Outcomes and prognostic factors for Ewing-family tumors of the extremities.

Background: There are few published studies describing the clinical results of patients uniformly treated for a Ewing-family tumor of an extremity.

Methods: We performed a review of patients who had received uniform treatment consisting of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgery and/or radiation therapy as local treatment, and then adjuvant chemotherapy from June 2003 to November 2011 at a single institution.

Results: There were 158 patients included in the study.

Serum alpha tocopherol, vitamin B12, and folate levels in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia survivors with and without neuropathy.

Various micronutrients are essential for optimal functioning of the peripheral nervous system. Serum vitamin E, vitamin B12, and folic acid were estimated in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia survivors aged between 5 and 18 years in first continuous remission within 3 years of completion of vincristine-based chemotherapy with and without electrophysiologically defined neuropathy. A total of 80 children were studied.

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour of the maxilla.

A 38-year-old man was diagnosed with malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour of the maxilla. He was treated with total maxillectomy. Histopathological examination of the resected specimen revealed a close resection margin.

Circulating T-regulatory cells in neuroblastoma: a pilot prospective study.

The objective of our study was to determine baseline Tregs in neuroblastoma patients and correlate with patient characteristics, their change with therapy and at relapse/progression. Flow-cytometric analysis for Treg cells [CD4+CD25+FoxP3+] was done in 14 de novo neuroblastoma patients at diagnosis, post-neoadjuvant chemotherapy and at relapse/progression, along with six healthy controls. Patients had significantly higher baseline Treg frequency than controls [Mean 9.

Quantitative assessment of BAX transcript and flow cytometric expression in acute myeloid leukemia: a prospective study.

Objective: Quantitative assessment of BAX transcripts and protein in acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Methods: We quantitatively evaluated BAX gene transcripts by real-time polymerase chain reaction (TaqMan probe chemistry) and protein expression by flow cytometry.

Results: Consecutive 112 AML patients with a median age of 16 (1-59) years were recruited in the study.

FLT3-ITD mutation in relation to FLT3 expression in pediatric AML: a prospective study from India.

There is lack of data with regard to FLT3 expression in FLT3-ITD positive pediatric AML patients. Further, FLT3-ITD has not been systematically analyzed for outcome from Indian subcontinent. Amongst 64 consecutive pediatric AML patients, FLT3-ITD was present in 12 (19%) patients.

Role of extracorporeal irradiation in malignant bone tumors.

Aims And Objectives: Extracorporeal irradiation (ECI) is relatively a rare method used in the management of malignant bone tumors (MBT). It consists of en-bloc removal of the tumor bearing bone segment, removal of the tumor from the bone, irradiation, and re-implantation back in the body. We report our preliminary experience of using ECI for management of MBT.

Health professionals' alcohol-related professional practices and the relationship between their personal alcohol attitudes and behavior and professional practices: a systematic review.

Health professionals' personal health behaviors have been found to be associated with their practices with patients in areas such as smoking, physical activity and weight management, but little is known in relation to alcohol use. This review has two related strands and aims to: (1) examine health professionals' alcohol-related health promotion practices; and (2) explore the relationship between health professionals' personal alcohol attitudes and behaviors, and their professional alcohol-related health promotion practices. A comprehensive literature search of the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, British Nursing Index, Web of Science, Scopus and Science Direct (2007-2013) identified 26 studies that met the inclusion criteria for Strand 1, out of which six were analyzed for Strand 2.

Immunophenotypic analysis of T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia. A CD5-based ETP-ALL perspective of non-ETP T-ALL.

T-cell antigens [CD5,CD1a,CD8] define early T-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ETP-ALL). To understand immature T-ALL of which ETP-ALL is part, we used these antigens to subcategorize non-ETP T-ALL for examining expression of myeloid/stem cell antigens (M/S) and clinical features. Using CD5 (+/-) to start categorization, we studied 69 routinely immunophenotyped patients with T-ALL.

Review of management issues in relapsed osteosarcoma.

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignant bone tumor in children and adolescents. With combined modality treatment long-term survival rate for localized disease is near 70%. Thirty percent of patients relapse with lung as the commonest site.

Prognostic value of MIB-1, p53, epidermal growth factor receptor, and INI1 in childhood chordomas.

Background: Chordomas are slow-growing tumors and most commonly involve the sacrum and clivus. Multiple recurrences are frequent. Childhood chordomas are rare and often show exceptionally aggressive behavior, resulting in short survival and a high incidence of metastatic spread.

