Manifestation of toxocariasis in children with neuroblastoma treated with autologous hematopoietic transplants

Toxocariasis was diagnosed in 3 out of 22 children (14%) treated in our center with high-dose chemotherapy and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The patients were coming from rural areas in the southeastern Poland and did not present any clinical symptoms of toxocariasis upon admission to the hospital. Although no neurological and ophtalmological abnormalities were noticed, the atypical form of toxacariasis was diagnosed based on elevated eosinophils counts, positive serological tests, and biochemical symptoms of liver damage. The authors conclude that toxocariasis should be taken into consideration in the differential diagnosis of eosinophilia in children undergoing high-dose chemotherapy and HSCT, especially if they are coming from rural areas.     

Persistent positive metaiodobenzylguanidine scans after autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation may indicate maturation of stage 4 neuroblastoma

Metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scans are sensitive testing tools for neuroblastoma. Persistent positive MIBG scans in patients with stage 3 neuroblastoma have previously been found to indicate maturation rather than regression. We assessed the significance of this finding in stage 4 neuroblastoma in the present study. Fifteen consecutive pediatric patients with stage 4 neuroblastoma treated between 2004 and 2014 at the Kagoshima University Hospital were retrospectively examined. Treatment involved a combination of multiagent chemotherapy, resection, autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT), radiotherapy, and maintenance therapy with retinoic acid. The MIBG uptake in each patient during treatment was assessed using a Curie score. The 5-year event-free and overall survival rates in 15 patients were 38.9% and 58.7%, respectively. Four patients with persistent positive MIBG scans who underwent autologous PBSCT but experienced decreased ¹²³I-MIBG uptake during the clinical course survived without progression, and their event-free survival (EFS) was significantly superior to that of patients who showed negative MIBG scans after PBSCT (5-year EFS rate: 18.2%, p = 0.0176). Therefore, persistent positive MIBG scans with gradually decreased uptake after PBSCT do not always indicate neuroblastoma progression, and may instead indicate tumor maturation in some selected cases, if not all cases, of stage 4 neuroblastoma.     

Renal function after tandem high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation in children with Wilms tumor

Lee SH, Paik KH, Sung KW, Son MH, Yoo KH, Koo HH, Kim JY, Cho EJ. Renal function after tandem high‐dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation in children with Wilms tumor. Pediatr Transplantation 2011: 15: 855–860. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Abstract: Despite increasing evidence that tandem HDCT and autoSCT might improve the survival of patients with high‐risk solid tumors, patients with Wilms tumor may be at high risk of acute and chronic renal impairment during and after tandem HDCT/autoSCT because they usually have a single kidney. We investigated the feasibility of tandem HDCT/autoSCT in patients with Wilms tumor, focusing on renal function. Six patients with relapsed/progressed Wilms tumor were assigned to undergo tandem HDCT/autoSCT. One patient developed transient ARF during the first HDCT/autoSCT. All other patients underwent the second HDCT/autoSCT as scheduled. Acute renal dysfunction during the second HDCT/autoSCT was transient and manageable. Indicators of glomerular function such as creatinine clearance, serum creatinine, and albumin excretion were in the normal range at three yr after tandem HDCT/autoSCT. Subclinical tubular dysfunctions, such as increased excretion of β‐N‐acetylglucosaminidase and β2‐microglobulin, were identified at one and three yr after tandem HDCT/autoSCT; however, no patient required treatment for these conditions. These results are helpful to consider tandem HDCT/autoSCT as a treatment option in patients with Wilms tumor. Longer duration of follow‐up and close monitoring of tubular function are required if tandem HDCT/autoSCT is indicated in patients with Wilms tumor.     

Primary intraspinal primitive neuroectodermal tumor treated with autologous stem cell transplantation: case report and review of the literature

The authors describe the case of a 19-year-old female patient with a primary primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) of the thoraco-lumbar spinal cord, who presented with acute urinary retention and back pain for 2 months. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed an intradural extramedullary tumor, 6.5 cm long, in the region of the conus medullaris. Histological examination disclosed a small round cell tumor with immunohistochemical characteristics of a peripheral PNET. Metastatic workup showed no evidence of an intracranial tumor or metastases outside the neuroaxis. The patient received multidisciplinary treatment, including surgical excision, irradiation of the entire cranio-spinal axis, and high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell rescue. Presently, 24 months after diagnosis, the patient remains in complete remission.     

