Prevalence and prognostic significance of IKZF1 deletion in paediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

IKZF1 (IKAROS family Zinc Finger 1) alteration is an essential regulator of both T- and B-cell lineage specification with leukemogenic potential. IKZF1 deletion have been described in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) with varying prevalence often influenced by underlying cytogenetics and also shown to have diverse prognostic significance. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence and prognostic significance of IKZF1 deletion among childhood ALL. Electronic databases of MEDLINE, EMBASE and SCOPUS were searched and 32 studies found eligible. Estimated prevalence of IKZF1 deletion among BCR::ABL1 negative and BCR::ABL1 positive ALL patients was 14% (95%CI:13-16%, I2 = 79%; 26 studies) and 63% (95%CI:59-68% I2 = 42%; 10 studies) respectively. Most common site of IKZF1 deletion was whole chromosome (exon1-8) deletion in 32.3% (95%CI: 23.8-40.7%) followed by exon 4-7 deletion in 28.6% (95%CI: 19.7-37.5%). A positive minimal residual disease at the end of induction was more common among patients with IKZF1 deletion, odds ratio: 3.09 (95%CI:2.3-4.16, I2 = 54%; 15 studies). Event-free survival and overall survival were significantly worse for IKZF1 deletion, hazard ratio (HR): 2.10 (95%CI:1.90-2.32, I2 = 28%; 31 studies) and HR: 2.38 (95%CI:1.93-2.93, I2 = 40; 15 studies) respectively. In summary, the current meta-analysis highlights the frequency of IKZF1 deletion and its negative impact on survival in childhood ALL. Further studies exploring the influence of IKZF1 deletion in the presence of classical cytogenetic and other copy number alterations would further help in characterising its prognostic role.

Outcomes of relapsed/refractory extracranial germ cell tumors treated on conventional salvage chemotherapy without stem cell rescue: Experience from a tertiary cancer center.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Data on the outcome and prognostic indicators in extracranial relapsed/refractory germ cell tumors (rel/ref-GCTs) in children are limited to a few studies. This study looks at remission rates and outcomes of rel/ref-GCTs treated with conventional salvage chemotherapy (SC) regimens without stem cell rescue at a single center in the developing world. METHODS: Patients treated at our center from January 2009 to December 2018 were included. Risk at primary presentation was stratified as all completely excised teratomas and stage I gonadal tumors being low risk (LR); stage IV ovarian, stage III-IV extragonadal GCTs as high risk (HR), and the remaining as intermediate risk (IR). SC regimens were: vinblastine-ifosfamide-cisplatin/carboplatin or paclitaxel-ifosfamide-cisplatin/carboplatin, or cisplatin/carboplatin-etoposide-bleomycin. Local therapy was either surgery and/or radiotherapy. RESULTS: The analyzable cohort comprised 50 patients (44 = rel-GCTs; 6 = ref-GCTs) with a median age of 3.8 years and male:female ratio of 1.27:1. Primary location was ovary in 16 (32%), testicular in 10 (20%), and extragonadal in the rest (48%). Local, metastatic, and combined progression was noted in 28 (56%), 14 (28%), and eight (16%) patients, respectively, at a median time of 8.5 months. At a median follow-up of 60 months, the 5-year event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) of the entire cohort (n = 50) were 42.4% and 50.0%, respectively. In patients previously exposed to platinum analogs (n = 38), 5-year-EFS and OS were 27.7% and 31.7%, respectively. Local relapses did better when compared to metastatic and combined relapses (5-year EFS: 64% vs. 23% vs. 0%; p = .009). LR and IR tumors did better compared to HR (5-year EFS: 81.5% vs. 49.3% vs. 6.5%; p = .002). Patients with normalization of tumor markers after two cycles had a superior EFS (57.6% vs. 0%; p < .001). Relapsed tumors fared better than primary refractory GCTs (5-year EFS: 48.6% vs. 0%; p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Primary refractory GCTs, extragonadal rel-GCTs, and rel/ref-GCTs with a poor biochemical response did poorly with conventional SC and need alternative treatment strategies. The rel/ref-testicular GCTs had the best chance of salvage despite a second recurrence (5-year EFS and OS: 28.60% and 42.90%, respectively).

