[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).

[Results of immunosuppressive therapy in children with severe aplastic anaemia. Report by the Polish Paediatric Leukaemia and Lymphoma Study Group].

Introduction: Bone marrow transplantation from HLA identical family donors is the treatment of choice for children with severe aplastic anaemia (SAA). When no donor is available, combined immunosuppressive therapy is given.

Aim: Evaluation of results of immunosuppressive therapy in children with severe aplastic anaemia.

[Wilms tumor as a novel model of angiogenesis in childood nephropathies].

Wilms tumor has a unique possibility of recapitulation within its substance different stages of renal development. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptors (VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2) are regarded to play the crucial role in the process of simultaneous development of tubules and glomeruli in animal kidney. Neoangiogenesis, secondary to rearrangement of epithelial elements in Wilms tumor, may therefore follow the lack of glomeruli in this neoplasm.

[The health state evaluation in persons after therapy of Hodgkin's disease in childhood: report of the Polish Pediatric Leukemia/Lymphoma Study Group].

The introduction of modern methods of combined therapy: chemotherapy and radiotherapy, allows the cure more than 90% of children and adolescents with Hodgkin's disease. However, the intensive treatment may cause early and late complications. The late complications may include: damage of soft tissues and respiratory, cardiovascular, skeletal, and endocrine systems, and second cancers.

[Does the residual mediastinal mass have prognostic significance in children with Hodgkin's disease (HD)?].

Prognostic significance of residual mediastinal tumor mass in children treated for HD as well as the choice of the optimal management of these cases still remains unknown. In years 1994-2001 in 10 PPLLSG participating centers 480 children (age 2-19.7 years) were treated for HD (stages I-IV).