Family history of autoimmune thyroid disease and childhood acute leukemia.

The association between a familial history of autoimmune disease and childhood acute leukemia was investigated in a French case-control study that, overall, was designed to assess the role of perinatal, infectious, environmental, and genetic factors in the etiology of childhood acute leukemia. Familial histories of autoimmune disease in first- and second-degree relatives were compared in 279 incident cases, 240 cases of acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) and 39 cases of acute non-lymphoblastic leukemia (ANLL), and 285 controls. Recruitment was frequency matched by age, gender, hospital, and ethnic origin. Odds ratios (OR) were estimated using an unconditional regression model taking into account the stratification variables, socioeconomic status, and familial structure. A statistically significant association between a history of autoimmune disease in first- or second-degree relatives and ALL (OR, 1.7; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.0-2.8) was found. A relationship between thyroid diseases overall and ALL (OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.0-3.9) was observed. This association was more pronounced for potentially autoimmune thyroid diseases (Grave's disease and/or hyperthyroidism and Hashimoto's disease and/or hypothyroidism) (OR, 3.5; 95% CI, 1.1-10.7 and OR, 5.6; 95% CI, 1.0-31.1, respectively for ALL and ANLL), whereas it was not statistically significant for the other thyroid diseases (thyroid goiter, thyroid nodule, and unspecified thyroid disorders) (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 0.7-3.5 and OR, 1.3; 95% CI, 0.2-7.0, respectively, for ALL and ANLL). The results suggest that a familial history of autoimmune thyroid disease may be associated with childhood acute leukemia.     

Results of 58872 and 58921 trials in acute myeloblastic leukemia and relative value of chemotherapy vs allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in first complete remission: the EORTC Children Leukemia Group report.

The first EORTC (European Organization of Research and Treatment of Cancer) acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) pilot study (58872) was conducted between January 1988 and December 1991. Out of 108 patients, 78% achieved complete remission (CR), and event-free survival (EFS) and survival rates (s.e., %) at 7 years were 40 (5) and 51% (6%), respectively. It indicated that mitoxantrone could be substituted for conventional anthracyclines in the treatment of childhood AML without inducing cardiotoxicity. The aim of the next EORTC 58921 trial was to compare the efficacy and toxicity of idarubicin vs mitoxantrone in initial chemotherapy courses, further therapy consisting of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (alloBMT) in patients with an HLA-compatible sibling donor or chemotherapy in patients without a donor. Out of 177 patients, recruited between October 1992 and December 2002, 81% reached CR. Overall 7-year EFS and survival rates were 49 (4) and 62% (4%), respectively. Out of 145 patients who received the first intensification, 39 had a sibling donor. In patients with or without a donor, the 7-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate was 63 (8) and 57% (5%) and the 7-year survival rate was 78 (7) and 65% (5%), respectively. Patients with favorable, intermediate and unfavorable cytogenetic features had a 5-year EFS rate of 57, 45 and 45% and a 5-year survival rate of 89, 67 and 53%, respectively.     

Deletion mapping indicates that MTS1 is the target of frequent deletions at chromosome 9p21 in paediatric acute lymphoblastic leukaemias

Recent reports have indicated a high frequency of deletions of MTS1 ( CDKN2, p16^ink4, CDKI4 ) in acute lymphoblastic leukaemias (ALLs). This gene is located at chromosome 9p21 and encodes an inhibitor of cyclin D-dependent kinases. In contrast with the observations in some other malignancies, no inactivation of MTS1 by intragenic mutation was demonstrated in leukaemias. A contribution of MTS1 alterations to leukaemogenesis therefore remains questionable. In order to test for the implication of MTS1 as a tumour suppressor gene in paediatric ALLs we have explored the 9p21 chromosomal region in 46 children with this disease. The copy number of the MTS1 gene in blasts from the patients was determined using a quantitative PCR assay enabling us to precisely detect mono- and bi-allelic deletions. Rearrangements of the gene were sought by Southern blot analysis. The extent of the deletions was studied using microsatellite markers spanning the 9p21 chromosomal region. Point mutations were sought in exon 1 and exon 2 of the MTS1 gene in patients with a mono-allelic deletion. In addition, exon 2 of MTS1 , which contains two-thirds of the coding region, was sequenced in all patients who had no deletion of the gene. Altogether, our data are consistent with the view that MTS1 is the target of 9p21 deletions. Either one or two alleles of the gene were deleted in 36% of non-selected children with B-lineage ALL and both alleles were deleted in all seven patients we studied with T-lineage ALL. The absence of any point mutation implies that the major mechanism of inactivation of MTS1 in ALLs is deletional.     

