.96 for Group 3, and 0 for Group 4). Events included. Group 2: Systemic relapse (n = 2) and combined orbital and CNS relapse (n = 1). Relapsing patients had PLONI (n = 2) and isolated focal choroidal invasion (n = 1). Group 3: CNS relapse (n = 1) in a patient with tumor at the resection margin of optic nerve. Group 4: CNS relapse (n = 2). Only one relapsed patient survived. Eight of 17 eyes treated conservatively were preserved. CONCLUSIONS: The survival of patients with unilateral retinoblastoma was excellent and 60% were spared from adjuvant treatment. Our intensive regimen was likely to be effective for prevention of metastasis in patients with higher risk PRFs.

Optimization of molecular detection of GD2 synthase mRNA in retinoblastoma.

Extraocular dissemination is the main cause of death in patients with retinoblastoma (RB) in developing countries, and there are few molecular markers that are useful for the evaluation of minimal disseminated disease. The GD2 ganglioside is known to be expressed by RB cells that metastasize in bone marrow, and the activity of the enzyme responsible for its synthesis, GD2 synthase, can be detected in neuroblastoma, which shares many phenotypic features with RB. The purpose of the present study was to optimize the detection of GD2 synthase expression by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) followed by nested-PCR in human RB cell lines and patient samples. The optimization strategy was carried out using the RB cell lines Y79 and WERI-Rb1 and specific primers designed for the human sequence of GD2 synthase mRNA. We detected GD2 synthase expression with at least 200 and 40 pg of total RNA extracted from cultured RB cells using a first round of RT-PCR amplification or a second round of nested-PCR, respectively. We also confirmed the expression of GD2 synthase by RT-PCR and immunohistochemical detection of the ganglioside in human RB tumors xenotransplanted in nude mice. Using tumor bank specimens from eight RB patients, we were able to demonstrate the presence of GD2 synthase mRNA in blood and cerebrospinal fluid samples in cases of extraocular dissemination of the tumor. The sequence was not detected in samples derived from children with low-risk disease or healthy adult volunteers. Hence, GD2 synthase mRNA detection through an optimized nested RT-PCR assay is a promising tool for the assessment of minimal disseminated disease in enucleated patients.

Proceedings of the consensus meetings from the International Retinoblastoma Staging Working Group on the pathology guidelines for the examination of enucleated eyes and evaluation of prognostic risk factors in retinoblastoma.

Retinoblastoma is the most common intraocular malignant childhood tumor in need of prospective clinical trials to address important unanswered questions about biology, treatment, and prognostic factors. Currently, there is controversy about the definitions for choroidal invasion and an inconsistency in the handling of eyes with retinoblastoma. The International Retinoblastoma Staging Working Group (IRSWG) composed of 58 participants from 24 countries on 4 continents had a series of Internet meetings to discuss the staging and tissue handling guidelines to reach consensus for adequate processing, establishing definitions of histopathologic risk factors, and reporting of enucleated eyes with retinoblastoma to serve as the basis for clinical trials and studies to validate the proposed criteria. The meetings were facilitated by the International Outreach Program of the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital through Cure4Kids. The retinoblastoma guidelines from the Children's Oncology Group, the French Society for Pediatric Cancers, the Association of Directors of Anatomic and Surgical Pathology, and some published data were the basis for this consensus document. Discussions of the feasibility, practicality, and efficacy of the guidelines and criteria resulted in this report. The consensus definitions reached included definition of massive choroidal invasion stated as a maximum diameter of invasive tumor focus of 3 mm or more that may reach the scleral tissue. Focal choroidal invasion is defined as a tumor focus of less than 3 mm and not reaching the sclera. Optic nerve invasion is classified as prelaminar, laminar, retrolaminar, or tumor at surgical margin, and the measurement of the depth of invasion should also be recorded. These guidelines also address handling of the enucleated eye with retinoblastoma in an efficient, practical, and feasible manner for a meaningful diagnosis. The consensus criteria reached by the IRSWG should be validated through prospective clinical trials and studies.

Microscopic scleral invasion in retinoblastoma: clinicopathological features and outcome.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical and pathological features of patients with retinoblastoma and microscopic scleral invasion. METHODS: We reviewed all pathology slides of patients with microscopic scleral invasion who were included in 3 prospective treatment protocols (1988-2007). All patients received adjuvant chemotherapy (moderately intensive chemotherapy in the first 2 protocols or a more intensive combination in the third one). Only patients with cut-end invasion received orbital radiotherapy. RESULTS: Thirty-two of 386 patients had enucleated eyes with intrascleral (21 cases) and transscleral (11 cases) invasion. Of these cases, 20 had tumor invading the optic nerve beyond the lamina cribrosa, with 6 of these having tumor at the surgical margin. Sixteen were treated with moderately intensive chemotherapy and 16 received a higher-intensity regimen. Five-year overall survival was 0.77. Seven patients had an extraocular relapse (central nervous system metastasis, n = 4; systemic metastasis, n = 2; and involving the orbit, n = 3, isolated in 1 and combined with central nervous system disease in 2). All patients who had a relapse died. Patients receiving the intensive regimen had a significantly better outcome (P = .007). CONCLUSIONS: Microscopic scleral invasion might be a risk factor for extraocular relapse, and more intensive chemotherapy results in improved survival for these patients.

