Evaluación de la talla final y sobrevida libre de eventos en pacientes sobrevivientes de meduloblastoma con deficiencia de hormona de crecimiento, tratados o no con hormona de crecimiento biosintética recombinante humana en la niñez. Comparación con pacientes con craneofaringioma tratados con rhGH / Evaluation of final height and event-free survival in medulloblastoma patients with growth hormone deficiency with and without biosynthetic recombinant human growth hormone treatment in childhood

Introduccion: La deficiencia de GH (DGH) y la radioterapia espinal (RE) han sido implicadas en la etiología de la talla adulta (TA) baja en los sobrevivientes de meduloblastoma en la niñez. Sin embargo la dinámica del crecimiento luego del diagnóstico tumoral y la efectividad de la Hormona de crecimiento biosintética recombinante humana (rhGH) sobre la TA en comparación con sobrevivientes no tratados con rhGH no han sido reportadas. Objetivo. Evaluación de la talla (T) SDS (SDST) desde el diagnóstico del meduloblastoma y el efecto de la rhGH en pacientes con DGH comparando con pacientes no tratados con rhGH y con pacientes con craniofaringioma y DGH, tratados con rhGH. Analizar si había alguna diferencia en la sobrevida libre de eventos en los pacientes con meduloblastoma al ser tratados con rhGH. Material Clínico y Métodos. Catorce pacientes con meduloblastoma recibieron rhGH hasta la TA, grupo meduloblastoma tratado con GH (GrMGH). Diecinueve pacientes rechazaron la terapia con rhGH, grupo meduloblastoma control (GrMC). Se midieron la talla parada (T) y la talla sentada (Tsent). Ocho pacientes con craneofaringioma recibieron rhGH hasta la TA (GrCra). Se realizó seguimiento de 72 pacientes con meduloblastoma, 20 con tratamiento con rhGH. Resultados. En GrMGH, la media±DS SDST disminuyó de 0.09±0.63 al diagnóstico del tumor a -1.38±0.91 al diagnóstico del DGH, y a -1.90±0.72 al comienzo de rhGH, p<0.01, pero se mantuvo sin cambios durante el tratamiento con rhGH (TA -2.12±0.55). En GrMC la SDST (-0.25±0.88) no fue diferente de GrMGH al diagnóstico del tumor, pero fue -3.40±0.88 a la TA, significativamente menor que en GrMGH, p=0.001. La Tsent SDS a la TA (-4.56±0.82) fue significativamente menor que al comienzo de rhGH (-2.86±0.75), p=0.003, y no fue diferente de GrMC (-4.85±1.77). El GrCra mostró la mayor ganancia de talla (GT = TA-SDSTinicial), p< 0.007, y la menor pérdida de talla (PT= Tblanco - TA), p < 0.0001. Conclusión. El tratamiento con rhGH mejora la TA en sobrevivientes de meduloblastoma en la niñez con DGH, pero no el crecimiento espinal. Las características del crecimiento y la respuesta a rhGH son diferentes en GrMGH y en GrCra, mientras que el primer grupo sólo pudo mantener la talla relativa, el segundo mostró una franca recuperación del crecimiento. Además no hubo diferencias en la sobrevida libre de eventos en los pacientes con meduloblastoma con y sin tratamiento con rhGH (AU)

