Evolución y progresos en el tratamiento de la leucemia finfoblastica aguda / Progress in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Muchos avances se han logrado en los últimos 30 años en el tratamiento de la leucemia linfoblástica aguda (LLA) pediática, a nivel mundial y tamibén en nuestro Hospital. Después de su apertura en agosto de 1987 hasta noviembre de 2002 fueron ingresados 989 pacientes con diagnóstico de LLA de los cuales 896 fueron evaluables. Los mismos fueron tratados con 3 protocolos sucesivos: 92 (7 LLa 87), 374 (1 LLA 90) y 430 (1 LLA 96). Las tasas de remisión completa (RC) fueron de 95,6 en el primer protocolo, 94,4 en el segundo y 96,9 en el tercero y un 2,1, 2,9 y 1,8 de los pacientes fallecieron durante la inducción en los respectivos estudios. El principal evento observado fue la recaída de la enfermedad y fallecieron en RC 6 de los pacientes del 7 LLA 87, 4,8 del 1 LLA 90 y 4,3 del 1 LLA 96. La pSLE (EE) fue de 61 (5), 63 (5) y 72 (6), respectivamente, siendo esta diferencia estadísticamente significativa (p=0,0237). El Hospital ha incorporado los métodos diagnósticos necesarios para una mejor estratificicón de los pacientes, y fueron mejoradas las medidas de soporte ofrecidas a los pacientes. Como consecuencia de los logros mencionados se observó una disminución en las tasas de muerte durante la inducción y en RC, con un aumento gradual y significativo de la pSLE. Estos resultados muestran una mejora a lo largo del tiempo y nuestros esfuerzos deben orientarse a una aún mejor optimización de las herramientas diagnósticas, terpéuticas y de soporte para lograr alcanzar los estándares internacionales pra esta población de pacientes.

Tumores germinales malignos extracerebrales en niños y adolescentes: resultados del protocolo tgm 95 en una institución / Extra cerebral malignant germ gelf tumors in children and adolescents: results of the protocol tgm 95 in our institution

Objetivos: Evaluación de las características clínicas y los resultados terapéuticos de los tumores germinales malignos (TGM) extra cerebrales tratados según los lineamientos del protocolo TGM 95 de la Sociedad Francesa de Oncología Pediátrica (SFOP) en una sola institución. Pacientes y Métodos: Entre septiembre de 1995 y septiembre de 2005, 110 pacientes (pts) nuevos consecutivos con tumores germinales extra cerebrales fueron registrados en nuestra institución, 62 de los cuales eran malignos, todos ellos fueron evaluados. El primer gesto diagnóstico terapéutico fue la gonadectomía inicial o la detección de niveles elevados de marcadores tumorales. Los pacientes fueron tratados según los lineamientos del Protocolo TGM 95 de la SFOP. Para la enfermedad estadio I-II completamente resecada y con marcadores positivos, se utilizó una estrategia de expectación y seguimiento. Para los casos avanzados de diseminación hemátogena o niveles de alfa fetoproteína superiores a 15.000 ng/ml se empleó el régimen "VIP" (Etopósido, ifosfamida y cisplatino) 4-6 ciclos. El resto de los casos fue tratado con el regimén VBP (vinblastina, bleomicina y cisplatino) 3-5 ciclos. Resultados: La mediana edad para el grupo fue 12.1 (r: 0-17) años. Varones: 30; mujeres:32 (V/M: 0.94). La signo sintomatología clínica varió según la localización y la extensión tumoral. Hubo 13 (21) pacientes en estadio I y 9 (14,5) en estadio II (35,5). En estadio III y 18 (29) en estadío IV. Ocho (12,9) fueron tumores puros del saco vitelino. Cincuenta (80.6) fueron TGM mixtos con variadas combinaciones de componentes malignos teratomatosos. Dos (3,2) fueron teratomas inmaduros de alto grado. Veintiseis (41,9) fueron de origen ovárico, 25 (40,3) testiculares., 6 (9,7) sacrococcigeos, 3 (4,8) mediastinales y 2 (3,2) de otra localización. Catorce pacientes en estadio I-II y enfermedad inicialmente resecada en forma completa, no recibieron quimioterapia luego del a cirugía.

Childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: prognostic value of initial peripheral blast count in good responders to prednisone.

PURPOSE: To assess the value of initial peripheral blast count in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and prednisone good response (PGR). PATIENTS AND METHODS: From January 1990 to December 1995, 403 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed ALL were enrolled in the authors' protocol 1-ALL90-BFM/HPG. Prednisone good response was defined as a blast count of less than 1,000/microL and a prednisone poor response (PPR) as a blast count of at least 1,000/microL, both in peripheral smears, after 7 days of oral prednisone (60 mg/m2 per day) and one intrathecal dose of methotrexate. In the PGR group, patients were divided into two subgroups: patients who had less than 1,000 blasts/microL at diagnosis and those with at least 1,000 blasts/microL at diagnosis. RESULTS: Three-hundred thirty-seven patients (90%) had PGR and 37 had (10%) PPR. At 5-year follow-up, event-free survival estimates were 67 +/- 3.8% and 38 +/- 8% for PGR and PPR, respectively (P = 0.0001). In the PGR group, 114 patients (34%) had an initial blast count of less than 1,000/microL and 223 (66%) had an initial blast count of at least 1,000/microL. The authors compared the clinical and laboratory characteristics of these subgroups at diagnosis and outcome and detected significant differences in white cell count, incidence of T immunophenotype, and presence of mediastinal or spleen enlargement. However, there were no differences in response to induction treatment, death in complete remission, relapses, or event-free survival probability. CONCLUSIONS: In the PGR group, regardless of the initial blast count, both subgroups had the same outcome. The PGR group with an initial blast count of at least 1,000/microL had significantly higher white cell counts. T markers, and mediastinal or spleen enlargement at diagnosis. Response to prednisone is a practical, inexpensive, and good prognostic factor in childhood ALL.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma in childhood and adolescence: a single-institution experience with combined therapy.

BACKGROUND: A high cure rate may be attained for locally advanced, undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in children, provided that a combined modality of treatment is employed. Both local and systemic therapies are necessary. Results at a single pediatric institution were analyzed. METHODS: From November 1988 to December 1997, 16 consecutive patients were treated with NPC at the Hospital Garrahan in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The authors were able to evaluate 11 patients (9 boys and 2 girls); their median age was 12 (range, 8-14) years. Chemotherapy consisted of 3 courses, every 3 weeks, of 5-fluorouracil (500 mg/m(2)) plus bleomycin (15 mg/m(2)) daily for 4 days, with cisplatin (100 mg/m(2)) added the last day. External beam radiotherapy was delivered over a median of 52 (range, 45-63) days, to a median cumulative dose to the primary site of 55 (range, 50-61.2) grays (Gy). The median dose for the lower neck area was 45 (range, 45-55.8) Gy. All patients received radiotherapy to the primary site and to the initially involved lymphoid areas, with daily single doses of 1.8 Gy (5 of 7 days per week). RESULTS: The main symptoms at onset were cervical mass (100%), epistaxis (54%), cephalalgia (36%), and trismus (36%). All cases were Stage IV (American Joint Committee on Cancer and International Union Against Cancer TNM system). Complete response was achieved in 45% of patients after initial chemotherapy. With a median follow-up of 63 (range, 23-119) months, disease free survival (with standard error [SE]) and overall survival estimates were 61% (16%) and 91% (9%), respectively, at 75 months. Acute toxicity due to therapy was tolerable. Chronic sinusitis (73%), hypothyroidism (73%), and mild (64%) or moderate (9%) neck fibrosis were detected at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Although this series is small, the authors concluded that NPC patients have a good chance of survival in the setting described, in spite of locally advanced disease. Chemotherapy might be useful in preventing the development of systemic metastases.