Some clinical findings at presentation can predict high-risk pathology features in unilateral retinoblastoma.

AIMS: To identify clinical features at presentation to help in detecting patients with retinoblastoma and pathology risk factors (PRFs) preoperatively, and therefore selecting a high-risk population that could benefit from preoperative treatment. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of a prospectively filled form of 182 consecutive patients with unilateral retinoblastoma treated with initial enucleation from 1988 to 2006. Univariate and multivariate analyses were carried out. Major choroidal invasion and postlaminar optic nerve and scleral extension were considered PRFs. Within this subgroup, a higher-risk cohort (microscopical residual disease caused by trans-scleral invasion or invasion to the resection margin of the optic nerve) was analyzed separately. RESULTS: One hundred sixty-four patients had completely resected and 18 had microscopical residual disease. Seventy three had at least 1 PRF (massive invasion to the choroid in 25, to the postlaminar optic nerve in 41, intrascleral in 10, to the resection margin of the optic nerve in 12, and trans-scleral in 6). Seventy-one patients had glaucoma and 19 had buphthalmia. Intraocular pressure, glaucoma, and buphthalmia correlated significantly with the occurrence of both PRF and microscopical residual disease in multivariate analysis. Buphthalmia was the most specific factor but the sensitivity was lower. Glaucoma and buphthalmia had a high negative predictive value. CONCLUSIONS: Patients presenting with glaucoma and/or buphthalmia have a significantly higher risk for the occurrence of PRF, including those resulting in microscopically residual disease.

Treatment results in patients with retinoblastoma and invasion to the cut end of the optic nerve.

BACKGROUND: There is little information on the outcome of patients with retinoblastoma and tumor at the resection margin of the optic nerve. PROCEDURE: Retrospective evaluation of three successive prospective protocols. Twenty-six consecutive patients were analyzed (International Staging System-IRSS-stage 2 = 21, stage 3 = 5) from three successive prospective protocols (1988-2006). Patients with stage 2 were enucleated upfront and those with stage 3 had neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by enucleation and adjuvant therapy. Both groups received adjuvant chemotherapy and orbital radiotherapy after enucleation. Patients in protocol 1 received 1 year of the lower-dose chemotherapy regimen including cyclophosphamide, vincristine and doxorubicin along with intrathecal chemotherapy. Patients of protocols 2 and 3 received a more intense and shorter intravenous regimen including carboplatin and etoposide alternating with cyclophosphamide, idarubicin and vincristine with no intrathecal treatment. The components of protocol 2 and 3 were similar except for the dose of carboplatin which was 10% lower in protocol 3. RESULTS: Thirteen were treated in protocol 1 and 13 in protocols 2 and 3. The probability of event-free survival was 0.70 at 5 years. Events included: CNS relapse = 3, second malignancies = 3, death in complete remission = 2. There were no significant differences in outcome between protocols or stages. Endocrinological disturbances related to the hypothalamus-hypophysis axis were evident in 6/8 patients evaluated. Severe orbital sequelae occurred in 12 cases. CONCLUSIONS: A substantial number of patients with tumor at the resection margin of the optic nerve can be cured with current therapy; however, therapy related sequelae are frequent.

A phase I study of periocular topotecan in children with intraocular retinoblastoma.

PURPOSE: To identify the maximum tolerated dose and dose-limiting toxicity of periocular topotecan in patients with relapsed or resistant intraocular retinoblastoma who are facing imminent enucleation. METHODS: For this phase I study, a starting dose of 0.5 mg of periocular topotecan administered through a 25-gauge needle was given with intrapatient escalation at a rate of 0.5 mg/cycle according to toxicity, up to a maximum dose of 2 mg. Two courses separated by 2 weeks were scheduled. Plasma levels of topotecan were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography in patients with available intravenous catheters. RESULTS: Seven eyes of five patients were treated with a total of 14 courses of periocular topotecan. Only mild orbital edema occurred, and grade 1 vomiting developed in the first patient that was controlled with ondansetron for the following courses. Dose-limiting toxicity was not reached and the maximum tolerated dose was set at the target dose of 2 mg (n=5 eyes). Lactone topotecan systemic exposure was lower than 55 ng/mL x h and it correlated linearly with dose in this small cohort. Even though the study was not designed to assess response, one eye was preserved after a partial response, but the remaining six were enucleated, either after a short period of disease stabilization followed by further therapy with other agents in five patients or by rapidly progressive disease in one. CONCLUSIONS: The dose limiting toxicity was not reached. Up to 2 mg of periocular topotecan could be given safely, but further studies are necessary to determine its effect on retinoblastoma (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00460876).