Background. GH deficiency (GHD) and spine irradiation (SI) have been implicated in the mechanism of reduced adult height (AH) in childhood survivors of medulloblastoma. However, growth dynamics after tumor diagnosis and the effectiveness of (rhGH) Recombinant human Growth Hormone on AH in comparison with rhGH-untreated survivors has not been reported. Aim. Follow up of height (H) SDS (HSDS) after diagnosis of meduloblastoma, and the effect of rhGH in GHD meduloblastoma patients. Comparison with GH-untreated GHD meduloblastoma patients and with GHD craniopharyngioma patients treated with rhGH. To evaluate event free survival in medulloblastoma patiens treated with rhGH. Clinical Material and Methods. Fourteen survivors of medulloblastoma received rhGH treatment until AH, Medulloblastoma GH-treated group (MGHGr). Nineteen patients refused rhGH therapy, GH-untreated Control Medulloblastoma Group, (MCGr). Standing H and sitting H (SitH) were measured. Eight patients with craniopharyngioma received rhGH treatment until AH (CraGr). 72 patients with medulloblastoma were followed up, 20 with rhGH. Results. In MGHGr, mean±SD HSDS decreased from 0.09±0.63 at tumor diagnosis to -1.38±0.91 at diagnosis of GHD, and to -1.90±0.72 at the onset of rhGH, p<0.01, but it remained unchanged during rhGH (AH -2.12±0.55). MCGr HSDS (- 0.25±0.88) was not different from MGHGr at tumor diagnosis, but it was -3.40 ± 0.88 at AH, significantly lower than in MGHGr, p=0.001. SitH SDS at AH (-4.56±0.82) was significantly lower than at the onset of rhGH (-2.86±0.75), p=0.003, and it was not different from MCGr (-4.85 ± 1.77). CraGr showed the highest height SDS gain (HG = FH ­ startHSDS), p<0.007, and the lowest height lost (HL = targetH - AH), p< 0.0001. Conclusions. rhGH treatment improves AH in GH-deficient childhood medulloblastoma survivors but not spinal growth. Growth pattern and response to rhGH differed in MGHGr and CraGR, while the former just could maintain height SDS under treatment, the latter showed a clear catch up growth. There wasn't any difference in the event free survival in medulloblastoma patients with or without rhGH (AU)

Efficacy of High-dose Chemotherapy and Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation in Patients with Relapsed Medulloblastoma: A Report on The Korean Society for Pediatric Neuro-Oncology (KSPNO)-S-053 Study

The efficacy and toxicity of high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation (HDCT/ASCT) were investigated for improving the outcomes of patients with relapsed medulloblastoma. A total of 15 patients with relapsed medulloblastoma were enrolled in the KSPNO-S-053 study from May 2005 to May 2007. All patients received approximately 4 cycles of salvage chemotherapy after relapse. Thirteen underwent HDCT/ASCT; CTE and CM regimen were employed for the first HDCT (HDCT1) and second HDCT (HDCT2), respectively, and 7 underwent HDCT2. One transplant related mortality (TRM) due to veno-occlusive disease (VOD) occurred during HDCT1 but HDCT2 was tolerable with no further TRM. The 3-yr overall survival probability and event-free survival rates +/-95% confidence intervals (CI) were 33.3+/-12.2% and 26.7% +/-11.4%, respectively. When analysis was confined to only patients who had a complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) prior to HDCT, the probability of 3-yr overall survival rates +/-95% CI was 40.0+/-15.5%. No patients with stable disease (SD) or progressive disease (PD) survived. Survival rates from protocol KSPNO-S-053 are encouraging and show that tumor status prior to HDCT/ASCT is an important factor to consider for improving survival rates of patients with relapsed medulloblastoma.

Pasado, presente y futuro en el tratamiento del meduloblastoma / Past, present and future in the treatement of medulloblastoma

Hacemos una breve historia del manejo de los meduloblastomas desde la primera descripción hecha por Bailey y Cushing en 1924, hasta nuestros días en que el tratamiento es multidisciplinario incluyendo a neurocirujanos, neuropatólogos, neurorradiólogos, radioterapeutas, oncólogos,etc. y también señalamos los pasos futuros basados en los valiosos aportes de la biología molecular y la genética.

We present a short history of the management of medulloblatomas, from the first description done by Bailey and Cushing in 1924 up to our days when treatment is multidisciplinary, involving neurosurgeons, neuropathologists, neuroradiologists, radiotherapists and, oncologists among others; and we also show the future steps based on the valuable contributions of genetics molecular biology.

