Prognostic Factors in High-Grade Osteosarcoma of theExtremities or Trunk: An Analysis of 1,702 Patients Treatedon Neoadjuvant Cooperative Osteosarcoma Study GroupProtocols.

Purpose: To define prognostic factors for response and long-term outcome for a wide spectrum of osteosarcomas, extending well beyond those of the typical young patient with seemingly localized extremity disease.

Patients And Methods: A total of 1,702 consecutive newly diagnosed patients with high-grade osteosarcoma of the trunk or limbs registered into the neoadjuvant studies of the Cooperative Osteosarcoma Study Group before July 1998 were entered into an analysis of demographic, tumor-related, and treatment-related variables, response, and survival. The intended therapeutic strategy included preoperative and postoperative chemotherapy with multiple agents as well as surgery of all operable lesions.

Novel Compound Heterozygous Mutations in Two Families With Bernard-Soulier Syndrome.

Bernard-Soulier Syndrome (BSS) is a rare autosomal recessive bleeding disorder with large platelets and thrombocytopenia. It is caused by homozygous or compound heterozygous mutations in the , or genes, which together encode the platelet surface receptor glycoprotein complex GPIb-IX-V. We report two novel heterozygous mutations in the and the genes, respectively.

Multiple relapses in high-grade osteosarcoma: when to stop aggressive therapy?

The prognosis after relapse of high-grade osteosarcoma is poor and complete resection of all tumors is essential for survival. A 6-year old was diagnosed with high-grade osteosarcoma and treated according to the COSS-96 protocol. Within 5 years from initial diagnosis, five osteosarcoma relapses occurred and every time it was possible to achieve complete surgical remission.

Lessons learned from a double-blind randomised placebo-controlled study with a iota-carrageenan nasal spray as medical device in children with acute symptoms of common cold.

Background: Common cold is caused by a variety of respiratory viruses. The prevalence in children is high, and it potentially contributes to significant morbidity. Iota-carragenan, a polymer derived from red seaweed, has reduced viral load in nasal secretions and alleviated symptoms in adults with common cold.

Osteosarcoma in very young children: experience of the Cooperative Osteosarcoma Study Group.

Background: This study was conducted to investigate presentation, treatment, and outcome in very young children with osteosarcoma.

Methods: The authors retrospectively analyzed the data of 2706 consecutive COSS patients with newly diagnosed osteosarcoma and identified 28 (1.0%) patients aged younger than 5 years at diagnosis.

Osteosarcoma: the COSS experience.

COSS, the interdisciplinary Cooperative German-Austrian-Swiss Osteosarcoma Study Group, was founded in 1977 and has since registered some 3,500 bone sarcoma patients from over 200 institutions. For the purpose of the Pediatric and Adolescent Osteosarcoma Conference in Houston, March 2008, the outcomes of 2,464 consecutive patients with high-grade central osteosarcoma, who had been diagnosed between 1980 and 2005 and had been treated on neoadjuvant COSS protocols, were reviewed. Intended treatment had included surgery and multidrug chemotherapy, with high-dose methotrexate, doxorubicin, cisplatin, and ifosfamide being used in most protocols.

Second and subsequent recurrences of osteosarcoma: presentation, treatment, and outcomes of 249 consecutive cooperative osteosarcoma study group patients.

Purpose: To evaluate patient and tumor characteristics, treatment, and outcomes in a large cohort of unselected patients with second and subsequent recurrences of osteosarcoma.

Patients And Methods: Two hundred forty-nine consecutive patients who had originally received combined-modality therapy on neoadjuvant Cooperative Osteosarcoma Study Group protocols and went on to develop a total of 409 second and subsequent osteosarcoma recurrences were analyzed for patient-, tumor-, and treatment-related factors and outcomes.

Results: Five-year overall and event-free survival rates were 16% and 9% for 249 second, 14% and 0% for 93 third, 13% and 6% for 38 fourth, and 18% and 0% for 14 fifth recurrences, respectively.

Results of the EICESS-92 Study: two randomized trials of Ewing's sarcoma treatment--cyclophosphamide compared with ifosfamide in standard-risk patients and assessment of benefit of etoposide added to standard treatment in high-risk patients.

Purpose: The European Intergroup Cooperative Ewing's Sarcoma Study investigated whether cyclophosphamide has a similar efficacy as ifosfamide in standard-risk (SR) patients and whether the addition of etoposide improves survival in high-risk (HR) patients.

Patients And Methods: SR patients (localized tumors, volume <100 mL) were randomly assigned to receive four courses of vincristine, dactinomycin, ifosfamide, and doxorubicin (VAIA) induction therapy followed by 10 courses of either VAIA or vincristine, dactinomycin, cyclophosphamide, and doxorubicin (VACA; cyclophosphamide replacing ifosfamide). HR patients (volume >or=100 mL or metastases) were randomly assigned to receive 14 courses of either VAIA or VAIA plus etoposide (EVAIA).

Mesoblastic nephroma--a report from the Gesellschaft fur Pädiatrische Onkologie und Hämatologie (GPOH).

Background: Surgery alone is the appropriate first-line treatment for patients with mesoblastic nephroma (MN). Nevertheless, there are reports of local recurrences and metastasis, especially in the cellular subtype. The authors evaluated the outcome of patients with MN who were enrolled in either the International Society of Pediatric Oncology (SIOP) 93-01/GPOH or the SIOP 2001/GPOH Nephroblastoma Study and Trial.

Skip metastases in osteosarcoma: experience of the Cooperative Osteosarcoma Study Group.

