Treatment of classical Hodgkin’s lymphoma in children and adolescents

Introduction: The treatment of classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) in children is a story of success. Nowadays, more than 90% of patients are cured and overall survival is nearly 100% at 5 years. Efforts have been made to avoid related effects of therapies; therefore, children are treated using different chemotherapy schemes in comparison with adults.

Areas covered: This review includes a view of the clinical classification and risk assessment in children suffering from HL. The chemotherapy more commonly employed is revisited. The use of PET/CT to evaluate the disease in order to guide therapy is analyzed. New options of chemotherapy and emerging immunotherapy are also included.

Expert opinion: In order to make the right treatment choice, a proper initial assessment of risk is mandatory. The choice of therapy in these kinds of patients must be done according to the experience of the team, and also, the cost and logistics related to the eligible scheme are very important. If possible, efforts must be made to include PET/CT in guiding therapy and avoiding overtreatment and long-term adverse effects in children. New options in immunotherapy are emerging and must be considered with caution in selected patients.     

SEROPOSITIVITY FOR ASCARIOSIS AND TOXOCARIOSIS AND CYTOKINE EXPRESSION AMONG THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE IN THE VENEZUELAN DELTA REGION

The present study aimed at measuring seropositivities for infection by Ascaris suum and Toxocara canis using the excretory/secretory (E/S) antigens from Ascaris suum (AES) and Toxocara canis (TES) within an indigenous population. In addition, quantification of cytokine expressions in peripheral blood cells was determined. A total of 50 Warao indigenous were included; of which 43 were adults and seven children. In adults, 44.1% were seropositive for both parasites; whereas children had only seropositivity to one or the other helminth. For ascariosis, the percentage of AES seropositivity in adults and children was high; 23.3% and 57.1%, respectively. While that for toxocariosis, the percentage of TES seropositivity in adults and children was low; 9.3% and 14.3%, respectively. The percentage of seronegativity was comparable for AES and TES antigens in adults (27.9%) and children (28.6%). When positive sera were analyzed by Western blotting technique using AES antigens; three bands of 97.2, 193.6 and 200.2 kDas were mostly recognized. When the TES antigens were used, nine major bands were mostly identified; 47.4, 52.2, 84.9, 98.2, 119.1, 131.3, 175.6, 184.4 and 193.6 kDas. Stool examinations showed that Blastocystis hominis, Hymenolepis nana and Entamoeba coli were the most commonly observed intestinal parasites. Quantification of cytokines IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-6, TGF-β, TNF-α, IL-10 and IL-4 expressions showed that there was only a significant increased expression of IL-4 in indigenous with TES seropositivity (p < 0.002). Ascaris and Toxocara seropositivity was prevalent among Warao indigenous.     

Efficacy,effectiveness and side effects of medications used to prevent fractures

There is an increasing number of effective therapies for fracture prevention in adults at risk of osteoporosis. However, shortcomings in the evidence underpinning our management of osteoporosis still exist. Evidence of antifracture efficacy in the groups of patients who most commonly use calcium and vitamin D supplements is lacking, the safety of calcium supplements is in doubt, and the safety and efficacy of high doses of vitamin D give cause for concern. Alendronate, risedronate, zoledronate and denosumab have been shown to prevent spine, nonspine and hip fractures; in addition, teriparatide and strontium ranelate prevent both spine and nonspine fractures, and raloxifene and ibandronate prevent spine fractures. However, most trials provide little information regarding long‐term efficacy or safety. A particular concern at present is the possibility that oral bisphosphonates might cause atypical femoral fractures. Observational data suggest that the incidence of this type of fracture increases steeply with duration of bisphosphonate use, resulting in concern that the benefit–risk balance may become negative in the long term, particularly in patients in whom the osteoporotic fracture risk is not high. Therefore, reappraisal of ongoing use of bisphosphonates after about 5 years is endorsed by expert consensus, and ‘drug holidays’ should be considered at this time. Further studies are needed to guide clinical practice in this area.     

Hernias de la incisión de asistencia tras resección colorrectal laparoscópica. Influencia de la localización de la incisión y del uso de una malla profiláctica

Objectives

To determine the incidence of incisional hernia (IH) in the extraction incision (EI) in colorectal resection for cancer. To analyze whether the location of the incision has any relationship with the incidence of hernias and whether mesh could be useful for prevention in high-risk patients.

Radiation dose reduction in CT-guided cryoablation of renal tumors

PURPOSEWe aimed to evaluate the effect on the radiation dose to the patient by reducing the tube current during the placement of the ablation needles (reduced dose group) compared with the patient doses delivered when scanning at the standard fully diagnostic level (full dose group) in computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous cryoablation.METHODSWe conducted a retrospective study of 103 patients undergoing cryoablation in a tertiary cancer center. Overall, 62 patients were scanned with standard exposure parameters (full dose group) set on a 64-slice multidetector CT scanner, while 41 patients were scanned on a reduced dose protocol. Dose levels were retrieved from the hospital picture and archiving communication system including the volumetric CT dose index (CTDIvol), total dose length product (DLP), length of cryoablation procedure, number of cryoablation needles and patient size. Wilcoxon Mann-Whitney (rank-sum) tests were used to compare the median DLP, CTDIvol and skin dose between the two groups.RESULTSMedian total DLP for the full dose group was 6025 mGy·cm (1909–13353 mGy·cm) compared with 3391 mGy·cm (1683–6820 mGy·cm) for the reduced dose group. The reduced dose group had a 44% reduction in total DLP and 42% reduction in total CTDIvol (p < 0.001). The estimated skin doses were 384 mGy for the full dose group and 224 mGy for the reduced dose group (42% reduction) (p < 0.001). At 12-month follow-up, the technical success for the full dose (n=62) was 97% with 2 patients requiring a further cryoablation treatment for residual tumor. The technical success for the reduced dose group (n=41) was 100%.CONCLUSIONCT dose reduction technique during image-guided cryoablation treatment of renal tumors can achieve significant radiation dose reduction whilst maintaining sufficient image quality.

Renal cell carcinoma is the most common kidney cancer and has a rising incidence (1–4), with obesity and smoking being major risk factors (5–8).Image-guided ablation offers a more minimally invasive option compared with surgery and the current evidence base shows that it is a safe and effective treatment for T1a tumors, with a low rate of complications (9–11). The major advantage of cryoablation over other modalities is the ability to accurately visualize the iceball and therefore zone of ablation on intraprocedural imaging, either with computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (12, 13). However, renal cryoablation involves the placement of more ablation probes and can have almost three times the radiation exposure compared with CT-guided radiofrequency ablation procedures (14).In addition to this substantial radiation dose per cryoablation, estimated to be between 32 and 39.7 mSv, the follow-up CT imaging will also add to the total radiation burden (15, 16). Whilst this level of radiation dose and associated stochastic risk may be a lesser concern in the older patients, greater consideration needs to be given to younger patients (<50 years old) and in patients requiring lifelong follow-up imaging, in particular those with hereditary diseases such as Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome (15). To our knowledge, the potential for reducing radiation dose for cryoablation patients.The principle aim of this study was to evaluate the effect on the radiation dose to the patient by reducing the tube current during the placement of the ablation needles (reduced dose group) compared with the patient doses delivered when scanning at the standard fully diagnostic level (full dose group) in CT-guided percutaneous cryoablation.