Meduloblastoma: nuestra experiencia / Medulloblastoma: our experience

Los tumores del Sistema Nervioso Central, ocupan el segundo lugar en frecuencia dentro de la oncología paediátrica, solo superados en números por las Leucemias Agudas. Estos son una población heterogénea representada por tumores considerados benignos o malignos; dentro de los clasificados como malignos el más frecuentees el meduloblastoma. Su frecuencia está representada en 10 de nuestros registros tumorales neuropatológicos. Objetivo: presentar resultados obtenidos en un estudio propectivo de tratamiento para niños con meduloblastoma, ingresados en el Hospital Garrahan desde junio de 1991 a diciembre de 2005. Material y Metodos: Las estrategias terapéuticas fueron distintas según el grupo etario, se definieron 2 grupos según la edad: mayores y menores de 36 meses. A su vez cada grupo se dividio en grupos de riesgo estándar (RE) y de riesgo alto (RA) según tuvieran o no diseminación metastásica al diagnóstico. La diferencia fundamental en la terapéutica fue el uso de radioterapia seguida de quimioterapia adyuvante versus la quimioterapia solamente para los niños mayores y menores de 36 m respectivamente después de la cirugía. Resultados: ingresaron un total de 203 pacientes: 170 mayores y 33 menores de 36 m de edad, fueron evaluados 116 niños mayores; 74 de RE y 42 de RA y 24 niños menores; 18 y 6 de RE y RA respectivamente. La SLE /SG alcanza en los grupos de más de 36 m fue de 5 años 75 / 75 para el RE y de 44 y 51 para el RA a 5 años. En los menores de 36 meses los resultados fueron muy pobres, con una SLEa 5 y 10 años de 39 y 19 para el grupo de RE y de solo 16 a 1año pra el grupo RA. Se analizó el patrón de recaída de cada subgrupo y según ello se planteó la orientación de una nueva conducta terapéutica.

Preradiation chemotherapy versus radiotherapy in the treatment of adult meduloblastoma

To determine whether preradiotherapy [RT] chemotherapy would improve outcome for medulloblastoma when compared with RI alone. Chemotherapy comprised vincristine 1.5 mg/m2 days], 7 and 14, etaposide 100 mg/m2 days1.2. and 3 and carboplatin 500 mg/m2 days] and 2. Patients age ranged between 16 and 45 years inclusive were randomly assigned to receive 35 Gy craniospinal RT with a 19 Gyposteriorfossa boost, or chemotherapy followed by RT. Ls 0i5[i paienzs randomly assigned to treatment, 25 were treated with RT alone and the other 25 patients were treated with chemotherapy and Irradiation. There was a statistically significant difference in overall survival at 3 years between both arms 58% and 75% respectively. Acute toxicity was limited to alopecia, nausea and hematological toxicities. High grade nausea and vomiting was reported in 4 patients and neuropathy in two patient. Grade 3 or 4 [anemia, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia were recorded in group B, this is attributed to chemotherapy. Improved EFS and OS for chemotherapy group patients compared with RT alone were noticed. Chemotherapy was well tolerated. It is anticipated that this regimen could reduce atotaxicity and nephrotoxicity compared with cisplatin-containing schedule

Disappearing cystic cerebellar medulloblastoma: the ghost tumour.

A case of medulloblastoma, which disappeared following steroid administration and a single sitting of radiotherapy (8Gy) is presented. At surgical exploration tumour was not found, multiple biopsies were negative. Post operative CT scan too did not show the tumour. Five months later, tumour reappeared in left cerebellar lobe in cystic and solid form. Patient was reoperated and tumour was decompressed. The biopsy showed medulloblastoma. To our knowledge, medulloblastomas are not known to be completely responsive to either of these modalities.

Tumores do sistema nervoso central / Tumors of the central nervous system

A autora destaca a importância dos tumores do sistema nervoso central em Pediatria, visto tratar-se do segundo grupo de neoplasias em frequência. Estuda os gliomas de alto e baixo grau de malignidade, os astrocitomas cerebelares, gliomas supratentoriais e de linha média, de vias ópticas e do tronco cerebral, o meduloblastoma e os tumores da regiäo pineal, analisando seu quadro clínico, diagnóstico, evoluçäo e tratamento

Meduloblastoma de cerebelo en una paciente con enfermedad por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana (HIV) / Cerebellum medulloblastoma in a patient with disease of human inmunodeficiency virus (HIV)