Perception of Indian parents on health-related quality of life of children during maintenance therapy of acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a comparison with siblings and healthy children.

Background: Advancements in treatment have improved the prognosis of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Therefore, there is a need to explore health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in depth, specifically in maintenance therapy, where the available data are minimal. This study was conducted to assess the varied items listed in the domains of HRQOL of Children with ALL during maintenance therapy from a parent's perspective.

Complications of "very high" leukocytosis in pediatric acute leukemia patients managed without rasburicase and leukopheresis.

The authors evaluated complications in pediatric acute leukemia with "very high" leukocytosis (VHL) prior to rasburicase availability and without leukopheresis. From Jun 2003 through Dec 2009, 45 out of 457 (10 %) pediatric acute leukemia patients had VHL. Median WBC for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients was 296,500/mm3 (200,000-615,220) and 206,300/mm3 (106,100-541,900) respectively.

CD68 tumor-associated macrophage marker is not prognostic of clinical outcome in classical Hodgkin lymphoma.

Abstract A novel biomarker, CD68, which marks tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in the microenvironment, has recently been reported to affect the prognosis of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). We aimed to evaluate its role in our patient cohort (n = 100) by utilizing a routine immunohistochemistry method on whole tissue sections and a semiquantitative method for CD68 scoring. Clinical data were taken from medical records.

Serum galactomannan assay for diagnosis of probable invasive Aspergillosis in acute leukemia and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Background: Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is a leading cause of mortality in acute leukemia and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).

Aims: To determine the yield of galactomannan (GM) assay for the diagnosis of probable IA, its temporal relationship with the computed tomography (CT) scans and correlation with mortality in AL and HSCT.

Patients And Methods: Consecutive neutropenic episodes (n=150) among inpatients aged ≥15 years with AL or recipients of HSCT were prospectively evaluated over 1½ years.

Evaluation of outcome and prognostic factors in thoracic primitive neuroectodermal tumor: a study of 84 cases.

Background: Data on thoracic primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) treated with a uniform chemotherapy protocol are minimal in the literature. We analyzed patients with thoracic PNET for outcome and prognostic factors.

Methods: This is a single-institutional data review of patients treated between June 2003 and November 2011 with uniform neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgical intervention, or radiotherapy (RT), or a combination of these treatments as local therapy followed by adjuvant chemotherapy.

Circulating T-regulatory cells in PNET: a prospective study.

Purpose: Bone marrow regulatory T-cells (Tregs) have been evaluated in patients with peripheral neuroectodermal tumor (PNET); data on peripheral blood circulating Tregs are lacking. The objective of our study was to determine baseline Tregs (both Treg frequency and absolute number) in patients with PNET and correlate with patient characteristics, and observe their change with treatment and relapse.

Methods: Five milliliters blood was evaluated in de novo patients with PNET at diagnosis, post-neoadjuvant chemotherapy and at relapse/progression, along with nine healthy controls using flow-cytometric analysis for Treg cells (CD4+ CD25+ FoxP3+).

Extraocular retinoblastoma in Indian children: clinical, imaging and histopathological features.

Aim: TO STUDY EYES WITH EXTRAOCULAR DISSEMINATION (EORB), WITH THE FOLLOWING AIMS: first to establish the mean lag period and to understand various reasons for delayed presentation, second to study their imaging profiles and third to analyze histopathological features of eyes enucleated after neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Methods: Prospective study of clinical and imaging features of EORBs (stage III and IV International Retinoblastoma Staging System) presenting to a tertiary eye care centre. Histopathological features of eyes enucleated after receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy were analyzed.

Adrenal metastases in a post-radiation malignant fibrous histiocytoma after low-dose radiation for a benign condition.

A 29-year-old male presented with an aggressive malignant fibrous histiocytoma of his leg 14 years after he had received low-dose radiation to the area for a benign indication. The other unusual feature of this case was the large unilateral adrenal metastasis. We describe this very rare presentation of sarcoma and briefly review the relevant literature.

Baseline low immunoglobulin A predicts inferior disease-free survival in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia and serial evaluation suggests role of immunoglobulin A in leukemogenesis.

Abstract Data on serial evaluation of immunoglobulins (Ig) in pediatric AML is lacking. From April 2010 to May 2011, 45 consecutive patients with AML aged 1-18 years were prospectively enrolled along with nine healthy controls. Ig were assessed at diagnosis, post-induction, post-consolidation, 3 and 6 months follow-up and relapse.