A Primary Spinal Nongerminomatous Germ Cell Tumor With Multiple Intracranial Metastases in a Toddler.

Central nervous system germ cell tumors (CNS-GCTs) comprise 4% of all pediatric CNS tumors, with one third being nongerminomatous GCT (CNS-NG-GCT) type. The majority of these tumors arise in the intracranial compartment with 20% having drop metastases in the spine. We present a rare case of a 2-year-old boy with a primary intradural-extramedullary NG-GCT arising from the lumbosacral spine with a trifecta of unfavorable features, that is, young age, alpha-feto protein >1000 ng/mL, and disseminated disease within the cranium. Owing to his young age, he was treated with chemotherapy alone, avoiding radiation. His tumor marker (alpha-feto protein) declined from 8468 to 10 k-U/L over 8 weeks, and he remained in remission at the last follow-up. This atypical presentation of an intradural-extramedullary tumor with cranial dissemination in a childhood NG-GCT has yet to be described in the literature. Here we use this opportunity to highlight the treatment strategies and challenges in this unique clinical case.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus Associated Plasmablastic Lymphoma Involving Bones and Peritoneum in a 4-Year-old Child.

In children with underlying Human Immunodeficiency virus infection and AIDS, hematolymphoid cancers, especially non-hodgkin lymphomas are common. Plasmablastic lymphoma is one such non-hodgkin lymphomas arising from the head and neck region (especially sinonasal) but extremely rare. We describe the clinical course in a 4-year-old boy who presented with a solitary bony swelling of the right knee joint, which on diagnostic work-up turned out to be plasmablastic lymphoma. With combination chemotherapy, intrathecal chemotherapy, and early institution ofHighly active anti-retroviral therapy, the child continues to be in remission.

Outcomes and prognostic variables of extracranial germ cell tumors in children and adolescents treated over a decade: A developing world perspective.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this single-center study was to analyze the outcomes of extracranial germ cell tumors (GCTs) in children treated on a multimodality regimen. METHODS: Retrospective study of children (<18 years) with a histopathologically confirmed diagnosis of extracranial GCT over a period of 10 years (January 2009 to December 2018) treated on a uniform institution-based protocol consisting of both cisplatin- and carboplatin-based regimens. All completely excised teratomas and stage I gonadal tumors received no further therapy (low risk [LR]); stage IV ovarian, stage III-IV extragonadal GCTs received six cycles of chemotherapy (high risk [HR]), and the remaining received four cycles of chemotherapy (intermediate risk [IR]). RESULTS: A total of 297 children were treated with a female:male ratio of 1.72:1 and median age of 4 years. Forty-three children had pure teratomas. Gonadal GCTs (N = 180) were more common than extragonadal GCTs (N = 117) with ovary as primary site in 128 children (43%) and sacrococcygeal site being the commonest extragonadal location (N = 41; 14%). LR, IR, and HR disease were noted in 60 (20.2%), 125 (42%), and 112 (37.8%) patients, respectively. Three-fourths of ovarian tumors and half of testicular tumors operated prior to presentation needed upstaging. Forty-one patients relapsed and 43 children expired (disease-related: 33; toxic deaths: 9; unknown: 1). The 5-year event-free survival (EFS)/overall survival (OS) of malignant GCT (n = 254) was 72.50%/82.70%, respectively, with gonadal site (p = .001), LR and IR (p = .001) and nonmetastatic disease (p = .001) being favorable prognostic variables. CONCLUSIONS: The LR and IR GCTs in our cohort had an excellent outcome. A significant proportion of IR gonadal GCTs can be spared of systemic chemotherapy by adhering to strict surgical guidelines. In HR GCTs however, intensifying therapies to improve outcomes must be balanced against the risk of cumulative toxicity, more so in a resource-limited setting.

