A prospective, multi-institutional study of pediatric all-terrain vehicle crashes.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric all-terrain vehicle (ATV) injuries have been increasing annually for more than a decade. The purpose of this study was to prospectively evaluate crash circumstances and clinical outcomes resulting from pediatric ATV crashes. METHODS: Three pediatric trauma centers prospectively collected data from patients during their hospitalization for injuries sustained in ATV crashes from July 2007 through June 2012. Patients completed a 35-item questionnaire describing the crash circumstances (ATV engine size, safety equipment use, and training/experience). Clinical data (injuries, surgical procedures, etc.) were collected for each patient. RESULTS: Eighty-four patients were enrolled, with a mean (SD) age of 13.0 (3.1) years, and were predominantly male (n = 55, 65%). Injuries were musculoskeletal (42%), central nervous system (39%), abdominal (20%), thoracic (16%), and genitourinary (4%). Multisystem injuries were prevalent (27%), and two patients died. Thirty-three patients (43%) required operative intervention. Most children were riding for recreation (96%) and ignored ATV manufacturers' recommendation that children younger than 16 years ride ATVs with smaller (≤90 cc) engines (71%). Dangerous riding practices were widespread: no helmet (70%), no adult supervision (56%), double riding (50%), riding on paved roads (23%), and nighttime riding (16%). Lack of helmet use was significantly associated with head injury (53% vs. 25%, p = 0.03). Rollover crashes were most common (44%), followed by collision with a stationary object (25%) or another vehicle (12%). Half (51%) of children said that they would ride an ATV again. CONCLUSION: These data demonstrate a relationship between dangerous ATV riding behaviors and severe injuries in children who crash. Children younger than 16 years should not operate ATVs, and legislation that effectively restricts ATV use in children is urgently needed. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Epidemiologic study, level III.

Late effects of pelvic rhabdomyosarcoma and its treatment in female survivors.

PURPOSE: To document the spectrum and severity of late effects in female survivors of pelvic rhabdomyosarcoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We reviewed the demographic, diagnostic, treatment, and outcome data of the 26 females treated for pelvic rhabdomyosarcoma at our institution between March 1962 and December 1996 who survived free of disease for 5 or more years. Adverse effects that occurred 5 or more years after diagnosis were graded according to the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 3.0. RESULTS: The most common tumor sites were vagina (n = 7), pelvis/retroperitoneum (n = 6), and bladder (n = 4). All patients received chemotherapy (alkylating agent, n = 23; doxorubicin, n = 16); 22 received radiotherapy (median dose, 46 Gy). Median follow-up of the 23 survivors was 20.3 years. Late effects occurred in 24 patients, 23 of whom had grade 3/4 late effects (median grade 3/4 late effects per patient, three; range, zero to 14). Fourteen patients (54%) required surgery for late complications. The 22 patients who had received radiotherapy had a greater median number of late effects per patient than did the remaining four (9.5 v one; P = .002). The median number of late effects per patient was higher in the 12 patients treated during or after 1984 than in the 14 treated earlier (12.5 v 6.5; P = .041). CONCLUSION: The burden of late effects in girls treated for pelvic rhabdomyosarcoma is significant and does not seem to be diminishing with advances in treatment. Prospective studies are needed to better assess the impact of these late effects on quality of life and functional outcome, and to refine the treatment approach to pelvic rhabdomyosarcoma.

Development of risk-based guidelines for pediatric cancer survivors: the Children's Oncology Group Long-Term Follow-Up Guidelines from the Children's Oncology Group Late Effects Committee and Nursing Discipline.

The Children's Oncology Group Long-Term Follow-Up Guidelines for Survivors of Childhood, Adolescent, and Young Adult Cancers are risk-based, exposure-related clinical practice guidelines intended to promote earlier detection of and intervention for complications that may potentially arise as a result of treatment for pediatric malignancies. Developed through the collaborative efforts of the Children's Oncology Group Late Effects Committee, Nursing Discipline, and Patient Advocacy Committee, these guidelines represent a statement of consensus from a multidisciplinary panel of experts in the late effects of pediatric cancer treatment. The guidelines are both evidence-based (utilizing established associations between therapeutic exposures and late effects to identify high-risk categories) and grounded in the collective clinical experience of experts (matching the magnitude of risk with the intensity of screening recommendations). They are intended for use beginning 2 or more years following the completion of cancer therapy; however, they are not intended to provide guidance for follow-up of the survivor's primary disease. A complementary set of patient education materials ("Health Links") was developed to enhance follow-up care and broaden the application of the guidelines. The information provided in these guidelines is important for health care providers in the fields of pediatrics, oncology, internal medicine, family practice, and gynecology, as well as subspecialists in many fields. Implementation of these guidelines is intended to increase awareness of potential late effects and to standardize and enhance follow-up care provided to survivors of pediatric cancer throughout the lifespan. The Guidelines, and related Health Links, can be downloaded in their entirety at www.survivorshipguidelines.org.

Facilitating care for childhood cancer survivors: integrating children's oncology group long-term follow-up guidelines and health links in clinical practice.

Childhood cancer survivors are a growing, vulnerable group with health care needs unique to their cancer treatments. They may experience many late physical and psychological complications (late effects) of treatment including organ dysfunction, infertility, second neoplasms, chronic hepatitis, musculoskeletal problems, alterations in cognitive function, and myriad psychosocial problems. Health care providers may be unaware of actual or potential survivor problems. Until recently, there were no clearly defined, easily accessible risk-based guidelines for cancer survivor follow-up care. This article will use a case-study approach to demonstrate how the newly developed Children's Oncology Group Long-term Follow-up Guidelines and Health Links can be used in clinical practice to improve awareness about late effects and the importance of follow-up care for childhood cancer survivors. The Children's Oncology Group Guidelines and Health Links were created by a multidisciplinary team of health care experts and patient advocates to provide a systematic plan for pediatric cancer survivor follow-up care and health education across the cancer continuum.