Glucocorticoid induced adrenal suppression in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Tijdschrift voor Kindergeneeskunde -     

Results of neuroleukemia prevention in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia]

The follow-up of 318 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia given program therapy that included different treatments including chemo- and radioprevention of neuroleukemia demonstrated the high efficacy of the measures carried out, which reduced the incidence of neuroleukemia to 5.6%. No gross changes on the part of the neuropsychic status were revealed in the course of the follow-up of children who received the combined prophylaxis of neuroleukemia. The derangement of the CNS was recorded in 17 patients and ran its course in the form of leukemic meningitis and meningoencephalitis.     

急性淋巴细胞白血病糖皮质激素耐药的分子机制及其相关问题

糖皮质激素(GC)能特异性地诱导淋巴细胞周期停滞和凋亡,因此几十年来一直是治疗淋巴系统肿瘤,尤其是急性淋巴细胞白血病(ALL)的主要组成药物。然而对GC产生耐药性是临床ALL治疗中常见的难题,也是导致治疗失败的主要原因。GC耐药的确切的分子机制尚未阐明,与不同的疾病类型、治疗方案,尤其是患者的遗传背景有关。最近发现mTOR激酶介导的信号通路的活化能够诱导淋巴细胞对GC耐药,以及mTOR激酶抑制剂雷帕霉素能够有效地逆转ALL细胞对GC耐药作用提示联合应用mTOR激酶抑制剂和GC有望成为治疗ALL的有效措施。GC敏感试验是儿童ALL的一项主要预后判断指标,然而本身还有很多局限性,因此有必要寻找精确的特异性高的体外GC敏感试验。     

XYY syndrome in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Certain constitutional chromosomal abnormalities increase the risk of malignancy and/or decrease treatment tolerance. We identified two patients with the XYY syndrome among a total of 444 male children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia who had complete cytogenetics studies. In both cases, the leukemic cell karyotype suggested a constitutional XYY abnormality that was confirmed in studies of lymphocytes obtained during remission. The incidence rate in our series is higher than that of the XYY syndrome in the general population (0.0045 vs. 0.001), but not significantly so. This finding and a literature review failed to confirm an increased frequency of the XYY syndrome among children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Both of our patients remain in remission 24 and 28 months, respectively, postdiagnosis. Their tolerance of intensive treatment, including high-dose methotrexate, suggests that the untoward treatment toxicity seen in patients with chromosomal abnormalities such as trisomy 21 does not extend to the XYY syndrome. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Human bocavirus in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

A new human parvovirus, human bocavirus, has recently been identified in respiratory secretions, feces and serum. It is associated with lower and most likely also upper respiratory tract infections. Most commonly reported symptoms are cough, rhinorrhea, expiratory wheezing and fever, and the virus is preferentially detected in young children. We report three children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia who had acute febrile episodes with concomitant detection of human bocavirus in their respiratory secretions. One of them had five consecutive febrile episodes during 6 months, all associated with the presence of human bocavirus at varying viral loads, suggesting prolonged shedding or reactivation of the virus.     

Osteonecrosis in children treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia

