Characteristics and treatment results of refractory and relapsed acute myeloid leukaemia in paediatric patients treated in Polish Paediatric Leukaemia/Lymphoma Study Group institutions according to the Protocol Acute Myeloid Leukaemia Berlin-Frankfurt-Munster 2012 and a review of novel treatment possibilities in paediatric acute myeloid leukaemia.

Introduction: This study aimed to present the clinical features and results of treatment of patients diagnosed with refractory or relapsed acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) in Polish Paediatric Leukaemia/Lymphoma Study Group (PPL/LSG) institutions, treated in accordance with the Protocol Acute Myeloid Leukaemia Berlin-Frankfurt-Munster 2012, as their first-line therapy.

Material And Methods: The outcome data of 10 patients with refractory AML (median age 9.5 years) and 30 with relapsed AML (median age 12 years) were analysed retrospectively.

Infectious complications in children treated for hodgkin and non-hodgkin lymphomas in polish pediatric leukemia/lymphoma study group: incidence, epidemiology and etiology.

The objective of this nation-wide study was to evaluate the epidemiology and profile of bacterial (BI), viral (VI), and invasive fungal disease (IFD) in patients treated for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) between the years 2013-2015. In the analyzed period of time, within the studied group of 328 children diagnosed and treated for lymphomas, at least one infectious complication (IC) was diagnosed i.e.

Tumor expression of survivin, p53, cyclin D1, osteopontin and fibronectin in predicting the response to neo-adjuvant chemotherapy in children with advanced malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor.

Purpose: Selected cell-cycle regulators and extracellular matrix proteins were found to play roles in malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) biology. We aimed to analyze whether initial tumor tissue expressions of survivin, p53, cyclin D1, osteopontin (OPN) and fibronectin (FN) correlate with the response to neo-adjuvant CHT (naCHT) in children with advanced inoperable MPNST.

Methods: The study included 26 children with MPNST (M/F 14/12, median age 130 months) treated in Polish centers of pediatric oncology between 1992 and 2013.

Management and follow-up of Ewing sarcoma patients with isolated lung metastases.

Background: Ewing sarcoma (ES) is the second most common pediatric malignant bone tumor with a wide spectrum of clinical presentations. Although metastatic disease to the lungs is often the cause of death, isolated lung metastases at diagnosis are not frequent. The specific role of chemotherapy, surgery, and lung radiation has not been clearly defined.

Infratentorial ependymomas--a study of the centre in Katowice.

The aim of the study was to assess the correlation of the results of the treatment of infratentorial ependymomas with the degree of resection and histopathological diagnosis. The study was conducted on a group of 19 patients, 13 boys and 6 girls aged 3 months to 16 years, with infratentorial ependymoma treated at the Department of Paediatric Neurosurgery of the Medical University of Silesia in Katowice from January 2000 until December 2008. The most significant factor having an impact on overall survival and progression-free survival was totality of tumour resection.

Clinical factors in relapses of Wilms' tumor--results for the Polish Pediatric Solid Tumors Study Group.

Background: The risk factors responsible for recurrences of Wilms' tumor (nephroblastoma) are still under discussion. The aim of the study was to analyze the relationship between relapses of Wilms' tumor and the patients' clinical history.

Material And Methods: Clinical data from children registered in the Polish Pediatric Solid Tumors Study Group were analyzed.

Validation of a multi-modal treatment protocol for Ewing sarcoma--a report from the polish pediatric oncology group.

Background: Ewing sarcoma (ES) is the second most common paediatric malignant bone tumor. Advances in multi-disciplinary care have resulted in significant improvement in cure rates over the last decades. However, the generalization of those results in countries traditionally excluded from large cooperative trials has yet to be demonstrated.

Outcome of refractory and relapsed acute myeloid leukemia in children treated during 2005-2011 - experience of the Polish Pediatric Leukemia/Lymphoma Study Group (PPLLSG).