Clinical features, predictors and outcome of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) in children with hematolymphoid malignancies.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a clinico-radiological syndrome characterized by a neurotoxic state with vasogenic edema. We studied the clinical profile, predisposing factors, imaging features, and outcome of PRES in children receiving treatment for hematolymphoid malignancies. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of the clinical data and radiological features of patients with PRES diagnosed between June 2014 and December 2019. RESULTS: Fifty-two patients (boy: girl = 3:1) were diagnosed with PRES during the study period with a median age of 11 (range:1-15) years. Primary diagnoses were acute leukemias (n = 42), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (n = 8), Hodgkin lymphoma (n = 1), and Langerhan's cell histiocytosis (n = 1). Most common presenting symptoms were seizures (n = 52), altered sensorium (n = 42), headache (n = 39), and visual disturbances (n = 8). Hypertension at time of diagnosis was noted in 50 (96%) patients. Classic hyper-intense lesions on FLAIR and diffusion weighed (DW) images were noted in parieto-occipital region in 39 patients (75%). Central PRES involving basal ganglia was seen in 3 (6%) patients. A subsequent neuro-imaging was done in 18 patients (MRI: 13; CT: 5) at a median interval of 16.2 weeks. Neurological sequelae were observed in 10 (19%) patients, whereas 1 succumbed due to PRES. CONCLUSIONS: PRES is an important clinico-radiological syndrome in patients undergoing chemotherapy for hematological malignancies. High index of suspicion, early diffusion-weighted images on MRI in children with classic symptoms help in early diagnosis. A small minority of patients may develop long-term sequelae.

A Retrospective Analysis of Invasive Fungal Diseases (IFD) of the Central Nervous System in Children With Lymphoid Malignancies.

BACKGROUND: Outcomes of childhood hematolymphoid malignancies have improved several fold because of immunosuppressive chemotherapy and broad-spectrum antibiotics for managing febrile neutropenia. An apparent trade-off has been an increase in invasive fungal disease (IFD), affecting multiple organs. We report the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in 8 children with lymphoid cancers who developed intracranial (IC) fungal abscesses between 2010 and 2017. METHODS: Children below 15 years of age undergoing treatment for leukemia/lymphoma with clinicoradiologic and microbiologic evidence of IC fungal abscess were included. Demographic details, clinical profile, and management were retrospectively audited. Treatment was guided by European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer/Mycoses Study Group (EORTC/MSG) definitions for IFD with therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM)-directed azole dosing, and surgical intervention. RESULTS: Eight patients (4 B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, 2 relapsed B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and 2 non-Hodgkin lymphoma) were eligible for analysis. Proven, probable, and possible IFDs were seen in 2 (25%), 4 (50%), and 2 (25%) patients, respectively. Proven IFDs were invasive mucormycosis with remaining having mold infections. Cerebrospinal fluid galactomannan was positive in all 4 patients in whom it was tested. TDM was possible in 5/8 (63%) patients. Antifungal therapy was given for a median period of 4.2 months with 5 (63%) patients having complete resolution. Three (37%) patients expired, of which 2 were attributable to IFDs. CONCLUSIONS: IC fungal abscesses in children can cause significant morbidity and mortality in children with hematolymphoid cancers. Evaluation of cerebrospinal fluid galactomannan may help in early diagnosis and therapy. Prolonged antifungal therapy steered by TDM can help achieve resolution in some cases.

Parvoviral disease in childhood cancer: Clinical outcomes and impact on therapy at a tertiary cancer center in India.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Parvovirus-B19 disease in immunocompromised children can cause myelosuppression and therapeutic delays. We studied the clinical profiles of children having symptoms suggestive of parvoviral disease at our institution, a large tertiary cancer center. METHODS: Children below age 15 years undergoing treatment for malignancies with clinical features suggestive of parvoviral infection, and/or unexplained drop in hemoglobin, and/or prolonged cytopenia were screened for parvovirus infection using DNA-PCR for parvovirus-B19 (PB19) in the peripheral blood. Patients testing positive from September 2014 till February 2017 were studied. RESULTS: Of the 59 patients (36 patients with hematolymphoid malignancies, 23 with solid tumors) screened for suspected parvoviral infections, 27 tested positive. Median age was 9.6 years (2.25-15 years), 18 (66%) had hematolymphoid malignancies, while 7 (33%) had solid tumors. Six patients (26%) were on intensive phases, 16 (60%) patients developed the symptoms during maintenance chemotherapy, and 4 (15%) after completion of therapy. Isolated anemia was the commonest feature seen in 10 patients (37%) while bicytopenia and pancytopenia were noticed in 8 (30%) and 9 (33%) patients respectively. Fifty percent of patients those who received rituximab (3/6) developed persistent parvoviremia (>4 weeks) as compared with 24% (5/21) of those who did not. Two patients (7%) developed hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). Treatment delay by more than 14 days was encountered in a majority (62%), with 5 patients requiring treatment modification or even suspension. CONCLUSIONS: Parvoviral infection in children who are on or have recently completed chemotherapy can lead to multiple cytopenias and significant treatment delays. Rituximab exposure may lead to persistent parvoviral disease (p < 0.05). HLH, though occasional, can be a serious complication.

