Cyclophosphamide monotherapy in children with Burkitt lymphoma: a study from the French-African Pediatric Oncology Group (GFAOP).

BACKGROUND: The French African Group of Pediatric Oncology was set-up to improve quality of care for children with cancer. Preliminary observations on the efficacy in Burkitt lymphoma (BL) of a cyclophosphamide monotherapy (CPM) have been published. We report the results of a multicentric prospective study combining first-line CPM and a multidrug second-line chemotherapy (SC) for refractory/relapsed patients. PROCEDURE: Patients ≤ 18 years with Burkitt or Burkitt-like lymphoma, were included in six countries (Burkina-Faso, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Mali, and Senegal). All patients received three weekly CPM courses (1.2 g/m(2) IV with intrathecal methotrexate and hydrocortisone), stage 3/4 patients received three further courses. SC added methotrexate, vincristine, cytarabine, and prednisone. RESULTS: There were 178 patients included (42 stage 1/2, 134 stage 3/4, and 2 unknown). Isolated facial localization was found in 41 patients, diffuse abdominal involvement in 120 patients including 65 with both. Nine early deaths were reported, toxicity occurred in 136/743 courses (83 patients) and was predominantly hematological. After CPM, complete remission (CR) rate was 47% with a 33% EFS. Because of rapid progression 76/108 eligible patients (85 primary refractory and 23 relapses) received SC resulting in 35.7% CR but a 21% toxic death rate. The OS of the whole strategy was 50.5% and correlated to stage. CONCLUSION: A prospective multicentric study on BL was feasible in very low-income countries. CPM can be recommended in stage 1-2 because of optimal cost/benefit ratio. However, more intensive strategies, still adapted to socio-economic conditions, are required for advanced stages 3 and 4.

Treatment of Wilms Tumor in Sub-Saharan Africa: Results of the Second French African Pediatric Oncology Group Study.

PURPOSE: Multidisciplinary management of Wilms tumor has been defined through multicenter prospective studies and an average expected patient cure rate of 90%. In sub-Saharan Africa, such studies are uncommon. After the encouraging results of the first Groupe Franco-Africain d'Oncologie Pédiatrique (GFAOP) study, we report the results of the GFAOP-NEPHRO-02 study using an adaptation of the International Society of Paediatric Oncology 2001 protocol. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From April 1, 2005, to March 31, 2011, seven African units participated in a nonrandomized prospective study. All patients who were referred with a clinical and radiologic diagnosis of renal tumor were screened. Those older than age 6 months and younger than 18 years with a unilateral tumor previously untreated were pre-included and received preoperative chemotherapy. Patients with unfavorable histology or with a tumor other than Wilms, or with a nonresponding stage IV tumor were excluded secondarily. RESULTS: Three hundred thirteen patients were initially screened. Two hundred fifty-seven patients were pre-included and 169 with histologic confirmation of intermediate-risk nephroblastoma were registered in the study and administered postoperative treatment. Thirty-one percent of patients were classified as stage I, 38% stage II, 24% stage III, and 7% stage IV. Radiotherapy was not available for any stage III patients. Three-year overall survival rate was 72% for all study patients and 73% for those with localized disease. CONCLUSION: It was possible to conduct sub-Saharan African multicenter therapeutic studies within the framework of GFAOP. Survival results were satisfactory. Improvements in procedure, data collection, and outcome are expected in a new study. Radiotherapy is needed to reduce the relapse rate in patients with stage III disease.

[Rare pancreatic tumor detected unexpectedly in a child in the Ivory Coast]. / Tumeur pancréatique rare de découverte fortuite chez un enfant en Côte d'Ivoire.

Solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas (SPTP) is rare. It most often affects young women. It was first described by Frantz in 1959, but its pathogenesis remains unclear. This tumor has a good prognosis. Treatment is based on radical surgery. We here report the case of a 11-year old girl with SPTP. Symptomatology was acute, including compression syndrome and epigastralgias. Clinical examination showed a solid mass in the left hypochondrium. Scan showed mixed mass structure of the pancreas tail. Left splenopancreatectomy was performed. The diagnosis was confirmed by histological examination using immunohistochemistry. Long-term follow-up showed no recidivism. The study had a follow-up period of two and a half years. This study and literature review aimed to highlight the role of radiological examination in the diagnosis and underline the importance of radical surgery in the treatment of these tumors with a low degree of malignancy.

Hospital-based surveillance of rotavirus gastroenteritis among children under 5 years of age in the Republic of Ivory Coast: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the proportion of rotavirus gastroenteritis (RVGE) among children aged less than 5 years who had been diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis (AGE) and admitted to hospitals and emergency rooms (ERs). The seasonal distribution of RVGE and most prevalent rotavirus (RV) strains was also assessed. DESIGN: A cross-sectional hospital-based surveillance study. SETTING: 5 reference paediatric hospitals across Abidjan. PARTICIPANTS: Children aged less than 5 years, who were hospitalised/visiting ERs for WHO-defined AGE, were enrolled. Written informed consent was obtained from parents/guardians before enrolment. Children who acquired nosocomial infection were excluded from the study. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The proportion of RVGE among AGE hospitalisations and ER visits was expressed with 95% exact CI. Stool samples were collected from all enrolled children and were tested for the presence of RV using an enzyme immunoassay. RV-positive samples were serotyped using reverse transcriptase-PCR. RESULTS: Of 357 enrolled children (mean age 13.6±11.14 months), 332 were included in the final analyses; 56.3% (187/332) were hospitalised and 43.7% (145/332) were admitted to ERs. The proportion of RVGE hospitalisations and ER visits among all AGE cases was 30.1% (95% CI 23.6% to 37.3%) and 26.9% (95% CI 19.9% to 34.9%), respectively. Ninety-five children (28.6%) were RV positive; the highest number of RVGE cases was observed in children aged 6-11 months. The number of GE cases peaked in July and August 2008; the highest percentage of RV-positive cases was observed in January 2008. G1P[8] wild-type and G8P[6] were the most commonly detected strains. CONCLUSIONS: RVGE causes substantial morbidity among children under 5 years of age and remains a health concern in the Republic of Ivory Coast, where implementation of prevention strategies such as vaccination might help to reduce disease burden.