Aim Of The Study: Recent studies showed relatively better outcome for children with refractory (refAML) and relapsed acute myeloid leukemia (relAML). Treatment of these patients has not been unified within Polish Pediatric Leukemia/Lymphoma Study Group (PPLLSG) so far. The goal of this study is to analyze the results of this therapy performed between 2005-2011.

Leptin concentration and nutritional status in the course of treatment in children with brain tumours--preliminary report.

Purpose: To assess the nutritional status in children with central nervous system (CNS) tumours, including concentration of leptin, the neuropeptide responsible for regulation of energetic homeostasis in an organism.

Method: The studied group comprised 44 children with brain tumours, aged (4.02-18.

Development of treatment and clinical results in childhood acute myeloid leukemia in Poland.

Background: Since 1983 four consecutive unified regimens: acute myeloid leukemia-Polish pediatric leukemia/lymphoma study group (AML-PPLLSG) 83, AML-PPLLSG 94, AML-PPLLSG 98 and AML-BFM 2004 Interim, for AML have been conducted by the Polish Pediatric Leukemia/Lymphoma Study Group (PPLLSG). In this paper, we review four successive studies on the basis of acute myeloid leukemia-Berlin-Frankfurt-Munster (AML-BFM) protocol, in which a stepwise improvement of treatment outcome was observed. Treatment results of the last protocol AML-BFM 2004 Interim are presented in detail.

Individualized tumor response testing profile has a prognostic value in childhood acute leukemias: multicenter non-interventional long-term follow-up study.

A total number of 817 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and 181 with acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) were assessed for individualized tumor response testing (ITRT) profile as a prognostic factor in long-term follow-up. For each patient, ITRT, initial response to therapy and long-term outcome were assessed. In initial ALL, an impact on long-term response was shown in ITRT for 13 drugs, while in initial AML only for cytarabine.

Rhabdomyolysis: rare complications with a difficult prognosis in the course of anticancer treatment.

Rhabdomyolysis refers to a number of clinical and biochemical symptoms, which result from the destruction of skeletal muscles. The following triad of symptoms is considered typical: myalgia, muscle weakness, and dark urine. The most common reasons for rhabdomyolysis in children are infections.

[Characteristics of extracranial malignant germ cell tumours in two age groups of children (0-10 and 10-18 years). Multicentre experiences].

Unlabelled: In order to assess if any differences exist in children germ cell tumours depending on age, we compared some features of germ cell tumours in two age groups:younger than 10 and between 11 and 18 years.

Material And Methods: Data of 146 patients with germ cell tumours treated in 15 Polish paediatric oncology departments between 1995 and 2005 were evaluated. They were divided into two groups: 76 children 0-10 years old (group I) and 70 patients 11-18 years old (group II).

Polymorphism of the thymidylate synthase gene and risk of relapse in childhood ALL.

Polymorphisms of genes encoding proteins involved in drug metabolism can influence the efficacy of leukemia treatment. In this population-wide study we aimed to evaluate selected, metabolically active genetic polymorphisms as prognostic markers of treatment efficacy in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). A total of 51 cases of leukemia relapse were diagnosed in a group of 354 patients with ALL.

[Treatment results of children with neuroblastoma: report of Polish Pediatric Solid Tumor Group].

Approximately 60 children aged 0-18 years are diagnosed of NBL each year in Poland. About 60% of all patients suffering from NBL have a chance for durable cure. Unfortunately the prognosis for patients within the high-risk group accounting for more than 50% of all NBL patients remains poor despite the introduction of more intensive chemotherapy regimens with radical surgery procedures and megachemotherapy with subsequent stem cell transplantation.

[Can children with Hodgkin's disease be treated with chemotherapy only?].

Currently over 90% of children and adolescents with Hodgkin's disease (HD) can be cured thanks to use of multidrug chemotherapy (CT) combined with involved-field radiotherapy (IF-RT). However, the intensive treatment may increase the risk of late complications which may impair the patients' quality of life. In order to decrease the incidence of late complications the protocol with limited use of IF-RT was introduced in centers of Polish Pediatric Leukemia/Lymphoma Study Group (PPLLSG).