A Case of Urachal Yolk Sac Tumor With Spontaneous Rupture in a Child.

Tumors arising from urachus in children are exceedingly rare and sporadically reported in literature. Being a midline structure, the urachus may harbor neoplastic germ cell elements and can occasionally present as a case of acute abdomen. A 20-month-old toddler presented with spontaneous rupture of an urachal yolk sac tumor causing hemoperitoneum. He underwent resection, received platinum-based chemotherapy and presently remains well on follow-up. Despite its rarity, urachal germ cell tumors must be considered in a child with acute abdomen and tumor markers must be measured preemptively in such cases.

Pulmonary cement embolism in a child following total elbow replacement for primitive neuroectodermal tumour (PNET) of the humerus.

Pulmonary bone cement embolism (PCE) is an uncommon event occurring after implantation of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) in orthopaedic surgeries involving adult patients, more so in the elderly. Its incidence in the paediatric population is extremely rare. We herein describe a case of PCE in a 15-year-old girl, 9 days after she underwent total elbow replacement with PMMA placement for a primitive neuroectodermal tumour (PNET) of the distal humerus. This report describes the occurrence of a common post-operative complication of bone cement embolism in an uncommon scenario of total elbow replacement for a bone tumour in a child, which masqueraded initially as acute pneumonitis.

Wilms Tumor in India: A Systematic Review.

Shyam SrinivasanBackground Cure rates of childhood malignancies are inferior in India compared with upper-middle-income countries. There is paucity of quality data addressing outcome of childhood Wilms tumor (WT) from India. This systematic review was conducted to assess the disease trends, treatment strategies, and outcome indicators in WT across India. Materials and Methods We conducted a systematic search of MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and SCOPUS database, and additionally screened International Society of Pediatric Oncology conference abstracts. Data concerning WT or nephroblastoma published from India were extracted. Results A total of 17 studies containing 1,170 patients were included in this review. Ninety-four percent of the studies were published after the year 2010. Advanced stage (III and IV) disease was seen in 46% of included patients. In seven studies, patients underwent a pretreatment biopsy before commencement of therapy. A hybrid approach consisting of "surgery first" in a selected subset and "neo-adjuvant chemotherapy" in all others was the most common treatment strategy adopted in half of the studies. The overall survival ranged between 48 and 89%. Key prognostic factors influencing survival across studies included increased tumor volume, metastatic disease, and unfavorable histology. Nonrelapse mortality (2.7-8.5%) was noted to be high. Conclusion Substantial proportion of children with WT from India present with advanced stages of the disease. Despite several limitations, the current systematic review showed a modest survival among Indian children with WT. Adopting strategies through collaboration to ensure early access to expert care along with involvement of social support team to improve compliance may further improve survival of WT in India.

CD3+TCRαß/CD19+-Depleted Mismatched Family or Unrelated Donor Salvage Stem Cell Transplantation for Graft Dysfunction in Inborn Errors of Immunity.