El meduloblastoma es una neoplasia primitiva del sistema nervioso central (SNC) de origen incierto. Algunos autores lo clasifican dentro del grupo de los tumores embrionarios. El 80 aparece en la primera decada de la vida, localizado en vermis cerebeloso. El 20 restante puede observarse entre los 15 y los 35 años, y afecta mas frecuentemente a los hemisferios cerebelosos. Se presenta una paciente de 28 años de edad, de sexo femenino, HIV positiva, con meduloblastoma de cerebelo. El diagnostico se realizo a traves de una resonancia magnetica nuclear (RMN) y exeresis quirurgica posterior. Se completo el tratamiento con radioterapia y quimioterapia. La paciente evolucionó favorablemente. Se concluye que, pese a su baja frecuencia, deberá incluirse al meduloblastoma en el diagnostico diferencial de las neoplasias de la fosa posterior en adultos jóvenes

Survival of patients with Medulloblastoma treated with carboplatin and etoposide before and after radiotherapy

Background. Medulloblastoma represents 20 percent of all tumors of the central nervous system. Patients with partial resection of the tumor and those with extension into the neuraxis at diagnosis have been identified as high-risk patients. The objective of our study was to determine tumor response, survival rates and toxicity with anew scheme of treatment with carboplatin, and etoposide and radiotherapy. Methods. All patients received chemotherapy with carboplatin and etoposide every 4 weeks for four courses, hyperfractionated radiotherapy, and another four courses of the above chemotherapy scheme. Tumor response was classified, and global and disease-free survival rates were calculated according to the actuarial survival method. Results. A total of 26 patients were included, with a median age of 6.9 years. Nineteen achieved complete response after the first four courses of chemotherapy, and two more had a complete response after radiotherapy. A total of seven children have died, three of whom did not respond to initial treatment. Global and disease-free survival rates were 69 percent and 64 percent, respectively, at 60 months of follow-up. There was no renal or auditory toxicity. Hematological toxicity was transitory and reversible. Conclusions. This scheme of treatment is effective and can be safely used for pediatric patients with hig-risk medulloblastomas. Toxicity was not significants, and survival is similar to other reports

Meduloblastomas / Meduloblastomas

Expone que los meduloblastomas están relacionados histopatológicamente a los tumores neuroectodérmicos primitivos, representando aproximadamente el 7 a 8xcto de todos los tumores intracraneales. Su aparición podría estar determinada por alteraciones genéticas aún no del todo esclarecidas. Clásicamente esta neoplasia se presenta en la fosa posterior pudiendo mostrar otras localizaciones atípicas, y además metástasis sistémicas e intracraneales, las cuales son inusuales. En la parte diagnóstica, la tomografía computada no ha perdido su validez como método de preferencia por algunos hallazgos que la hacen más específica que la imagen por resonancia magnética. El tratamiento combinado con cirugía, quimioterapia y radioterapia han logrado que se alcancen largos períodos libres de enfermedad y sobrevida prolongada.

Avaliaçäo de distúrbios do crescimento e da puberdade de origem idiopática ou após tratamento de neoplasias / Evaluation of growth and puberty disorders of idiopathic etiology or after neoplasms therapy

Em uma coletânea de artigos säo discutidos aspectos referentes aos distúrbios de crescimento e puberdade de origem idiopática ou decorrentes do tratamento de neoplasias. CAPÍTULO I: determinaçöes de IGF-1 e IGFBP-e além de desaceleraçäo precoce do crescimento (< 5 anos) säo marcadores diagnósticos de deficiência idiopática permanente de GH, enquanto que atraso de idade óssea, velocidade de crescimento diminuída e dois picos de GH < 10 ng/mL näo distinguem deficiência permanente de trasitória. Em adolescentes masculinos com retardo puberal a deficiência de GH é rara; a aceleraçäo do crescimento tem associaçäo positiva com a testosterona plasmática e o volume testicular, e näo com o pico de GH. Pequenas doses de testosterona näo reduzem a estatura final. CAPÍTULO II: O tratamento da puberdade precoce central com GnRHa baseado no cálculo da estatura projetada e da diferença entre esta e a estatura-alvo, pico LH/FSH, estradiol sérico e avanço de idade óssea possibilita uma estatura final adequada. Quando associam-se puberdade precoce e deficiência de GH, o tratamento combinado (GnRHa + GH) deve ser iniciado concomitantemente. Formas lentamente evolutivas de puberdade precoce sem tratamento näo apresentam reduçäo da estatura final. Em pacientes que receberam radioterapia craniana (24 Gy) por leucemia, a estatura final depende do pico de GH e da idade ao início da puberdade, e näo do protocolo quimioterápico. Nessa populaçäo, IGF-1 e IGFBP-3 näo säo bons marcadores de deficiência de GH, a qual é mais freqüente em pacientes irradiados antes de cinco anos. CAPÍTULO III: em pacientes com meduloblastoma que receberam radioterapia e quimioterapia, a reduçäo de GH-BP, IGF-1 e IGFBP-3 com secreçäo normal de GH sugere um mecanismo de resistência parcial ao GH, induzida pela quimioterapia. Entretanto, a longo prazo esta resistência trasitória näo impede a retomada de crescimento normal em pacientes submetidos a TMO. Em pacientes que receberam TBI, a näo-associaçäo entre pico de GH e perda estatural reflete o efeito associado da radioterapia sobre as cartilagens de crescimento. Níveis normais de IGF-1 e IGFBP-3 em pacientes com deficiência de GH sugerem um mecanismo de resistência parcial ao IGF-1. O tratamento da radioterapia näo reduz os efeitos deletérios desta sobre o crescimento.