[Neonatal hemochromatosis. A cause of liver failure in utero. Report of two cases and review of the literature]. / Hemocromatosis neonatal. Una causa de fallo hepático in útero. Presentación de dos casos y revisión de la bibliografía.

Neonatal hemochromatosis is a rare clinical pathologic entity, defined by severe neonatal liver failure of intrauterine onset associated with intra-and extra- hepatic siderosis that spares reticuloendothelial system. It is the most frequently recognized cause of liver failure in neonates. The cause is unknown but it may develop secondary to abnormal fetoplacental iron handling or perinatal liver disease or be familial or as a consequence of gestational alloimmune disease. It's a syndrome with a common feature rather than a single pathologic entity, with maternal transmission and a high recurrence in the sibship. Death from multisystem organ failure usually occurs in the first few days or weeks of life. We report two newborn with neonatal hemochromatosis. The first died for multiorgan failure, despite aggressive support. The second underwent to liver transplantation. Since 1993, an antioxidant-chelator cocktail has been used in addition to standard supportive care, but this remains controversial. By 2002, a preliminary report suggested that treatment with weekly intravenous immunoglobulin during the later half of pregnancy, for woman whose most recent gestation was affected with proven NH. The diagnosis is suspected in the presence of severely impaired hepatic synthetic function accompanied by high serum ferritin levels, but is confirmed only by demonstration of increased hepatic iron stores, and extra-hepatic siderosis shown by autopsy or in vivo, which can be achieved by biopsy of the minor salivary glands or magnetic resonance imaging. Neonatal hemochromatosis is the most common specific indication for liver transplantation in the first three months of life and appears to be the treatment of choice, and must as well be considered as soon as it becomes apparent that medical support, which should include chelation-antioxidant treatment, is ineffective, before irreversible neurological complications appear.

Topotecan vitreous levels after periocular or intravenous delivery in rabbits: an alternative for retinoblastoma chemotherapy.

PURPOSE: To determine the extent and the mechanism by which topotecan, a candidate agent for the treatment of retinoblastoma, gains access to the vitreous when administered by periocular injection or intravenous infusion. METHODS: In vivo experiments were conducted in which albino rabbits received 1 mg topotecan by periocular injection (POI group; n = 30) or as a 30-minute intravenous infusion (IV group; n = 16). Plasma and vitreal topotecan concentrations were analyzed during the 10 hours after administration. A population pharmacokinetic model was fit to the data. Additionally, periocular injections were performed postmortem to study the effect of removing the blood vasculature barrier. RESULTS: Potentially active lactone topotecan levels were detected in the vitreous in the POI and IV groups. Both administration schedules induced high total topotecan plasma exposures because of absorption from the periocular depot, though plasma lactone area under the curve (AUC) was significantly higher in the IV group. Similar vitreal concentrations were found in treated and control eyes in the POI group. The transfer from the periocular compartment to the vitreous was negligible. The absence of drug levels in the control eye of the postmortem-injected rabbits confirmed the systemic delivery of topotecan. Local toxicity was not observed. CONCLUSIONS: As a consequence of a favored passage across the blood-retinal barrier, considerable topotecan vitreous levels were detected in a rabbit model after systemic or periocular administration. Transscleral entry in vivo was constrained by rapid clearance from the administration site.

Outcome of patients with retinoblastoma and postlaminar optic nerve invasion.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the outcome of patients with retinoblastoma and postlaminar optic nerve invasion (PLONI). DESIGN: Retrospective interventional case series. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-one consecutive patients included in 3 successive protocols were analyzed. METHODS: Pathologic review was done in each case. Patients were stratified into 2 risk groups: the high-risk group included those with concomitant full choroidal and/or scleral invasion and were given adjuvant chemotherapy. Those without these features were considered low risk and chemotherapy was withheld after 1994. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Extraocular relapse and survival according to stratification. RESULTS: The probability of event-free survival (pEFS) was 0.91 and the probability of overall survival (pOS) was 0.94 at 5 years. Patients in the high-risk group (n = 22) had pEFS of 0.86. Three had extraocular relapse (involving the central nervous system; all died of disease). Microscopic scleral invasion was associated to extraocular relapse (P = 0.05). Lower risk patients (n = 39) had a pEFS of 0.94 and pOS of 1. Eighteen received postenucleation chemotherapy and none relapsed. Twenty-one received no adjuvant therapy and 2 had a systemic relapse but were successfully retrieved. Relapsing patients had a higher ratio of affected optic nerve (>25% of it overall length; P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with PLONI have an excellent outcome with current therapy. Risk stratification according to the presence of concomitant choroidal and/or scleral invasion may help in the decision of giving adjuvant therapy.

