Antibodies against 9-O-acetylated sialic acids in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a two-year study with 186 samples following protocol MCP 943.

Initial studies have revealed an enhanced surface expression of 9-O-acetylated sialoglycoconjugates (9-OAcSGs) on lymphoblasts concomitant with high titers of antibodies (anti-9-OAcSGs) in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). This study was undertaken in 186 coded samples from 69 ALL patients to evaluate if antibodies against these sialoglycans could monitor response to the treatment. An ELISA was developed using bovine submaxillary mucin (BSM) containing high % of 9-O-acetylated sialic acids (9-OAcSA) as the capture antigen, to investigate serum levels of anti 9-OAcSGs in a single-center series of pediatric, clinically-diagnosed and immunophenotypically confirmed ALL patients, as compared to 130 healthy controls.

Desmoplastic small round cell tumor: extra abdominal and abdominal presentations and the results of treatment.

Background: Desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT) is a rare malignant neoplasm of adolescent males. Current multimodality treatment prolongs life and rarely achieves cure.

Aim: To review the presenting features, histopathology and outcome of 18 patients with DSRCT treated at a single institution.

Isolated testicular relapse in acute lymphoblastic leukemia - effective treatment with the modified CCG-112 protocol.

Background: The testes have been considered a sanctuary site for leukemic cells and testicular relapses used to account for a major proportion of the poor outcome of boys with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. With use of aggressive chemotherapy which includes intermediate or high dose methotrexate, the incidence of testicular relapses has declined. However once these patients have received cranial irradiation as a part of the front line protocol, high dose methotrexate needs to be avoided because of risk of developing leucoencephalopathy.

Immune-mediated thrombocytopenia following dactinomycin therapy in a child with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma: the unresolved issues.

The authors report a case of severe dactinomycin-induced thrombocytopenia in a child with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma. The phenomenon is consistent with an immune process leading to the formation of platelet-specific antibodies. This study shows that this can be induced even with the first dose of actinomycin, and its persistence is unpredictably prolonged and does not correlate linearly in an inverted fashion with the platelet count.