Successful sleeve lobectomy of pediatric inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is an uncommon solid tumor that was originally described in the lung. A 4‐year‐old girl was admitted to hospital with urticarial rash. On chest radiographs, an opacity was seen in the inferior zone of the left lung, and computed tomography showed a mass in the left lower lobe. Left lower sleeve lobectomy was performed, and the diagnosis was confirmed as IMT. Sleeve resection is the best option in lesions located in the mainstem bronchus or secondary carina. Herein, we present a rare case of IMT of the lung that was successfully treated with sleeve lobectomy. There have been fewer than 15 childhood cases of IMT reported in the literature, and the present 4‐year‐old patient is one of the youngest.     

小儿炎性肌纤维母细胞瘤诊断与治疗的探讨

目的探讨小儿炎性肌纤维母细胞瘤(IMT)的诊断与治疗方法。方法分析和总结我院收治的5例手术病理确诊为IMT患儿的临床表现、实验室检查、影像学检查、病理学诊断、外科治疗方法及随访情况等。结果 5例IMT患儿中,2例肿瘤位于膀胱,3例肿瘤分别位于颈部、腹部及右下肺,行肿瘤完整切除术,其中膀胱及右下肺肿瘤患儿术后随访2～8个月未见肿瘤复发,腹部肿瘤患儿未能随访;1例膀胱肿瘤活检,明确诊断后家长放弃治疗;1例颈部肿瘤复发,初期经化疗肿瘤消失,后出现颈部肿瘤转移及复发,再次手术及化疗,后期无法有效控制肿瘤增长,最终家长放弃治疗。结论小儿IMT是一种罕见的软组织肿瘤,无特异性表现,确诊依靠病理学检查。手术切除是有效的治疗方法,但存在复发和转移可能,术后需长期随访,对于复发者化疗有一定疗效,反复复发者预后不良。     

Crizotinib in ALK+ inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors—Current experience and future perspectives

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) and its subtype epithelioid inflammatory myofibroblastic sarcoma (EIMS) are rare soft‐tissue tumors. As about 50% of IMT and 100% of EIMS contain activating rearrangements of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene, targeted kinase inhibition of ALK by compounds such as crizotinib is a potential treatment option. We performed a literature review and analyzed a total of 30 patients with IMT/EIMS treated with crizotinib. A total of 12 patients achieved complete or partial remission. As preliminary data are promising, a prospective study evaluating crizotinib treatment in patients with unresectable/multifocal ALK⁺ IMT/EIMS is warranted.     

Paraneoplastic opsoclonus myoclonus syndrome associated with inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor in a pediatric patient

Opsoclonus myoclonus syndrome (OMS) is a rare neurological syndrome caused by a paraneoplastic autoimmune process that affects children with neuroblastic tumors. Treatment includes corticosteroids, intravenous gamma globulin (IVIG), rituximab, and other immunosuppressive therapies. Here, we describe a patient diagnosed with OMS associated with a localized inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor. The patient has no evidence of tumor recurrence following surgical resection with 8‐month follow‐up. The neurologic symptoms resolved with corticosteroids and IVIG. This case demonstrates that in children, neoplasms other than neuroblastoma may be associated with this paraneoplastic syndrome, and highlights the importance of evaluating patients with OMS for underlying malignancies.     

小儿腹部炎性肌纤维母细胞瘤诊治探讨

目的探讨小儿腹部炎性肌纤维母细胞瘤(inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor,IMT)的诊断与治疗方法,以提高其诊治水平。方法分析首都医科大学附属北京儿童医院肿瘤外科2006—2018年收治的18例经手术病理确诊为腹部IMT患儿的临床资料,包括临床表现、实验室检查、影像学检查、病理学诊断、外科治疗方法及随访情况等。18例患儿术前均行超声检查、CT或MRI检查。1例行穿刺及术前化疗,1例仅行开腹活检及术后化疗,其余均接受肉眼下肿瘤全切术,其中2例弥漫性腹部病变行多次手术并接受全身规律化疗。结果术后病理提示肿瘤细胞均呈梭形伴有炎症浸润,部分镜下可见玻璃样变或局灶出血。1例随访中失访,1例肿瘤位于腹膜后间隙者于术后3个月死亡,其余16例随访4~29个月,未见术后严重并发症或死亡发生,1例弥漫腹部IMT病灶患儿带瘤存活。结论IMT可来源于腹部各区域并引发不同症状。影像学检查利于定位和诊断,但缺乏特异性。大部分单发病变可以单纯经手术治愈,对患有弥漫性腹部病变的难治性病例的治疗亟待经验积累及进一步研究。     

ALK inhibition in two emblematic cases of pediatric inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor: Efficacy and side effects

There is an increasing interest for anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitors in pediatric oncology for specific entities such as ALK‐driven inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT). IMT treatment can be challenging due to localization of the tumor and in rare cases of metastasis. When standard surgical treatment is not feasible, ALK inhibitors may play an important role, as recently reported for the first‐generation ALK inhibitors (crizotinib). However, data on the second‐generation ALK inhibitors are limited. We report two emblematic cases of IMT in pediatric patients, treated with the second‐generation ALK inhibitor ceritinib in the context of a clinical trial (NCT01742286).     