A minority of children experience significant graft dysfunction after undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for inborn errors of immunity (IEI). The optimal approach to salvage HSCT in this scenario is unclear with respect to conditioning regimen and stem cell source. This single-center retrospective case series reports the outcomes of salvage CD3+TCRαß/CD19-depleted mismatched family or unrelated donor stem cell transplantation (TCRαß-SCT) between 2013 and 2022 for graft dysfunction in 12 children with IEI. Outcomes of interest were overall survival (OS), event-free survival (EFS), graft-versus-host disease (GVHD)-free and event-free survival (GEFS), toxicities, GVHD, viremia and long-term graft function. In this retrospective audit of patients who underwent second CD3+TCRαß/CD19-depleted mismatched donor HSCT using treosulfan-based reduced-toxicity myeloablative conditioning, the median age at first HSCT was 8.76 months (range, 2.5 months to 6 years), and that at second TCRαß-SCT was 3.6 years (range, 1.2 to 11 years). The median interval between first and second HSCTs was 1.7 years (range, 3 months to 9 years). The primary diagnoses were severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) (n = 5) and non-SCID IEI (n = 7). Indications for second HSCT were primary aplasia (n = 1), secondary autologous reconstitution (n = 6), refractory acute GVHD (aGVHD) (n = 3), and secondary leukemia (n = 1). Donors were either haploidentical parental donors (n = 10) or mismatched unrelated donors (n = 2). All patients received TCRαß/CD19-depleted peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) grafts with a median CD34+ cell dose of 9.3 × 106/kg (range, 2.8 to 32.3 × 106/kg) and a median TCRαß+ cell dose of 4 × 104/kg (range, 1.3 to 19.2 × 104/kg). All patients engrafted, with a median time neutrophil and platelet recovery of 15 days (range, 12 to 24 days) and 12 days (range, 9 to 19 days). One patient developed secondary aplasia, and 1 had secondary autologous reconstitution; both underwent a successful third HSCT. Four (33%) had grade II aGVHD, and none had grade III-IV aGVHD. No patients had chronic GVHD (cGVHD), but 1 patient developed extensive cutaneous cGVHD after their third HSCT using PBSCs and antithymocyte globulin. Nine (75%) had at least 1episode of blood viremia with human herpesvirus 6 (n = 6; 50%), adenovirus (n = 6; 50%), Epstein-Barr virus (n = 3; 25%), or cytomegalovirus (n = 3; 25%). The median duration of follow-up was 2.3 years (range, .5 to 10 years), and the 2-year OS, EFS, and GEFS were 100% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0 to 100%), 73% (95% CI, 37% to 90%), and 73% (95% CI, 37% to 90%), respectively. TCRαß-SCT from mismatched family or unrelated donors, using a chemotherapy-only conditioning regimen, is a safe alternative donor salvage transplantation strategy for second HSCT in patients without a suitably matched donor.

Haploidentical CD3+ TCR αß/CD19+-depleted HSCT for MHC class II deficiency and persistent SARS-CoV-2 pneumonitis.

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection leads to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which can range from a mild illness to a severe phenotype characterized by acute respiratory distress needing mechanical ventilation. Children with combined immunodeficiencies might be unable to mount a sufficient cellular and humoral immune response against COVID-19 and have persistent disease. Objective: Our aim was to describe a child with combined immunodeficiency and a favorable post-hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) course following a haploidentical HSCT in the presence of persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: A 13-month-old girl with MHC class II deficiency developed persistent pre-HSCT SARS-CoV-2 infection. Faced with a significant challenge of balancing the risk of progressive infection due to an incompetent immune system with the danger of inflammatory pneumonitis peri-immune reconstitution after HSCT, the patient's physicians performed a maternal (with a recent history of COVID-19 infection) haploidentical HSCT. The patient received regdanvimab (after stem cell infusion) and remdesivir (before and after stem cell infusion). Results: The patient exhibited a gradual increase in her cycle threshold values, implying a reduction in viral RNA with concomitant expansion in the CD3 lymphocyte subset and clinical and radiologic improvement. Conclusions: Combination of adoptive transfer of maternal CD45RO+ memory addback T lymphocytes after haploidentical HSCT and use of regdanvimab (a SARS-CoV-2-neutralizing mAb) and remdesivir may have led to the successful outcome in our patient with severe immunodeficiency after she had undergone HSCT. This case highlights the role of novel antiviral strategies (mAbs and CD45RO+ memory T lymphocytes) in contributing to viral clearance in a challenging clinical scenario.

Outcome and prognostic variables in childhood rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) with emphasis on impact of FOXO1 fusions in non-metastatic RMS: experience from a tertiary cancer centre in India.