The kinetics of the visible growth of a primary melanoma reflects the tumor aggressiveness and is an independent prognostic marker: a prospective study

Primary melanoma (MM) could be a good model to test an intuitive concept: a cancer that is growing fast in its early phase is likely to have a high aggressiveness. Since MMs are visible tumors, many patients can provide information to indirectly assess the kinetics of their lesion. A prospective study was designed to assess if the kinetics of the visible growth of a primary MM, as described by the patient, could be a noninvasive prognostic marker. The ratio of MM thickness to delay between MM appearance and MM removal was used as a surrogate value for the kinetics of the MM growth. To assess the delay between MM appearance and removal, 362 patients with self-detected invasive MM fulfilled a detailed questionnaire, which provided 2 types of estimations of this delay and thus 2 melanoma kinetics indexes (MKI and MKI*). After a median follow-up of 4 years, univariate and multivariate analyses assessed whether relapse-free survival was linked to MKI or MKI*. MKI was significantly predictive of relapse-free survival (HR = 1.84 [1.51-2.25]) and relapse at 1 year (RR = 2.93 [1.84-4.69]), independently from Breslow thickness. MKI was retained in multivariate prognostic models, just after thickness and before other usual markers. MKI* was also a significant independent risk marker, although less predictive. In this model, the initial growth kinetics of a cancer reflects its aggressiveness and a high index predicts a short-term relapse. The "subjective" data obtained from patients about their MM history, although usually neglected, can thus provide a better prognostic marker than many "objective" tests.     

Neutropénies allo-immunes néonatales. Intérêt du traitement par facteur de croissance granuleux (G-CSF). Deux nouvelles observations

Alloimmune neonatal neutropenia is a rare event. Usually asymptomatic, it may however in some cases result in a severe sepsis. Treatment with recombinant granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) has been recently proposed.

Case reports

We report two new cases in infected newborns of a successful treatment of alloimmune neonatal neutropenia with G-CSF, resulting in complete neutrophil recovery in less than 72 hours. Moreover, the treatment was well tolerated.

Conclusion

The analysis of these two cases and of those previously reported indicates that G-CSF represents the first-choice treatment in this affection when infectious signs are present in the neonate.     

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder in children: incidence, prognosis, and treatment options

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) after solid organ or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in children is a serious complication that has been responsible for high mortality rates over recent years. PTLDs are part of a clinically and histologically heterogeneous group of B-lymphocyte proliferations mostly induced by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in a context of immunosuppression. Major risk factors for PTLDs in solid organ transplantation are the EBV serostatus mismatch and the intensity, duration, and type of immunosuppression. T-cell depletion and the HLA-mismatched donor and recipient are the main risk factors following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. For a long time, the only safe and effective therapeutic approach to PTLD was reduction of immunosuppression, with a risk of graft rejection. Based on a better knowledge of the pathophysiology and risk factors for PTLD, preventive and pre-emptive strategies have been recently proposed to control PTLD. New treatment modalities, such as anti-B-cell antibodies, cytokine inhibitor therapy, or anti-EBV cytotoxic T lymphocytes are promising and may improve the outcome of PTLD. These therapeutic approaches need to be further evaluated, especially in the context of pre-emptive strategies adapted to predictive markers of EBV-induced PTLD.