Oral administration of cefixime to lower risk febrile neutropenic children with cancer.

BACKGROUND: Febrile neutropenia is a heterogeneous condition. Recently, several risk factors have been defined, permitting the definition of a lower risk group of patients who may benefit form less aggressive therapy. The use of an oral antibiotic approach was tested in the current trial. METHODS: From May 1997 to March 1998, 154 episodes of lower risk febrile neutropenia in 128 children with a mean age of 62 (range, 8-200) months were enrolled in this randomized, single-institution trial. Inclusion criteria were fever (> 38 degrees C), neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count < 500/mm(3)), lower risk features (i.e., absence of severe comorbidity factors, good clinical condition, negative blood cultures, control of local infection, no fever during the last 24 hours), and compliance of parents. After 3 days of ceftriaxone (100 mg/kg/day administered intravenously [i.v.]) every 12 hours plus amikacin (15 mg/kg/day i.v.) every 24 hours for 3 days, all patients were discharged and randomized to be allocated to 2 treatment arms. Group A (n = 74) received ceftriaxone cefixime (8 mg/kg/day administered orally) every 24 hours for 4 days, whereas Group B (n = 80) was treated with ceftriaxone plus amikacin for 7 days. Failure was defined as the need for second hospitalization during the same episode of neutropenia, or fever during the 7 days after discharge. RESULTS: Most of the patients (49% in Group A and 55% in Group B) had acute leukemia. Fifty-four (72%) children in Group A and 46 (56%) in Group B had fever of unknown origin (P = not significant [NS]). No significant differences were found in the sites of initial infection between the two groups. Overall results were outstanding, with a favorable outcome in 73 of 78 cases (98.6%) in Group A and 78 of 80 cases (97.5%) in Group B (P = NS). Three patients needed a second hospitalization due to failure of the initial therapy: one in Group A and two in Group B. All three did well with secondary treatment. CONCLUSIONS: In lower risk febrile neutropenic children receiving anticancer therapy, the efficacy of oral cefixime, given for 4 days after 72 hours of intravenous ceftriaxone plus amikacin, was similar to that of 7 days of parenteral ceftriaxone plus amikacin. The oral outpatient therapy approach to the treatment of lower risk febrile neutropenia after chemotherapy is safe and may be cost-saving. This strategy might be adopted as standard therapy in the future.

Good outcome of children with acute myeloid leukemia and t(8;21)(q22;q22), even when associated with granulocytic sarcoma: a report from a single institution in Argentina.

BACKGROUND: The association between t(8;21) and granulocytic sarcoma (GS) is well known, but to the authors' knowledge the prognostic significance of GS in these patients has not been defined clearly. METHODS: Between January 1990 and July 1999 174 children with acute myeloid leukemia were admitted to the study institution. Translocation (8;21) was identified in 20 patients (11.5%). Eighteen patients were evaluable for the current study and 8 presented with GS at the time of diagnosis (GS+). RESULTS: The authors defined two groups of patients: those who were GS+ and those who were GS-. One patient in the GS+ group and two patients in the GS- group died during the induction phase of the study. Complete remission was achieved in seven patients in the GS+ group and eight patients in the GS- group. Two patients developed a recurrence in the GS+ group as did one patient in the GS- group. The event free-survival probability (the standard error) was 58% (18%) in the GS+ group and 70% (14%) in the GS- group. Localization of GS was in only one site in seven patients and at multiple sites in one patient. Patients with an epidural mass received local radiotherapy (one patient) or surgery (two patients). Two of these patients developed paraplegia as sequelae: one patient after surgery and one patient after radiotherapy. One patient with orbital GS received local radiotherapy because of progressive proptosis. The remaining four patients had a complete resolution of the GS with chemotherapy only. CONCLUSIONS: In the current study of patients with t(8;21)(q22;q22), the presence of granulocytic sarcoma was not found to be an adverse prognostic factor. However, careful attention should be paid, especially to patients with an epidural site, to avoid sequelae. Chemotherapy appears to be the optimum treatment for these children.

