The technique of craniospinal irradiation in the management of intracranial ependymomas.

Purpose: To present a new technique of craniospinal irradiation as a postoperative prophylactic treatment in patients with intracranial ependymomas being at risk for relapse.

Patients And Methods: In the last 3 years, 9 pediatric patients under 15 years of age with grade 2-4 ependymomas located infratentorially received postoperative craniospinal axis radiotherapy by a new technique developed in our department. This technique was based on a proper usage of the asymmetric jaws of the linear accelerator.

[Improved results in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated with the ALL-BFM 90 protocol in the Czech Republic].

Background: Prognosis of children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL)--the most common cancer in childhood, has improved remarkably over the last 40 years. The authors report the treatment outcome in children with ALL cured according to ALL-BFM 90 Study protocol in the Czech Republic during the first half of nineties.

Methods And Results: Children aged 0-18 years were included into the study in 10 centers between 1990 to 1996.

[Use of central venous catheters in children with hematologic neoplasms from the viewpoint of the pediatric surgeon].

Venous access by cannulation of the central vein is a necessary prerequisite of the oncological treatment. Within the period 1998-2001 there 395 CVCs (Central Venous Catheters) were introduced using a subcutaneous tunnel in 335 hospitalised patients at the Clinic of the Child Surgery, Orthopaedics and Traumatology FN Brno. In 310 patients Hickman CVC was used and in 25 Groshong CVC.