Outcomes Based on Histological Tumor Necrosis and Predictive Clinical and Laboratory Parameters for Necrosis in Children With Osteosarcoma Treated on a Non-High Dose Methotrexate-Based Chemotherapy Backbone.

Background: Histopathological response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) measured as tumor necrosis (TN) has been reported to be prognostic post-high-dose methotrexate (HDMTX)-based chemotherapy. We studied this on a non-HDMTX chemotherapy backbone.

Materials And Methods: Children ≤15 years, with osteosarcoma treated on OGS-2012 protocol and surgery post NACT from January 2013 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed.

Prevalence and outcome of candidemia among paediatric cancer patients: A single centre experience from India.

Background: Candida species are one of the leading causes of invasive fungal infections in pediatric patients with cancer, resulting in increased treatment related morbidity and mortality. There is limited data with respect to demography and outcomes of candidemia among children with cancer, especially from lower-middle income countries.

Methods: In this retrospective observational study conducted over a 4-year Period (January-2017 to December-2021), children less than 15 years with cancer, treated at a tertiary oncology centre in India and diagnosed with candidemia were included.

Impact of Surgical Timing (Primary, Delayed, or Second Look) on Surgical Morbidity and Outcomes in Malignant Germ Cell Tumor of the Ovary in Children.

Background: Malignant ovarian germ cell tumors (MOGCT) are rare in children. Surgery with or without chemotherapy is the primary treatment approach. This study aimed to analyze the impact of primary and delayed surgery on surgical morbidity and outcomes.

Epilepsia Partialis Continua as a Sequelae of Measles Infection in Children With Hematolymphoid Malignancies.

Purpose: To share our clinical experience with the diagnosis and management of children with hematolymphoid malignancies presenting with epilepsia partialis continua (EPC) as a sequelae of measles infection.

Materials And Methods: In December 2022, a series of children in our hemato-oncology unit presented with focal status epilepticus with no conclusive evidence pointing toward any underlying etiology. One such child had a typical measles rash a few weeks before the onset of this focal status epilepticus.

Cardiac function in pediatric Ewing sarcoma during and after treatment: A longitudinal study.

Background: While anthracycline therapy has been shown to improve outcomes in Ewing sarcoma, it may be associated with severe and even fatal cardiac dysfunction. We evaluated the burden and determinants of cardiac dysfunction in pediatric Ewing sarcoma (pES).

Methods: This retrospective study included children aged 0-18 years with pES treated at our center with the EFT 2001 protocol (anthracycline and cyclophosphamide containing regimen), with/without radiation therapy from January 2001 to December 2018.

Outcome and prognostic variables in childhood rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) with emphasis on impact of FOXO1 fusions in non-metastatic RMS: experience from a tertiary cancer centre in India.

While factors influencing outcomes of rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) in developed countries have evolved from clinical characteristics to molecular profiles, similar data from developing countries are scarce. This is a single-centre analysis of outcomes in treated cases of RMS, with emphasis on prevalence, risk-migration and prognostic impact of Forkhead Box O1 (FOXO1) in non-metastatic RMS. All children with histopathologically proven RMS, treated between January 2013 and December 2018 were included.

Pediatric cancer-associated thrombosis: Analysis from a tertiary care cancer center in India.

Background And Aims: Thrombotic events (TEs) have been extensively studied in adult cancer patients, but data in children are limited. We prospectively analyzed pediatric cancer-associated thrombosis (PCAT) in children with malignancies.

Methods: Children below 15 years of age with confirmed malignancies, treated at a large tertiary cancer center in India from July 2015 to March 2020 developing any TE were eligible.

Outcomes and prognostic variables of extracranial germ cell tumors in children and adolescents treated over a decade: A developing world perspective.

Background: The purpose of this single-center study was to analyze the outcomes of extracranial germ cell tumors (GCTs) in children treated on a multimodality regimen.