[Genotyping and minimal residual disease study in children with acute myeloid leukemia: preliminary results].

The aim of the paper is to present the initial results of molecular examination which was started in 2006 for children with acute myeloid leukemia. Better knowledge of biology of this disease, can result in establishing of new risk factors what allows more precise patient stratification to different therapeutic groups. Study was obtained patients until to 18 years of age treated according to AML-BFM 2004 INTERIM protocol in 14 centers of the Polish Pediatric Leukemia/Lymphoma Study Group.

[Treatment failure in children with acute myelocytic leukemia: over 25-year experience of Polish Pediatric Leukemia/Lymphoma Study Group with four consecutive unified treatment protocols for childhood acute myelocytic leukemia].

Four consecutive intensive unified regimens (BFM-AML-83, PGP-AML 94, PGP-AML 98 AML-BFM 2004 Interim) for acute myelocytic leukemia (AML) have been conducted by the Polish Pediatric Leukemia/Lymphoma Study Group (PPLLSG) since 1983. The last one, introduced four years ago is still active, and only preliminary result may be presented. There were 726 children with AML diagnosed (226, 102, 247 and 151 in the I, II , III and IV periods, respectively), and 603 of them were eligible for evaluation (208, 83, 195 and 117, respectively).

Differential ex vivo activity of bortezomib in newly diagnosed paediatric acute lymphoblastic and myeloblastic leukaemia.

The proteasome inhibitor, bortezomib, is known to be effective in the therapy of various neoplasms. The objective of this study was the analysis of the ex vivo activity of bortezomib in paediatric acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), in comparison to paediatric acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). A total of 159 patients entered the study, including 106 ALL (including 86 precursor-B-cell ALL, and 20 T-cell ALL) and 53 AML children.

Proangiogenic cytokines vascular-endothelial growth factor and basic fibroblst growth factor in childhood lymphadenopathy.

Increased angiogenesis is observed both in the inflammatory and in the neoplasmatic tissue. The aim of the study was to assess the diagnostic significance of serum concentration of vascular-endothelial growth factor (sVEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (sbFGF) in the various forms of lymphadenopathy in children. Ninety-four children with lymphadenopathy were studied: group A, 52 patients with lymphadenitis; group B, 42 patients with lymphomas.

[Hearing assessment of children treated with Cisplatin].

The Aim Of The Study: Cisplatin's effect on the inner ear in children and compare results of the tonal audiometry and the oto-acousitic emission audiometry.

Material And Methods: Audiological examinations were conducted on 33 children who had been treated with Cisplatin. Normal hearing prior to the cytostatic therapy would qualify a child for inclusion in the examinations.

Cervical ectopic thymus in a 9-month-old girl: diagnostic difficulties.

Ectopic cervical location of the thymus is a very rarely diagnosed developmental disorder in children. This anomaly is usually manifested clinically as a neck tumor suggesting lymphadenopathy, which is also differentiated from more frequently occurring cervical cysts, angiomas, or malignant neoplasms. A decisive examination is the histopathologic assessment of the tumor, supported by necessary immunoassays.

Prognostic value of proangiogenic cytokines in children with lymphomas.

Background: Angiogenesis and proangiogenic cytokines are involved in neoplastic development. The role of these processes in lymphoma formation has not been established. The aim of the study was to assess angiogenesis on the basis of serum levels of vascular-endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in childhood lymphomas.

Comparison of clofarabine activity in childhood and adult acute leukemia: individual tumor response study.

Background: Clofarabine is a second-generation nucleoside analogue. The aim of the study was the analysis of ex vivo activity of clofarabine and 14 other anticancer drugs in pediatric and adult acute lymphoblastic (ALL) and myeloid (AML) leukemia.

Patients And Methods: The ex vivo drug resistance profile was analyzed in 282 patients, including 201 children with ALL de novo, 24 children with relapsed ALL, 25 children with AML de novo and 32 adults with AML.