[Trends in treatment statistics and results in hematology/oncology at the Rostock University Pediatric Clinic. Exemplified especially with reference to leukemia and lymphogranulomatosis]. / Uber die Entwicklung der Behandlungszahlen und -ergebnisse in der Hämatologie/Onkologie an der Rostocker Universitätskinderklinik. Beispielhaft insbesondere in bezug auf die Leukämie und die Lymphogranulomatose.

The article presents a report about the work over 20 years (in the seventies and eighties) of the Rostock pediatric oncologic-hematologic treatment center in the field of the diagnoses leukemia and lymphogranulomatosis. The author describes newer aspects of ward care, out-patient care and care limited to a few hours at the day-care ward for the ill children and their parents. One resulting aspect is the importance of psycho-social and rehabilitative guidance for periods of time.

[Neuroblastoma, nephroblastoma and osteosarcoma in patients at 2 pediatric oncologic centers. A 15-year report]. / Neuroblastom, Nephroblastom und Osteosarkom in Krankengruppen von zwei pädiatrisch-onkologischen Zentren. Ein 15-Jahresbericht.

We are giving a report about the results of treatment of children (0 till 15 years old), who were from January 1, 1971 till December 31, 1985 with a neuroblastoma, a nephroblastoma or an osteosarcoma hospitalized in the Clinic of Paediatrics of the University at Rostock or in the Children's Clinic of the District Hospital at Schwerin. All together there were 65 cases with such a diagnosis. There is a summarizing life table analysis.

[Diagnosis and treatment of lymphogranulomatosis in children]. / Zur Diagnostik und Behandlungssituation bei der Lymphogranulomatose im Kindesalter.

Since more than 10 years there has been an informal pediatriconcological co-operation between Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, GDR, CSFR, and USSR. In regular intervals an exchange was made for the coverage and care for oncologically affected children, on epidemiological, diagnostical and therapeutic results. Prospective co-operative therapy studies, however, could not be accomplished, with the exception of this retrospective analysis of M. Hodgkin covering 750 children, 465 boys and 285 girls according to age of disease, primary clinical division of stages, histological variant, applied treatment and their total findings. Thus, the demand for prospective studies of treatment is emphasized.

[Analysis of oncology patients at a university pediatric clinic--exclusive malignant systemic diseases and brain tumors]. / Analyse der onkologisch Kranken einer Universitätskinderklinik--exklusive maligne Systemerkrankungen und Hirntumoren.

We are giving an overview on the oncological patients of the University Children's Hospital at Rostock, exclusively systemic malignancies and brain tumors, for the period January, the 1st 1971 till December, the 31st 1985. The analysis was done in 99 children, 54 girls and 45 boys, aged 0 till 15 years, in whom were diagnosed 30 benign, 1 semimalignant and 68 malignant tumors. We are demonstrating the results of treatment, the age and sex distribution, and the course of the disease, especially in 3 casuistics.

[Intrathecal radiogold prophylaxis and the cerebrospinal fluid findings in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia]. / Intrathekale Radiogoldprophylaxe und Liquorbefunde bei Kindern mit akuter lymphoblastischer Leukose.

Intrathecal radiogold application represents an alternative to the prophylaxis of meningosis in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Its compatibility is good, there are rarely any clinical side-effects. In addition to inconstant phagocytosis, changes of the protein value and its fractions could be identified in the cerebrospinal fluid. The cumulative rates of remission and survival are less marked in these groups of patients than in those who received a prophylactic skull irradiation.

Splenectomy and susceptibility to infection in childhood Hodgkin's disease.

In a ten-year analysis (1970-1979) of lymphogranulomatosis performed at the Clinic of Pediatry of the Wilhelm Pieck University, Rostock, special attention was paid to susceptibility to infection after splenectomy. Of 22 children treated for lymphogranulomatosis, 20 underwent explorative laparotomy and splenectomy. After removal of the spleen the rate of infectious complications (of both viral and bacterial origin) doubled as compared to that seen before splenectomy. The finding of immunological investigations did not sufficiently explain the clinically proven susceptibility to infection.