Methods: Retrospective study of children (<18 years) with a histopathologically confirmed diagnosis of extracranial GCT over a period of 10 years (January 2009 to December 2018) treated on a uniform institution-based protocol consisting of both cisplatin- and carboplatin-based regimens. All completely excised teratomas and stage I gonadal tumors received no further therapy (low risk [LR]); stage IV ovarian, stage III-IV extragonadal GCTs received six cycles of chemotherapy (high risk [HR]), and the remaining received four cycles of chemotherapy (intermediate risk [IR]).

Impact of a pediatric oncology nutrition program: Lessons learnt over a decade.

Background: The management of malnutrition in children with cancer remains a challenge in low-middle-income countries (LMICs). We describe our pediatric oncology nutrition program and its impact over the past decade.

Methods: We evaluated the impact of our nutrition program in accordance with the International Society of Paediatric Oncology-Paediatric Oncology in Developing Countries (SIOP PODC) Nutritional Program Evaluation in the areas of service delivery (number served, increments in delivery, number of trained care providers), patients at-risk (proportion identified with malnutrition at diagnosis/follow-up), and efficiency of nutritional interventions (proportion assessed, proportion achieved healthy weight, clinicians trained).

FDG PETCT for assessing marrow involvement at staging pediatric nonhematological round cell malignancies.

Background And Hypothesis: Bone and lung are the common sites of metastasis in pediatric round cell tumors and its presence indicates poor outcomes. Staging workup for these malignancies thus includes bone marrow biopsy (BMB) along with evaluation of thorax, and tissue analysis for N MYCN status in neuroblastoma. BMB is an invasive procedure requiring general anesthesia with known disadvantages.

Assessment of outcomes of elective cancer surgeries in children during coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: Retrospective cohort study from a tertiary cancer center in India.

To describe the outcomes of elective cancer surgeries and adverse consequences on the patients and medical staff due to the surgical interventions in children during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.The study included children younger than 15 years who underwent elective cancer surgeries from March 4, 2020 and December 3, 2020.A total of 121 patients (62% male; median age, 3 years) underwent surgery.

COVID-19 in Children with Cancer and Continuation of Cancer-Directed Therapy During the Infection.

Objective: To report the experience with COVID-19 in children with cancer at the largest tertiary-cancer care and referral center in India.

Methods: This study is a single tertiary center experience on COVID-19 in children with cancer and continuation of cancer-directed therapy in them. Children ≤ 15 y on active cancer treatment detected with COVID-19 until September 15, 2020 were prospectively followed up in the study.

Standardizing lymph nodal sampling for Wilms tumor: A feasibility study with outcomes.

Background: Despite being mandated by cooperative groups, omission of nodal sampling is the most frequent protocol deviation in surgery for Wilms tumor. The stations as well as the number of nodes that should be sampled are not clearly defined resulting in a marked variation in practices among surgeons. We propose a systematic method for nodal sampling intending to reduce interoperator variation.

Outcomes with nondose-dense chemotherapy for Ewing sarcoma: A practical approach for the developing world.

Background: The current multidisciplinary approach in the treatment of Ewing sarcoma has improved cure rates, with contemporary dose-dense chemotherapy attaining 5-year event-free survival (EFS) of 73% in localized cases. Dose-intense and dose-dense chemotherapy is difficult in the majority of resource-limited settings with limited access to optimal supportive care. We report on patients with Ewing sarcoma treated on EFT-2001, a nondose-dense chemotherapy protocol.

Clinical profile and outcome of classical Hodgkin lymphoma treated with a risk-adapted approach in a tertiary cancer center in India.

Background: Classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) has excellent survival rates, but late effects are an issue and dictate modern approaches. We analyzed the clinical profile and outcome of cHL treated on a risk-adapted approach aimed at reducing late effects while improving historical outcomes at our center.

Procedure: Children (≤15 years) consecutively treated for cHL from January 2013 through December 2016 were retrospectively analyzed.