Lymph Node Staging and Treatment in Pediatric Patients With Soft Tissue Sarcomas: A Consensus Opinion from the Children's Oncology Group, European paediatric Soft tissue sarcoma Study Group, and the Cooperative Weichteilsarkom Studiengruppe.

Accurate staging of nodal involvement in pediatric sarcoma patients is important to determine correct systemic and local therapy, with the goal to reduce subsequent recurrences. However, differences in lymph node staging strategies, definitions, and treatment protocols between the Children's Oncology Group (COG), European paediatric Soft tissue sarcoma Study Group (EpSSG), and the Cooperative Weichteilsarkom Studiengruppe (CWS) complicate comparisons. In this article, we aim to establish internationally recognized recommendations for lymph node assessment and treatment of children and adolescents diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) and non-rhabdomyosarcoma soft tissue sarcoma (NRSTS) according to the Consensus Conference Standard Operating Procedure methodology.

Managing acute COVID-19 in immunocompromised pediatric patients.

Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 infection is a potentially life-threatening infection in immunocompromised pediatric patients, and its management has rapidly evolved during the pandemic. To control SARS-CoV-2 infection over time, the scenario changed for the better with the introduction of specific treatments such as antiviral drugs, vaccines, and monoclonal antibodies, together with drugs blocking the inflammatory cytokine cascade and improvements in supportive care.

Areas Covered: This paper discusses the therapeutic strategies to apply for patients affected by COVID-19 in the pediatric population, with a focus on the immunocompromised patients.

SARS-CoV-2 Infection in the Pediatric Oncology Population: The Definitive Comprehensive Report of the Infectious Diseases Working Group of AIEOP.

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the clinical impact and outcome of the SARS-CoV-2 infection on children with cancer or those who received a hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Methods: AIEOP (Italian Association of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology) performed a nationwide multicenter observational cohort study, including consecutive patients between April 2020 and November 2022.

Results: Twenty-five Italian centers participated and 455 patients were enrolled.

Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor With Gene Fusions in Children and Young Adolescents.

Purpose: Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (IMTs) are often driven by anaplastic lymphoma kinase fusions and less frequently by alternative fusions such as . We describe the clinical characteristics, treatment approach, and outcome for a series of young patients with IMTs and alterations.

Methods: This was a retrospective, international, multicenter study analyzing young patients (younger than 21 years) with -altered IMTs treated in 10 European referral centers between 2014 and 2022.

How Did Adolescents With Cancer Experience the COVID-19 Pandemic? A Report From Italian Pediatric Hematology Oncology Association Centers.

Purpose: This study set out to evaluate the psychosocial effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among adolescents with cancer, and whether these effects are significantly different among adolescents who were undergoing therapy or had completed it.

Materials And Methods: The AIEOP Adolescents Working Group and the AIEOP Psychosocial Working Group adapted a questionnaire, which was completed by 214 adolescent cancer patients ( Mage =16.3 y, range: 15 to 19 y old) treated at 16 AIEOP centers in the North (38%), South (31%), and Center (31%) of Italy.