Analysis of clinical features and outcomes for inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors in China: 11 years of experience at a single center

Purpose

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is a rare benign neoplasm. The purpose of this study was to review the clinical characteristics, imaging and pathological features, and outcomes of children with IMTs from a single center in China.

Methods

A retrospective file review was conducted involving 23 cases of pathologically confirmed IMTs treated at the Children’s Hospital between April 2003 and April 2014.

Results

The tumor locations included multiple anatomic sites, as follows: abdomen or pelvis (n = 17); lungs (n = 2); head and neck (n = 1); trunk (n = 1); and extremities (n = 2). The tumors were associated with various clinical presentations. The predominant symptoms included an anemic appearance, fevers, and an asymptomatic mass. Computed tomography scanning showed solid, heterogeneous, well-demarcated masses; the appearance of enhancement was variable. MRI appeared hypointense on T1-weighted images and hypointense or hyperintense on T2-weighted images. Immunohistochemical staining revealed anaplastic lymphoma kinase was negative in 11 of 13 cases tested. One patient quit treatment for the unresectable mass after biopsy and died 2 years later, and another patient with incompletely resection is alive at 30 months following chemotherapy. The remaining 21 cases had complete resections; one patient died due to a recurrence, and the other 20 patients survived and were tumor free. The follow-up ranged from 7 to 141 months, with a mean of 56 months. The 3-year OS was 88 % (95 % CI, 57–97 %).

Conclusions

IMT is a benign neoplasm that rarely presents with malignant features. Complete resection is curative in most patients. ALK+ is variable for diagnosis. Close follow-up is necessary for patients who undergo surgical resection.

     

Assessment of circulating tumor DNA in pediatric solid tumors: The promise of liquid biopsies

Circulating tumor DNA can be detected in the blood and body fluids of patients using ultrasensitive technologies, which have the potential to improve cancer diagnosis, risk stratification, noninvasive tumor profiling, and tracking of treatment response and disease recurrence. As we begin to apply “liquid biopsy” strategies in children with cancer, it is important to tailor our efforts to the unique genomic features of these tumors and address the technical and logistical challenges of integrating biomarker testing. This article reviews the literature demonstrating the feasibility of applying liquid biopsy to pediatric solid malignancies and suggests new directions for future studies.     

Complete resection of a huge hypervascular inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor in right hemithorax after embolization

Background

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is a rare and mostly benign tumor that has the possibility of malignant change.

Methods

Radiological findings revealed a huge mass that filled most of the right hemithorax of a 17-monthold female infant. Tumor extirpation was stopped due to massive bleeding and limited exposure of the tumor. Embolization was conducted to obstruct the arteries feeding the mass. Complete resection was performed.

Results

Histopathologic examination led to the diagnosis of IMT. Postoperative recovery was uneventful.

Conclusion

Hypervascularity of IMT should be considered. Preoperative embolization can be effective to reduce intraoperative blood loss and facilitate the surgical procedure.

     

Preclinical evaluation of pemetrexed in pediatric solid tumors

Renewed interest in antifols for the treatment of childhood cancers has resulted from identification of novel antifols with broad spectrums of anti-cancer activity. We evaluated the in vitro cytotoxicity of methotrexate and pemetrexed in a panel of 12 pediatric solid tumor cell lines using the sulforhodamine-B assay. The Ewing sarcoma (ES) cell lines demonstrated the greatest sensitivity to both methotrexate and pemetrexed. Expression of folate pathway genes (DHFR, TS, GARFT, GGH) did not correlate with in vitro drug sensitivity. Further evaluation of pemetrexed for the treatment of ES is warranted.     

甲胎蛋白异质体在儿童肿瘤中的研究进展

甲胎蛋白(alpha-fetal protein,AFP)是一种糖蛋白,自发现伊始,甲胎蛋白一直在相关儿童肿瘤(肝母细胞瘤、卵黄囊瘤、胰母细胞瘤等)的临床诊断中起到重要作用,但诊断作用并不完美,甲胎蛋白有三种异质体(AFP-L1,AFP-L2,AFP-L3),近年来,对其作用机制及功能的研究愈发加深.