Childhood acute promyelocytic leukemia: no benefit of all-trans-retinoic acid administered in a short-course schedule.

From January 1990 to August 1997, 29 consecutive patients were treated with newly diagnosed primary acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) at the authors' Institution. Of these, 27 (16 boys and 11 girls) were evaluable. Median age at diagnosis was 6.3 (range: 1.9-15.7) years. This population was treated with two consecutive protocols: 13 patients were included in the AML-HPG-90 protocol and 14 in the AML-HPG-95. The initial treatment was the same for both protocols: an induction 8-day phase with cytarabine, idarubicin, and etoposide was followed by a consolidation with cyclophosphamide, cytarabine, 6-mercaptopurine, vincristine, doxorubicin, and prednisone. Two courses of intensification with high-dose (HD) cytarabine and etoposide were given in the first study. Only one intensification course was administered in the second study, with HD cytarabine plus idarubicin or etoposide decided by randomization. Complete remission was achieved in 67% (18/27) of cases. Mortality on induction was quite high, 30% (8/27) mainly due to hemorrhages from disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). The event-free survival estimate for all patients was 0.47 (SE: 0.1). From April 1994, all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) was administered just during the first days of the induction phase (median: 9, range: 2-27) to stop or prevent DIC. Eighteen patients received ATRA and 9 did not. Three patients developed signs of ATRA syndrome during the first days of administration but no one died due to this toxicity. The impact of a short course of ATRA on early control of DIC was studied by analyzing the number of platelet, cryoprecipitate, and fresh frozen plasma transfusions during the induction phase in both groups. No statistical differences in complete remission rate, early mortality, need of transfusion of blood components for DIC, and survival estimates could be established between patients who received ATRA and those who did not. ATRA used in a short-course schedule during induction of APL did not stop early mortality due to DIC. Moreover, survival results did not improve with this method of ATRA usage. Longer periods of ATRA administration during APL therapy are strongly recommended.

Acute trilineage leukemia with monosomy of chromosome 7 following an acute promyelocytic leukemia.

We describe an 8 year old boy who had received chemotherapy for an acute promyelocytic leukemia and developed a secondary leukemia 27 months after the diagnosis of this first malignancy. Blasts cells were positive for cytoplasmic markers CD22, CD3 and myeloperoxidase. Cell surface T and myeloid-associated markers were also detected. Cytogenetic study disclosed monosomy 7. The patient achieved complete remission, but relapsed 15 months later with identical immunophenotypic and cytogenetic findings. Three-lineage commitment is proved by the expression of specific criteria for myeloid, and lymphoid T and B typing. A multipotent immature progenitor must be the target of leukemogenic agents. The prognosis is obviously ominous.

Treatment results in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia with a modified ALL-BFM'90 protocol: lack of improvement in high-risk group.

We report results achieved in our institution with an acute lymphoblastic leukaemia risk-oriented treatment trial opened in January 1990 and closed on December 1995. The study was similar to the German ALL-BFM'90, except for using Protocol III for the standard-risk group, 2 g/m2 of methotrexate in Protocol M, and preventive cranial irradiation for the high-risk group only. The high-risk group included mostly patients with prednisone poor initial response and/or adverse cytogenetic features. This analysis included 374 patients, whose mean age was 6 years (range: 1 month-17 years). The overall complete remission rate was 94.4% (353/374) and the 5-year event-free survival (standard error) probability is 64(5)%. The 5-year event-free survival estimates for each risk group were: (1) high-risk group 37(5)%; (2) intermediate-risk group 66(1)%; and (3) standard-risk group 74(4)% (P = 0.0001). There are significantly higher-rates of isolated bone marrow and testicular relapses in the high-risk subset of patients. Our dismal results and the published experience, lead us to conclude that the optimal treatment for these high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukaemia patients is not currently known.

