Comparative analysis between cytomorphology and flow cytometry methods in central nervous system infiltration assessment in oncohematological patients.

Introduction: Oncohematological patients require the evaluation for possible infiltration of the central nervous system (CNS) by neoplastic cells at diagnosis and/or during the monitoring of the chemotherapeutic treatment. Morphological analysis using conventional microscopy is considered the method of choice to evaluate the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples, despite technical limitations.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the performance of the cytomorphology and flow cytometric immunophenotyping (FC) in the detection of CNS infiltration.

Comparison between flow cytometry and standard PCR in the evaluation of MRD in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated with the GBTLI LLA - 2009 protocol.

Minimal residual disease (MRD) monitoring is of prognostic importance in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The detection of immunoglobulin and T-cell receptor gene rearrangements by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-PCR) is considered the gold standard for this evaluation. However, more accessible methods also show satisfactory performance.

Cytogenetic abnormalities, WHO classification, and evolution of children and adolescents with acute myeloid leukemia.

Objectives: To describe cytogenetic and molecular abnormalities observed in children and adolescents with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), classify AML according to the World Health Organization (WHO) classifications from 2008 and 2016, and evaluate the prognosis according to clinical characteristics and cytogenetic abnormalities.

Methods: A retrospective longitudinal study was performed on a population of 98 patients with AML, aged up to 16 years, seen in a single hospital from 2004 to 2015.

Results: Among the 80 patients for whom it was possible to analyze the karyotype, 78.

ADRENAL CARCINOMA IN CHILDREN: LONGITUDINAL STUDY IN MINAS GERAIS, BRAZIL.

Objective: To analyze clinical, laboratory and histopathological features and the path to diagnosis establishment and treatment of patients with adrenal carcinoma (AC).

Methods: Retrospective study with 13 patients assisted at the pediatric oncology service of Hospital das Clínicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil, between 2004 and 2015.

Results: Age at diagnosis ranged from 1.

Immunophenotyping of the cerebrospinal fluid as a prognostic factor at diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children and adolescents.

This study aimed at evaluating the use of immunophenotyping (IMP) in the identification of blast cells in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of children and adolescents with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Sixty-seven patients aged 18 years or younger were included. Fifty-five CSF samples were analyzed at initial diagnosis and 17 at the time of relapse.

Current Strategies for the Detection of Minimal Residual Disease in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common cancer in children. Current treatment strategies for childhood ALL result in long-term remission for approximately 90% of patients. However, the therapeutic response is worse among those who relapse.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis: a case series of a Brazilian institution.

Objective: To describe the clinical and laboratory presentation of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in children treated at a referral institution.

Methods: A retrospective descriptive study was carried out of seven children diagnosed with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis between 2010 and 2012. The criteria for diagnosis were those proposed by the Histiocyte Society.

Palliative care in pediatric hematological oncology patients: experience of a tertiary hospital.

Objective: To evaluate the approach to palliative care for hematological oncology patients in the pediatric ward of a tertiary hospital.

Methods: This was a retrospective, descriptive study of 29 hematological oncology patients who died between 2009 and 2011. Data regarding the approach and prevalence of pain, prevalence of other symptoms, multidisciplinary team participation, communication between staff and family and limited invasive therapy were collected from the medical records.

Gene rearrangement study for minimal residual disease monitoring in children with acute lymphocytic leukemia.

Objective: To detect markers for minimal residual disease monitoring based on conventional polymerase chain reaction for immunoglobulin, T-cell receptor rearrangements and the Sil-Tal1 deletion in patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia.

Methods: Fifty-nine children with acute lymphocytic leukemia from three institutions in Minas Gerais, Brazil, were prospectively studied. Clonal rearrangements were detected by polymerase chain reaction followed by homo/heteroduplex clonality analysis in DNA samples from diagnostic bone marrow.

Health-related quality of life among teenagers during cancer treatment in a developing country: patients' and proxies' reports.

Few studies have been performed during adolescents' cancer treatment to evaluate its interference on health-related quality of life (HRQL). The purpose of this prospective cohort study was to evaluate adolescents' HRQL during cancer treatment. The Health Utilities Index (HUI) was used for scoring.

Isolated relapse in the oral cavity of a child with T-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Despite high cure rates, approximately 20% of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have disease relapse. Isolated recurrence in oral cavity is extremely unusual. The aim of this paper is to report a case of an isolated relapse occurred in a child with T-lineage ALL.

Incidence and risk factors for central nervous system relapse in children and adolescents with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Background: Despite all the advances in the treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia, central nervous system relapse remains an important obstacle to curing these patients. This study analyzed the incidence of central nervous system relapse and the risk factors for its occurrence in children and adolescents with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Methods: This study has a retrospective cohort design.

Initial cutaneous manifestation of lymphomas in children.

Cutaneous lymphomas comprise a heterogeneous group of lymphoproliferative disorders with skin involvement and are classified as a subgroup of non-Hodgkin lymphomas. From 1981 to 2007, 100 children with non-Hodgkin lymphomas were admitted to the Hematology Unit of the Federal University of Minas Gerais Teaching Hospital. In nine of these children, the skin was involved at the onset of the disease.

Langerhans cell histiocytosis: 37 cases in a single brazilian institution.

Objectives: To improve the level of 'definitive' diagnosis of Langerhans cell histiocytosis by immunohistochemical investigation of the CD1a surface antigen and to compare outcomes in respect to age, gender, stage of the disease, treatment response and level of diagnostic accuracy.

Methods: A retrospective study was carried out of 37 children and adolescents with possible Langerhans cell histiocytosis between 1988 and 2008. The diagnoses were revisited using immunohistochemical investigations for CD1a, S-100 and CD68 in an attempt to reach definitive diagnoses for all cases.

Compliance with a protocol for acute lymphoblastic leukemia in childhood.

Background: Remission rates achieved after the initial treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia may be similar in both developed and developing countries, but relapse rates are much higher in the latter. Thus, other reasons are needed, in addition to biological characteristics of the leukemic cells themselves, to explain the unfavorable evolution of patients living in unfavorable socioeconomic and cultural conditions.

Objective: The aim of this study was to retrospectively evaluate compliance to an acute lymphoblastic leukemia treatment protocol.

Thiopurine S-methyltransferase (TPMT) gene polymorphism in Brazilian children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia: association with clinical and laboratory data.

The frequency of allele variants of gene TPMT*2, *3A, *3B, and *3C was estimated in a population of 116 Brazilian children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The association between genotype and clinical and laboratory data obtained during chemotherapy maintenance phase and the correlation of intraerythrocyte concentration of 6-mercaptopurine metabolites (6-tioguanine nucleotide nucleotides and methylmercaptopurine) were analyzed. A multiplex amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction (ARMS-PCR) was used in DNA amplification.

Compliance with antibiotic prophylaxis in children with sickle cell anemia: a prospective study.

Objective: To prospectively assess compliance with antibiotic prophylaxis among children with sickle cell anemia.

Methods: A total of 108 children (aged 3 months to 4(1/2) years, 45% male) were recruited from the Hematology Center in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and followed up for 15 months. Data on compliance were obtained from three interviews with the primary caregivers, from the children's medical records and from assay of antibacterial activity in urine samples of 81 children.

Langerhans cell histiocytosis: a 16-year experience.

Objectives: To describe the clinical course of Langerhans cell histiocytosis and to compare its outcome according to age, staging of the disease and treatment response.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of data on 33 children with Langerhans cell histiocytosis followed at Hospital das Clínicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil, between 1988 and 2004.

Results: Age at diagnosis ranged from 2 months to 16 years (median: 2.