While factors influencing outcomes of rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) in developed countries have evolved from clinical characteristics to molecular profiles, similar data from developing countries are scarce. This is a single-centre analysis of outcomes in treated cases of RMS, with emphasis on prevalence, risk-migration and prognostic impact of Forkhead Box O1 (FOXO1) in non-metastatic RMS. All children with histopathologically proven RMS, treated between January 2013 and December 2018 were included. Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study-4 risk stratification was used, with treatment based on a multimodality-regimen with chemotherapy (Vincristine/Ifosfamide/Etoposide and Vincristine/Actinomycin-D/Cyclophosphamide) and appropriate local therapy. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues were tested using Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction for FOXO1-fusions (PAX3(P3F); PAX7(P7F)). A total of 221 children (Cohort-1) were included, of which 182 patients had non-metastatic disease (Cohort-2). Thirty-six (16%), 146 (66%), 39 (18%) patients were low-risk (LR), intermediate-risk (IR) and high-risk, respectively. FOXO1-fusion status was available in 140 patients with localised RMS (Cohort 3). P3F and P7F were detected in 25/49 (51%) and 14/85 (16.5%) of alveolar and embryonal variants, respectively. The 5-year-event-free survival (EFS)/overall survival (OS) of Cohorts 1, 2 and 3 was 48.5%/55.5%, 54.6%/62.6% and 55.1%/63.7%, respectively. Amongst the localised RMS, presence of nodal metastases and primary tumour size > 10 cms were adverse prognostic factorvs (p < 0.05). On incorporating fusion-status in risk-stratification, 6/29 (21%) patients migrated from LR (A/B) to IR. All patients who re-categorised as LR (FOXO1 negative) had a 5-year EFS/OS of 80.81%/90.91%. FOXO1-negative tumours had a better 5-year relapse-free survival (58.92% versus 44.63%; p = 0.296) with a near-significant correlation in favourable-site tumours (75.10% versus 45.83%; p = 0.063). While FOXO1-fusions have superior prognostic utility compared to histology alone in localised, favourable-site RMS, traditional prognostic factors (tumour size and nodal metastases) impacted outcome the most in this subset. Strengthening of early referral systems in community and timely local intervention can help in improving outcome in resource-constrained countries.

Budding yeast in a child with acute leukemia: Nothing CRYPT(O)IC about it.

A 13-year-old girl child with B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia presented with complaints of fever, fatigue and left-sided iliac mass of 20 days duration. Preliminary blood culture from the peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) demonstrated the presence of budding yeast cells. This is a rare form of "Disseminated cryptococcosis". Budding yeast cells emphasizes the significance of various differentials of yeast in positive blood cultures bottles, as identifying Cryptococcus from gram stain can be complicated. This manuscript also highlights the presence of crystalloid geometric appearance like "Buckminsterfullerene", which is derived from the mucopolysaccharide capsule in Cryptococcus. These structures are rarely observed, and in this case, are exceptionally remarkable.

Sudden blast phase in pediatric chronic myeloid leukemia-chronic phase with abnormal lymphoid blasts detected by flow cytometry at diagnosis: Can it be considered a warning sign?

BACKGROUND: Inconclusive knowledge persists regarding the course of chronic myeloid leukemia-chronic phase (CML-CP) patients with detectable abnormal blasts by flow-cytometry at diagnosis. The 2016 WHO classification is not specific regarding sub-classification of CML with <10% abnormal B-lymphoid blasts (ABLB), and suggests these patients often show rapid progression. We report the clinical course of pediatric CML-CP patients who had detectable abnormal blasts by flow-cytometry at baseline. METHODS: Retrospective audit of all pediatric CML patients between January 2013 and December 2017 were included. Their clinical presentation, demographic profile, and treatment outcomes were extracted from electronic medical records. Some of these patients got flow-cytometry done by default, though it was not a routine part of diagnostic CML marrow studies. RESULTS: Amongst 65 pediatric CML patients, flow-cytometry at initial diagnosis was available in 15 (CP-12; AP-3). Of the 12 CML-CP patients, 10 (83%) had abnormal flow-cytometric findings-5 (50%) with mixed lineage blasts (4-B/Myeloid, 1-B/T/Myeloid), and myeloid lineage blasts in the remaining 5 (50%). At a median follow-up of 26 months (range: 9-34 months), 3/5 patients with ABLB at diagnosis progressed to frank blast crisis (2 B-cell; 1 Mixed lineage). None among the five patients with diagnostic myeloid-alone aberrant blasts progressed to blast crisis. Imatinib resistant mutation was also found in 3/5 (60%) CML-CP patients with these ABLB at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Although a retrospective study with limited sample size, presence of ABLB detected on flow-cytometry in CML-CP patients, had a noticeable early conversion to CML-BC in our cohort. Incorporation of flow-cytometry in diagnostic work-up can provide useful insight regarding the behavior of pediatric CML-CP patients and guide therapy.