Quimioterapia postoperatoria con carboplatino y etopósido en niños con meduloblastoma de alto riesgo / Postoperative chemotherapy with carboplatin and etoposide in children with high-risk medulloblastoma

Introducción. Se estudiaron prospectivamente diez pacientes con meduloblastoma de alto riesgo que recibrieron quimioterapia postoperatoria con carboplatino y etopósido previo a radioterapia. Material y métodos. Se realizaron a cada uno de los pacientes estudios de resonancia magnética de cráneo y neuroeje antes de iniciado el tratamiento y al concluir, con el fin de valorar la respuesta tumoral obtenida. Se deretminó el grado de toxicidad hematológica secundaria al tratamiento y se calculó la sobrevida actuarial obtenida. Resultados. Ocho pacientes presentaron una respuesta superior al 50 por ciento; la toxicidad hematológica se presentó en el 34.2 por ciento de los cursos administrados. La sobrevida actuarial obtenida a 18 meses fue del 57 por ciento en el mismo periodo. Conclusiones. La asociación de carboplatino y etopósido empleados en conjunto tienen un buen efecto antitumoral en este tipo de neoplasias con mínimos efectos colaterales y con la posibilidad de mejorar la sobrevida de los pacientes con meduloblastoma de alto riesgo

Treatment outcome and prognostic factors of medulloblastoma

Medulloblastoma, once a tumor with a dismal prognosis, is one of the most common primary brain tumors of childhood. As the methods of treatment have been continuously refined, the outcome has improved remarkably during the last few decades. The outcome of 78 medulloblastoma patients, which were managed from 1972 to 1992 at the Department of Neurosurgery of Seoul National University Hospital, were analyzed to calculate the 3-year and 5-year survival rates (3yS and 5yS). Of those, 52 cases which were treated after July 1982 were studied 1) to calculate the 3yS and 5yS, 2) to figure out the prognostic factors of survival, and 3) to investigate the role of adjuvant chemotherapy ('8-drugs-in-a-day' protocol: CCNU, cisplatin, vincristine, hydroxyurea, procarbazine, cytosine arabinoside, methylprednisolone and cyclophosphamide). The 3yS and 5yS of the 78 patients were 57.4% and 47.3%, respectively. Of the 52 patients treated after July 1982, the 3yS and 5yS were 67.8% and 64.1%, respectively. The latest recurrence was at 56 months after surgery. All the recurrences were within the risk period of Collins' rule. Of the prognostic factors studied by univariate analysis (age, sex, Chang's classification T- and M-stages, extent of surgical removal, and chemotherapy), Chang's classification M-stage and sex were the statistically significant factors (p = 0.028 and 0.024 respectively). On multivariate analysis, only the M-stage was statistically significant (p = 0.004). Adjuvant chemotherapy had different influences in different patient groups. Only in the 'poor risk' group, did adjuvant chemotherapy have a strong tendency to better outcome (p = 0.069). Further data collection and analysis will lead to better treatment modalities and better outcome for this most common primary malignant brain tumor in childhood.