The purpose of the study was to find out the prevalence of osteonecrosis in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in complete bone marrow remission at the end of the treatment. Twenty-eight children with ALL underwent MRI of the upper and/or lower extremities. Bone marrow signal intensity was analyzed on T1-weighted images, where cir-cumscribed lesions with a rim of low signal intensity were considered typical of osteonecrosis. Osteonecrosis was found in 9 of the 28 children (32%, 95% CI 16% to 52%). Five of them were asymptomatic. They had been treated with high risk and intermediate risk protocols, both of which include a delayed intensification phase with dexamethasone. None of the patients with standard risk ALL were found to have developed osteonecrosis. Osteonecroses occurred unexpectedly in symptomless patients and in patients with mild transient symptoms treated with high risk and intermediate risk protocols. Our study suggests that the intensification phase of the treatment protocols with intensive dexamethasone medication might be responsible for the development of osteonecrosis. Med. Pediatr. Oncol. 29:260–265, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Vincristine disposition in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Vincristine (VCR) has been widely used to treat childhood malignancies for over thirty years, but its plasma disposition has not yet been well-defined. Therefore, we conducted a pharmacokinetic study of VCR in 17 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) receiving the first dose of VCR. A new high-performance liquid chromatographic assay was used for the measurement of VCR in plasma. A two-compartment pharmacokinetic model was fit to the data by nonlinear least-squares regression. Estimated pharmacokinetic parameters were highly variable; mean (S.D.) volume of distribution at steady-state was 360 (176) L.m^?2; total body clearance was 431 (238) ml. min^?1.m^?2, and elimination half-life was 823 (390) min. These results were compared to data from eight adults with lung cancer. Mean volume of distribution in adults and children were similar, but VCR clearance was significantly larger in children (P = 0.01), resulting in a significantly longer elimination half-life in the adults (P < 0.01). We conclude that administration of a standard dosage of VCR to children with ALL results in a highly variable systemic drug exposure, which may have implications for the oncolytic effect and/or toxicity in individual patients. Comparison of data from children and adults suggests that VCR elimination rate is a function of age; this could account for more severe neurotoxicity in older patients. However, it cannot be excluded that differences between the children and adults may be due to other variables than age. Future studies should focus on the possible influence of multidrug resistance modulating agents on VCR pharmacokinetics and on pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic relationships in individual patients. © 1995 Wi1ey-Liss Inc.     

Neutropenic enterocolitis in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Neutropenic enterocolitis is an acute, life-threatening inflammation of the small and large bowel, often seen in children with malignancies during periods of prolonged or severe neutropenia. During the period 1990-1995, 180 children were treated at the authors' center for acute lymphoblastic leukemia using a standard chemotherapy protocol. Among them, 11 children (6.1%) aged 4 to 12 years, were diagnosed clinically to have neutropenic enterocolitis. Eight had severe neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count < 10(8)/L and 5 had prolonged neutropenia (> 7 days duration). The symptoms included diffuse abdominal pain (10 children), oral mucositis (7), hematochezia (7), diarrhea (6), hematemesis (5), and right lower quadrant tenderness (4). Three children had radiological evidence of free intraperitoneal gas and an additional 3 children were found on surgical exploration to have cecal perforation. Laparotomy was performed on 8 children (73%), 4 of whom survived. Among the 3 children managed conservatively, 1 died awaiting surgical exploration, while the other 2 did well. The overall survival was 55%. The authors recommend an approach to management that respects the heterogeneity of the disease.     

Cytomegalovirus disease in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Viral infections are an underrecognized problem in children on standard chemotherapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). In countries with high baseline seroprevalence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) such as India, it may be an important pathogen leading to fever, end-organ damage, and cytopenia. Data regarding the incidence and manifestations of CMV disease in pediatric ALL patients are scanty. The authors prospectively assessed all children on chemotherapy for ALL with prolonged febrile neutropenia (FN) for CMV disease over a 3-year period. Children with end-organ damage, including pneumonia, retinitis, and colitis, were also evaluated. Quantitative and qualitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from blood, body fluids, or tissue was done along with ophthalmologic evaluation. CMV disease was detected in 10% of the children with prolonged FN. In addition, other children were identified due to end-organ damage, lung and eye being the common organs of involvement. Time of CMV reactivation was essentially during nonintense phase of chemotherapy. Lymphopenia was present in most children, and prolonged lymphopenia was associated with relapse of CMV infection after therapy. The authors conclude that CMV is an important pathogen in children on standard chemotherapy for ALL. It has a good outcome with early detection and directed therapy. Parenteral ganciclovir is needed for a period of 14–21 days to prevent recurrence.     