Assessment of outcomes of elective cancer surgeries in children during coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: Retrospective cohort study from a tertiary cancer center in India.

ABSTRACT: To describe the outcomes of elective cancer surgeries and adverse consequences on the patients and medical staff due to the surgical interventions in children during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.The study included children younger than 15 years who underwent elective cancer surgeries from March 4, 2020 and December 3, 2020.A total of 121 patients (62% male; median age, 3 years) underwent surgery. The surgical procedures included nephrectomies (n = 18), neuroblastoma (n = 26) and soft tissue tumor resections (n = 24) and complex surgical procedures like extended liver resections (n = 2), intra-atrial thrombectomy under cardiopulmonary bypass (n = 2), pancreatoduodenectomy (n = 1), and free microvascular flaps (n = 7). Clavien-Dindo Grade III complications were 5% (n = 6), and there were no postoperative deaths. Preoperative COVID-19 testing was performed in 82% of children, and only 2% showed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 positivity. Postoperatively, 26 children were tested because of specific symptoms and, 6 tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Except for a median delay of 23 days in treatment, none of the patients with COVID-19 required critical hospital management. None of the surgical residents or faculty acquired COVID-19, while 4 each medical and support staff were tested positive in the study period.COVID-19 was not a deterrent for continued cancer care, and surgeries could be safely performed adopting universal preventive measures without any added morbidity from COVID-19. Caregivers and centers dealing with childhood cancers can be encouraged to sustain or seek early healthcare.

High Response Rates and Promising Outcomes of Patients with Relapsed Ewing Sarcoma, Especially in Adolescents and Young Adults Treated on a Novel Hybrid Salvage Chemotherapy Regimen.

Purpose: About 30%-35% of nonmetastatic and 60%-80% of metastatic Ewing Sarcoma (ES) will relapse post-treatment and outcomes after relapse continue to be poor over last several decades. Prognostic factors affecting survival after relapse of ES are also not robustly known. We present outcomes using a novel hybrid salvage protocol of four active chemotherapeutic agents in our cohort of patients after relapse of ES. Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of all consecutive relapsed ES patients treated with curative intent over 4 years (January 2012 to December 2015). All received 12-cycles of hybrid chemotherapy regimen with surgery/radiotherapy done after first 4 cycles. Event-free survival (EFS)/overall survival (OS) estimates were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier product-limit estimator. Cox regression analysis was performed to identify prognostic factors predicting outcome in relapsed ES. Results: Salvage regimen was given to 53/108 relapsed ES patients with the rest having opted for palliation upfront. Median age of the treated patients was 19 years (range: 4-40); male:female ratio was 2.7:1. Median time to first relapse was 18.8 months (range: 2.2-91). While 41/53 patients (77%) completed salvage therapy, 6 (11.3%) progressed and 6 (11.3%) abandoned treatment. Median follow-up of the study cohort is 31 months (range: 4-81). Of the analyzable cohort (n = 47), 30 (64%) had a second relapse or progression on salvage treatment. At last follow-up, 31 patients had died (including one due to toxicity and rest due to disease) and 16 patients were alive (14 with no active disease and 2 with disease). The 4-year EFS and OS are 28% and 37%, respectively, for the entire cohort. While adolescents and young adult patients (AYA) had a better survival (p-0.041), relapsed ES patients with shorter disease-free interval (DFI) (<24 months) had a poorer survival (p-0.004). The type of relapse (local or metastatic or combined) after primary treatment did not affect outcome after salvage therapy. Conclusions: We have used a novel hybrid chemotherapy protocol using four active agents in relapsed ES, which is well tolerated and shows promising results. Older age (≥15 years) and longer DFI (>24 months) portend better survival post-relapse. In our cohort of relapsed ES, AYAs fared better than others and type of relapse after primary treatment did not affect outcome after salvage therapy.