Purpose: The outlook for patients with osteosarcoma who present with synchronous regional bone metastases (skip metastases), either in the primary bone site or transarticular, is considered to be extremely poor. This study was conducted to further investigate the prognostic implication of skip metastases in osteosarcoma.

Patients And Methods: The authors retrospectively analyzed the collected data of 1,765 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed high-grade osteosarcoma of bone who were registered in the neoadjuvant Cooperative Osteosarcoma Study Group studies and identified 24 patients (1.

Safety assessment of intensive induction with vincristine, ifosfamide, doxorubicin, and etoposide (VIDE) in the treatment of Ewing tumors in the EURO-E.W.I.N.G. 99 clinical trial.

Background: The EUROpean Ewing tumour Working Initiative of National Groups 1999 (EURO-E.W.I.

Dose intensity of chemotherapy for osteosarcoma and outcome in the Cooperative Osteosarcoma Study Group (COSS) trials.

Background: The prognostic relevance of dose intensity in the treatment of osteosarcoma is still under discussion. The aim of this study was to investigate whether higher dose intensities of chemotherapy correlated with better outcomes.

Procedure: This study contains 917 consecutive Cooperative Osteosarcoma Study Group (COSS) patients <40 years with primary, high-grade central, nonmetastatic osteosarcoma of the extremities, who were in complete remission at least until day 200 after the start of chemotherapy.

Extraskeletal osteosarcoma has a favourable prognosis when treated like conventional osteosarcoma.

Purpose: The aims of this analysis were to investigate the clinical features of extraskeletal osteosarcoma (ESOS) and examine the outcome after multi-modal therapy.

Methods: The co-operative osteosarcoma study-group database was searched for patients with extraskeletal osteosarcoma. Eligible patients were included in a retrospective analysis of patient, tumour and treatment related variables and outcome.

Osteosarcoma relapse after combined modality therapy: an analysis of unselected patients in the Cooperative Osteosarcoma Study Group (COSS).

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of patient, tumor, and treatment-related factors on outcome in unselected patients with recurrent osteosarcoma.

Patients And Methods: Five hundred seventy-six consecutive patients who had achieved a first complete surgical remission (CR) during combined-modality therapy on neoadjuvant Cooperative Osteosarcoma Study Group (COSS) protocols and then developed recurrent osteosarcoma were analyzed (median time from biopsy to relapse, 1.6 years; range, 0.

Primary metastatic osteosarcoma: presentation and outcome of patients treated on neoadjuvant Cooperative Osteosarcoma Study Group protocols.

Purpose: To determine demographic data and define prognostic factors for long-term outcome in patients presenting with high-grade osteosarcoma of bone with clinically detectable metastases at initial presentation.

Patients And Methods: Of 1,765 patients with newly diagnosed, previously untreated high-grade osteosarcomas of bone registered in the neoadjuvant Cooperative Osteosarcoma Study Group studies before 1999, 202 patients (11.4%) had proven metastases at diagnosis and therefore were enrolled onto an analysis of demographic-, tumor-, and treatment-related variables, response, and survival.

Absence of SV40 in Austrian tumors correlates with low incidence of mesotheliomas.

Between 1955 and 1963 millions of people were worldwide vaccinated with polio-vaccines that were contaminated with the simian virus 40 (SV40). This tumor-inducing virus has subsequently been detected in several human tumors. In Austria, polio mass vaccination started in winter 1961/62 with a presumably SV40-free British vaccine.

Early epoetin alfa treatment in children with solid tumors.

Background: Combination chemotherapy is often used for long periods in children with solid malignancies, leading to anemia and necessitating intervention with red blood cell (RBC) transfusions. Transfusions, however, are associated with a variety of adverse events and risks. Recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO, epoetin alfa) has been shown to reduce the need for transfusions and to ameliorate the symptoms of anemia in adults, but few studies have been conducted thus far in pediatric patients.

Genetic changes of two Wilms tumors with anaplasia and a review of the literature suggesting a marker profile for therapy resistance.

Cytogenetic data on Wilms tumors (WT) with anaplasia frequently associated with an unfavorable outcome are scarce. We present cytogenetic changes of two WT with anaplasia (primary tumor material) from nonresponders with a synopsis of the literature. The WT were investigated by cytogenetic analysis, comparative genomic hybridization, fluorescence in situ hybridization, immunofluorescence, and flow cytometric analyses.

Reduction in transfusion requirements with early epoetin alfa treatment in pediatric patients with solid tumors: a case-control study.

In a single-center, case-control study the authors evaluated the efficacy and safety of epoetin alfa in pediatric cancer patients receiving platinum- or nonplatinum-based chemotherapy. Thirty-seven patients with solid tumors received epoetin alfa 3 times weekly at a dose of 150 IU/kg (hemoglobin [Hb] > or = 12 g/dL and < or = 16 g/dL) or 300 IU/kg (Hb) < 12 g/dL) for 28 weeks. Data from treated patients were compared to data from 37 untreated control patients.

Prognostic factors in high-grade osteosarcoma of the extremities or trunk: an analysis of 1,702 patients treated on neoadjuvant cooperative osteosarcoma study group protocols.

Purpose: To define prognostic factors for response and long-term outcome for a wide spectrum of osteosarcomas, extending well beyond those of the typical young patient with seemingly localized extremity disease.

Patients And Methods: A total of 1,702 consecutive newly diagnosed patients with high-grade osteosarcoma of the trunk or limbs registered into the neoadjuvant studies of the Cooperative Osteosarcoma Study Group before July 1998 were entered into an analysis of demographic, tumor-related, and treatment-related variables, response, and survival. The intended therapeutic strategy included preoperative and postoperative chemotherapy with multiple agents as well as surgery of all operable lesions.