Plerixafor plus granulocyte-colony stimulating factor for autologous hematopoietic stem cell mobilization in patients with metastatic neuroblastoma

Current therapies for high-risk neuroblastoma (NB) necessitate the availability of several aliquots of autologous peripheral blood stem cells to reverse-associated myelosuppression. Priming with the CXCR4 inhibitor plerixafor plus G-CSF was associated with successful stem cell harvest in 5/7 heavily prior-treated patients with stage 4 NB who had previously failed G-CSF priming. Minimal residual disease was not detected in harvested cells from any patient despite the presence of disease in bone/bone marrow in 6/7. Hematopoietic reconstitution was achieved in all three patients receiving plerixafor-primed stem cells after myeloablative therapy. Plerixafor is an effective and safe agent for stem cell collection in patients with NB.     

High-dose chemotherapy and autologous blood stem cell transplantation in children with metastatic neuroblastoma

High-dose chemotherapy (HDC) followed by autologous blood stem cell transplantation (ABSCT) was performed to improve the prognosis of children with metastatic neuroblastoma over 1 year of age at diagnosis. Seven stage IV neuroblastoma patients with a median age of 3.9 years (range 1.6–11.4 years) received conventional chemotherapy before leukapheresis for ABSCT. The median duration of chemotherapy before harvest was 8 months (range 3–23 months). Peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) were harvested from them after the use of cytotoxic drugs plus granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. The median number of granulocyte-macrophage colony forming units collected after harvest was 23.2 × 10⁴/kg (range 10.1–45.3 × 10⁴/kg). The patients were administered HDC consisting of carboplatin, etoposide, and melphalan followed by ABSCT. Hematopoietic reconstitution after ABSCT was favorable; recovery of granulocytes count > 0.5 × 10⁹/L occurred within 2 weeks and stable platelet engraftment occurred at a median duration of 23 days (range 7–33 days). The toxicity of ABSCT was well tolerable. Two of the four patients who received ABSCT at their first complete remission remained in remission 67 and 68 months after ABSCT. One with partial remission also showed a good response for 8 months. The other two at first relapse showed a transient regression of the tumor. The prognosis of seven patients who received ABSCT was significantly better than that of 13 patients who received conventional therapy alone. These findings suggest that HDC followed by ABSCT is safe and useful as consolidation therapy for the treatment of patients with metastatic neuroblastoma.     

CNS recurrence following CD34+ peripheral blood stem cell transplantation in stage 4 neuroblastoma

We report here central nervous system (CNS) recurrence in neuroblastoma (NBL) after CD34(+) peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT). Fifteen stage 4 NBL patients underwent CD34(+) transplantation with myeloablative chemotherapy consisting of carboplatin, etoposide, and melphalan. There were three primary site recurrences and five distant metastases including four brain metastases (two isolated CNS recurrences) at 4-7 months after CD34(+) transplantation. Three of four patients died of CNS progressive disease at 2, 8, and 9 months after recurrence and the remaining single patient was lost to follow-up. CNS recurrence in NBL is fatal and requires identification of risk factors and more effective treatment strategies.     

异基因造血干细胞移植治疗Ⅳ期儿童神经母细胞瘤

目的儿童Ⅳ期神经母细胞瘤生存期短,且目前尚无有效治疗措施。该文通过异基因造血干细胞移植治疗Ⅳ期儿童神经母细胞瘤来评价其安全性及疗效。方法对1例7岁Ⅳ期神经母细胞瘤患儿进行异基因造血干细胞移植治疗,供者为患儿母亲,HLA配型半相合,采用氟达拉滨,马法兰为预处理方案,G-CSF动员的外周血和骨髓联合移植。结果植入成功,移植后+10 d中性粒细胞>0.5×109/L,+11 d血小板>20×109/L。移植后+8 d出现Ⅱ度肠道急性移植物抗宿主反应,治疗后缓解。随访210 d健康生存。结论对IV期儿童神经母细胞瘤患者,以父母为供体的半相合移植是一种可选择的、安全的、有效的挽救性治疗措施之一。     