Acute myeloid leukemia as a second malignancy: report of 9 pediatric patients in a single institution in Argentina.

BACKGROUND: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is well-recognized as one of the most important second malignancies. We report the occurrence of secondary AML (sAML) in our institution. PROCEDURE: From September 1987 to August 1996 we have observed sAML in 9 patients (median age 4 years), 5 of them previously treated for hematologic malignancies (group I): acute lymphoblastic leukemia (n = 2), AML (n = 1), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (n = 1). Hodgkin disease (n = 1), and 4 of these 9 patients treated for solid tumors (group II): neuroblastoma (n = 1), retinoblastoma (n = 1), Wilms tumor (n = 1), and central nervous system germinoma (n = 1). RESULTS: All the patients had topoisomerase II inhibitors as part of treatment of their first malignancy, but only 5 patients received epipodophyllotoxins. Alkylating agents were part of primary therapy in 8 of 9 patients. The latency period for the development sAML was 26.5 (range = 2-55) months. The morphologic FAB features of sAML were M5 (n = 5), M4 (n = 3), and M2 (n = 1). Cytogenetic studies showed r11q23 in 3 patients, all of them with prior hematological malignancies. Initial therapy for sAML in all cases was chemotherapy (including cytarabine in combination with idarubicin and etoposide or doxorubicin or mitoxantrone). Three patients died during induction and 6 achieved complete hematologic response. Three of these patients remain disease free at +15, +51, and +99 months post-remission (including one post allogeneic BMT). The remaining 3 patients died, 1 in complete remission one month after diagnosis and 2 relapsed and died with progressive disease (one post allogeneic BMT). CONCLUSIONS: Secondary AML is a sequela of oncologic treatments with specific cytogenetic abnormalities and poor outcome. A few patients can achieve long-term survival even with standard chemotherapy.

Results of a BFM-based protocol for the treatment of childhood B-non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Argentina.

PURPOSE: To report the feasibility and results of a study based on the BFM-ALL. NHL/86 protocol for B-non-Hodgin's Lymphoma (NHL) and B-Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (B-ALL) in Argentina. Design. Prospective, single arm, non-randomized trial. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From August 1988 to December 1993, 87 consecutive patients with B-NHL/B-ALL were admitted and 82 were eligible. The therapy was stratified according to stage. All patients received a cytoreductive prephase with cyclophosphamide and prednisone. Those with stage I-II were treated with three 5-day blocks of combined intense chemotherapy including dexamethasone, cyclophosphamidie, ifosfamide, cytarabine, teniposide, doxorabicin, and 500 mg/m2 of methotrexate as a 24 hour continuous infusion. Stage III received 6 blocks and those with stage IV/B-ALL received 6 intensified blocks in which 2 g/m2 of 24 hour continuous infusion methotrexate and vincristine were added. Triple intrathecal therapy was given for CNS prevention. After the first two blocks the response was assessed and those with a partial response were offered optionallya second look surgery or local radiotherapy. RESULTS: With a median follow-up of 38 (range 16-71) months, the event-free survival (pEFS) for the whole group was 0.69 (Stage I-II n = 16 pEFS = 0.94, stage III n = 50 pEFS = 0.66, Stage IV n = 7 pEFS = 0.43, B-ALL n = 9 pEFS = 0.66). Patients with stage III abdominal tumors who achieved a partial response by imaging studies after induction had a significantly higher risk of relapse than those with a complete response (p = 0.02). Relapse was the most frequent event Toxicity was mainly hematological. CONCLUSIONS: The application of this protocol was feasible in our setting and its results comparable to the German study. Patients with stage I-II had an excellent outcome. Those with stage III and B-ALL achieved an encouraging event-free survival, however those with abdominal tumors and partial response to induction chemotherapy fared less favourably. This strategy was less effective for patients with initial CNS disease.