Risk factors for extraocular relapse following enucleation after failure of chemoreduction in retinoblastoma.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the outcome and determine risk factors for extraocular relapse in patients with retinoblastoma who had been enucleated after failure of chemoreduction. METHODS: Retrospective study (1995-2002) at three institutions. Pathological risk factors (PRF) were defined as invasion of the anterior segment, choroid, post-laminar optic nerve, subarachnoid space, or sclera according to the local pathology report. Extraocular relapse was defined as an event. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-two patients were included (17 had bilateral enucleation). Chemoreduction included vincristine, carboplatin, and etoposide (n=80, 65.6%), vincristine, and carboplatin (n=17, 13.9%), or carboplatin (n=25, 20.5%). Thirty-five also received external beam radiotherapy (28.7%). PRF included: 39 with choroidal involvement, 9 with anterior segment, 9 with scleral, and 2 with post-laminar optic nerve with subarachnoid invasion. Adjuvant chemotherapy was given to eight patients (6.5%) because of scleral invasion. Four patients had an extraocular relapse after enucleation, two of whom survive after intensive treatment including stem cell rescue. Five-year probability of event-free survival is 0.96. Only scleral invasion and bilateral enucleation were significantly associated with extraocular relapse. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of extraocular relapse is low after enucleation following failure of chemoreduction. Patients who underwent bilateral enucleation and those with scleral invasion are at higher risk of extraocular relapse.

High TGFbeta1, estrogen receptor, and aromatase gene expression in a large cell calcifying sertoli cell tumor (LCCSCT): implications for the mechanism of oncogenesis.

Large cell calcifying Sertoli cell tumors (LCCSCT) are associated with Carney complex and Peutz-Jeghers syndrome. The mechanisms linking these 2 genetic defects to the genesis of this tumor are obscure. Studies of CYP19 (aromatase) and transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 messenger RNA (mRNA) abundance, estrogen receptor (ER), TGFbeta1, and TGFbeta type II receptor (R) immunochemistry were carried out in the testis of a patient with this tumor to gain information on possible mechanisms of cell tumor development. Testicular tissue of a prepubertal patient, collected at gonadectomy, was separated into 2 macroscopically distinct fractions: tumoral nodules (Tu) and extratumoral, normal-looking testicular tissue (ExTu). The patient was a 9.5-year-old boy with a 5-year history of bilateral gynecomastia (Tanner stage 4), no pubic hair, incipient genital development, and bilateral testicular nodules. Multiple pigmented lesions of the skin were present. Bilateral mammectomy and gonadectomy was performed. RNA was extracted from Tu and ExTu for semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction of CYP19 and TGFbeta1. Protein expression of ER, TGFbeta1, and TGFbeta type II R in Tu and ExTu was detected by immunohistochemistry. Cell proliferation was estimated by Ki-67 antigen immunochemistry and apoptosis using a modified TUNEL assay. Mean expression of aromatase and TGFbeta1 mRNAs in Tu was 6- and 2.3-fold higher than in ExTu, respectively (P<0.05). Tumoral cells exhibited ER staining with a predominant extranuclear localization. Positive staining of Sertoli cells in Tu was higher than in ExTu. TGFbeta1 immunostaining of the interstitial cells in Tu was higher than in ExTu. TGFbeta type II R immunostaining was detected in most Sertoli and interstitial cells, but intensity in ExTu was lower than in Tu. No significant difference was detected in the proliferation index, but in Tu, the percentage of Sertoli cells in apoptosis (1.4%) was significantly lower (P<0.01) than in ExTu (14.0%). The following hypothesis is proposed. The congenital gene defects of Carney complex or of Peutz-Jeghers syndrome might trigger a cascade of intracellular events that leads to overexpression of aromatase in Sertoli cells, favoring the development of a LCCSCT. At some point in the evolution of the disease, a mutational event might induce a higher expression of the ER. Also, TGFbeta1 protein expression is increased in neighboring cells. In this environment, TGFbeta1 might switch from tumor suppressor to oncogenic factor and, along with estrogen-ER complexes, might favor tumor progression by inhibiting apoptosis.