[Discrepancy between the clinical and immunologic picture of in vitro diagnosis during transfer factor therapy in a patient with Wiscott-Aldrich syndrome]. / Uber Diskrepanzen zwischen klinischem Bild und immunologischer in vitro-Diagnostik unter Transfer-Faktor-Therapie bei einem Patienten mit Wiskott-Aldrich-Syndrom.

The attempt of an interval treatment in a patient affected with Wiscott-Aldrich syndrome with transfer factor between the 6th and 14th month of life had good clinical success initially which coincided with the normalization of in vitro stimulation of the patient's lymphocytes. Only short-term (in vitro) measurable effects could be achieved by the transfer factor. Whereas clinical therapy effects were diminishing from treatment phase to treatment phase, it was possible to observe further positive results in paraclinical findings. It was only MLC reactivity that correlated with the clinical picture. Etiologically, all findings gained speak in favour of a helper cell defect and/or monocyte defect. TF therapy was not repeated because of the findings obtained and the clinical course.

[10-year analysis (1969-1978) of the results of treating children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia--therapeutic implications]. / 10-Jahres-Analyse (1969-1978) der Behandlungsergebnisse bei Kindern mit akuter lymphoblastischer Leukämie--therapeutische Konsequenzen.

The paper deals with the increasing improvement of results obtained in treating acute lymphocytic leukemia in childhood on the basis of own patients (55 children admitted to hospital from 1969 to 1978). The assessment of the results is made by life table analysis according to the method of Cutler and Ederer. In the group of patients with a low risk more than half the children in stable first remission will exceed the 5-year limit after being diagnosed. In the group of patients with a high risk the results are significantly worse and require an intensification of the initial therapy step by step by using an aggressive initial stroke of treatment which is taken into consideration in the last protocol of therapy elaborated by the working committee for paediatric haematology and oncology in the paediatric society of GDR.

Immunologic parameters of children with acute leucosis after cessation of polychemotherapy under repeated immunostimulation with intradermal B.C.G.

11 children with acute leucosis (10 with ALL, 1 with AML) showed a significant increase of the absolute number of lymphocytes and E-rosette forming cells in the peripheral blood after 3-years-polychemotherapy under repeated intradermal B.C.G. vaccination. Such an increase of the absolute number of lymphocytes could not be found in an analogous control group without immunostimulation. At present 14 children with acute leucosis (11 with ALL, 3 with AML) in our hematologic-oncologic primary center of Rostock are still living in a first stable remission from the first up to the third year under regular immunostimulation with intradermal B.C.G. when polychemotherapy off.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Survival in children.

A clinical study was performed to 80 children with ALL; the patients were classified into three groups. Group I, consisting of 20 patients treated before the GLATHEM cooperative study was initiated in our institution and of Groups II and III, consisting of 30 patients each included in the cooperative study. The probability of surviving 5 years is 40% for all patients with ALL entered on the study, and more than 50% for those included in the GLATHEM. The probability of remaining in complete remission for more than 6 years is significantly higher in "standard risk" patients than in "high risk" patients. The proportion of patients that may remain in complete remission 4 years or more, is greater in children who received levamisole than in those who did not.

[Qualitative and quantitative behavior of B-lymphocytes and immunoglobulins in the serum of children with acute leukemia after a single immunoglobulin concentrate substitution]. / Zum qualitativen und quantitativen Verhalten der B-Lymphozyten und der Immunoglobuline im Serum bei Kindern mit akuter Leukose nach einmaliger Immunoglobulin-Konzentrat-Substitution.

In 19 children affected with acute leukaemia the serum immunoglobulin level was examined. An Ig deficiency treated with a single administration of IgA or IgM concentrate could be detected in 16 of these children. The impact of this single Ig substitution on the serum immunoglobulin level and on B-lymphocytes in the peripheral blood was thrice examined after this substitution. A significant increase of the corresponding Ig class in the serum and a significant decrease of B-lymphocytes in the peripheral blood could be observed.