异基因造血干细胞移植治疗IV期儿童神经母细胞瘤

目的：儿童IV期神经母细胞瘤生存期短,且目前尚无有效治疗措施。 该文通过异基因造血干细胞移植治疗IV期儿童神经母细胞瘤来评价其安全性及疗效。方法：对1例7岁IV期神经母细胞瘤患儿进行异基因造血干细胞移植治疗,供者为患儿母亲,HLA配型半相合,采用氟达拉滨,马法兰为预处理方案,G-CSF动员的外周血和骨髓联合移植。结果植入成功,移植后＋10 d中性粒细胞>0.5×109/L,＋11 d血小板>20×109/L。移植后+8 d出现II度肠道急性移植物抗宿主反应,治疗后缓解。随访210 d健康生存。结论： 对IV期儿童神经母细胞瘤患者,以父母为供体的半相合移植是一种可选择的、安全的、有效的挽救性治疗措施之一。     

Hepatic veno-occlusive disease followed by esophageal varix rupture after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in a 4-year-old boy with stage 4 neuroblastoma

Hepatic veno-occlusive disease (HVOD) is one of the major potential complications associated with high-dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplantation in children. However, esophageal varix rupture after HVOD has, to our knowledge, never been reported before. Here we report a case of a 4-year-old boy with stage 4 neuroblastoma with potentially fatal HVOD followed by esophageal varix rupture and massive intestinal bleeding after high-dose chemotherapy with autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. We successfully treated him by endoscopic variceal ligation and administration of somatostatin analog.     

自身造血干细胞移植治疗儿童晚期神经母细胞瘤临床报道

目的 　神经母细胞瘤是儿童常见的恶性肿瘤 ,即使通过化疗、放疗及手术等综合治疗 ,晚期患儿仍生存率极低。为提高治愈率 ,本中心对 1 1例晚期患儿进行了自身造血干细胞移植术。方法 　本组平均年龄 3 8岁 ( 2～ 6岁 ) ,平均体重 1 5 3kg( 1 1 6kg～ 2 0kg)。 2例为原发于胸腔的Ⅲ期患者 ,9例均为原发于腹腔伴有广泛骨髓转移的IV期患儿。虽然大剂量化疗及积极的手术治疗 ,4例患儿移植时原发肿瘤仍未完全清除 ,属带瘤移植。因对其中 2例未缓解患儿进行了两次移植 ,1 1例患儿共进行了 1 3例次移植。 3例次直接采集骨髓 ,另 1 0例次采用外周血造干细胞进行移植。为减少移植后复发 ,4例患儿采集物经CliniMACS进行了CD+3 4细胞分选的净化处理。所有患儿均采用VP1 6 +卡铂 +马法兰的预处理方案。结果　采集骨髓及外周血得到的单个核细胞分别为 ( 5 7± 0 9)× 1 0 8/kg和 ( 5 7± 1 0 )× 1 0 8/kg ,两者之间无显著性差异 (P >0 0 5) ,所有患儿移植后都获造血重建 ,中性粒细胞恢复至 0 5× 1 0 9/L的平均时间为 1 0 5± 5 7天 ,非输血依赖的血小板大于 2 0× 1 0 9/L的时间为 1 6 8±9 4天 ,血小板大于 50× 1 0 9/L的时间为 33 1± 2 0 1天 ,移植过程中平均输注红细胞2 2± 2 0单位 ( 0～ 8单位 )?     

Langerhans cell histiocytosis in a patient with stage 4 neuroblastoma receiving oral fenretinide

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) has previously been reported in association with other malignancies. The pathogenesis of LCH and its relationship to other malignancies is poorly understood. We present a novel case of a child who developed an LCH bone lesion while receiving a Phase I protocol therapy with oral fenretinide/Lym‐X‐Sorb (4‐HPR/LXS) powder for neuroblastoma. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2009;53:1111–1113. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.