儿童急性淋巴细胞白血病的临床分析

目的 分析初诊儿童急性淋巴细胞白血病的临床特征及远期疗效情况,提高急性淋巴细胞白血病患儿的总生存率（overall survival,OS）和无事件生存率（event-free survival,EFS）.方法 收集2005年至2010年住院治疗的初诊急性淋巴细胞白血病80例患儿的临床资料,采用急性淋巴细胞白血病IC-BFM2002为基础的化疗方案,运用Kaplan-Meier法统计分析患儿的5年OS和EFS.结果 80例患儿,男女比例1.22∶1,中位年龄4岁3个月,标危33例（41.2％）,中危37例（46.3％）,高危10例（12.5％）,白细胞（WBC≥20×109/L）22例（27.5％）,BCR/ABL阳性3例（3.8％）;MLL基因重排1例（1.3％）;TEL/AML阳性17例（21.3％）.完全缓解79例（98.8％）,5年OS和EFS分别为（85.9±4.0）％和（79.2±4.7）％,其中标危组5年EFS（86.6±6.4）％,中危组5年EFS （81.1±6.4）％,高危组5年EFS（48.0±16.4）％,组间比较差异有统计学意义（x2=7.03,P＜0.05）.复发12例（15.o％）,中位时间23.5个月.死亡11例（13.8％）,中位时间13个月.结论 初诊儿童急性淋巴细胞白血病患儿的疗效好,标准的分型诊断及危险度分层治疗有利于提高患儿的生存质量.     

Use of alpha interferon preparations in acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children during remission]

The Soviet alpha-interferon drugs (human leukocytic interferon, reaferon) were used in the program of the treatment of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (during remission). The treatment was found to be more effective with an increase of its duration, relapse-free course of the disease (69.4-82.3%) and survival (70.1-93.1%) of patients with an unfavourable disease prognosis (over 5 years).     

Effects of immunologic markers on prognosis in acute lymphoblastic leukemia in young children]

Altogether 77 children aged up to 3 years with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) were examined for the immunological phenotype of blast cells. L1, L1/L2, L2/L1, L2 variants of ALL and the undifferentiated one were established in accordance with criteria of the FAB classification. T1, zero and Ia immunosubvariants were recorded most frequently. Mature cell T2 and pre-B variants (3 and 2 cases, respectively) were rare; B-cellular acute lymphoblastic leukemia was lacking; the "common" subvariant was revealed in 28 patients. The patients' age produced the highest effect on the prognosis: the significantly least disease standing and remissions were noted in a group of children under 2 years as compared to those aged 2 to 3 years. As for immunological markers, expression of Thy1-antigen exerted an unfavourable effect on the prognosis and duration of the first remission.     

Desensitization to pegaspargase in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and lymphoblastic lymphoma

Hypersensitivity to pegaspargase is associated with inferior survival in pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and lymphoblastic lymphoma. In the past year, drug‐supply shortages have led to the lack of an available alternative to pegaspargase. Rather than omit asparaginase from the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia or lymphoblastic lymphoma patients with hypersensitivity to pegaspargase, we continued pegaspargase treatments for nine pediatric patients, utilizing a rapid desensitization protocol. There were no adverse events related to the pegaspargase during desensitization, and all patients who were checked had asparaginase serum levels above the threshold of 0.1 IU/mL at 7 to 14 days after pegaspargase therapy.     

Acute respiratory illness in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Ten of 70 children (14%) with acute lymphoblastic leukemia developed severe interstitial pneumonitis within three weeks after induction of central nervous system prophylactic therapy. The clinical picture was characterized by fever, cough, progressive dyspnea, and hypoxemia with complete resolution in one to three weeks, except in one patient who died during the acute illness from respiratory failure. P. carinii organisms were found in the lung tissue of only one patient. The etiology of the pneumonitis in the other nine children was probably viral, acquired or activated during a period of lymphopenia and immunosuppression. The morbidity and potential mortality from the pneumonitis warrants early recognition by open lung biopsy and intensive supportive therapy.     

A morphometric classification of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children

In order to reduce the subjective errors in subtyping leukemic lymphoblasts using the French-American-British (FAB) classification, computer-assisted morphometry was used. Bone marrow smears obtained at diagnosis from 99 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) were analysed by this method and compared with the subjective FAB classification. The results confirm that lymphoblast morphology, as a single variable, is a very significant predictor of survival in ALL. This computer-assisted morphometric analysis would be of great value in large-scale clinical trials in ALL.