Outcomes Based on Histological Tumor Necrosis and Predictive Clinical and Laboratory Parameters for Necrosis in Children With Osteosarcoma Treated on a Non-High Dose Methotrexate-Based Chemotherapy Backbone.

Background: Histopathological response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) measured as tumor necrosis (TN) has been reported to be prognostic post-high-dose methotrexate (HDMTX)-based chemotherapy. We studied this on a non-HDMTX chemotherapy backbone.

Materials And Methods: Children ≤15 years, with osteosarcoma treated on OGS-2012 protocol and surgery post NACT from January 2013 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed.

Prevalence and outcome of candidemia among paediatric cancer patients: A single centre experience from India.

Background: Candida species are one of the leading causes of invasive fungal infections in pediatric patients with cancer, resulting in increased treatment related morbidity and mortality. There is limited data with respect to demography and outcomes of candidemia among children with cancer, especially from lower-middle income countries.

Methods: In this retrospective observational study conducted over a 4-year Period (January-2017 to December-2021), children less than 15 years with cancer, treated at a tertiary oncology centre in India and diagnosed with candidemia were included.

Demystifying the Mystery of Genes: A Case Report on Constitutional Mismatch Repair Deficiency.

Constitutional mismatch repair deficiency (CMMRD) is a rare childhood cancer predisposition syndrome that results from biallelic germline mutations in one of the four MMR genes, MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, or PMS2. This syndrome is characterized by a broad spectrum of early-onset malignancies, including hematologic malignancies, colorectal malignancies, brain tumors, and other malignancies. It is common to have more than one malignancy in an individual diagnosed with CMMRD.

Implications of chronic moderate protein-deficiency malnutrition on doxorubicin pharmacokinetics and cardiotoxicity in early post-weaning stage.

Background: Malnutrition is a common problem in developing countries, and the impact of severe malnutrition on optimal treatment outcomes of chemotherapy in pediatric cancer patients is well documented. However, despite being a more prevalent and distinct entity, moderate malnutrition is until now unexplored for its effects on treatment outcomes.

Aims: In this study we aimed to investigate the molecular basis of altered pharmacokinetics and cardiotoxicity of doxorubicin observed in early-life chronic moderate protein deficiency malnutrition.

Impact of Surgical Timing (Primary, Delayed, or Second Look) on Surgical Morbidity and Outcomes in Malignant Germ Cell Tumor of the Ovary in Children.

Background: Malignant ovarian germ cell tumors (MOGCT) are rare in children. Surgery with or without chemotherapy is the primary treatment approach. This study aimed to analyze the impact of primary and delayed surgery on surgical morbidity and outcomes.

Epilepsia Partialis Continua as a Sequelae of Measles Infection in Children With Hematolymphoid Malignancies.

Purpose: To share our clinical experience with the diagnosis and management of children with hematolymphoid malignancies presenting with epilepsia partialis continua (EPC) as a sequelae of measles infection.

Materials And Methods: In December 2022, a series of children in our hemato-oncology unit presented with focal status epilepticus with no conclusive evidence pointing toward any underlying etiology. One such child had a typical measles rash a few weeks before the onset of this focal status epilepticus.

Treatment and follow-up of children with chronic myeloid leukaemia in chronic phase (CML-CP) in the tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) era-Two decades of experience from the Tata Memorial Hospital paediatric CML (pCML) cohort.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have drastically improved the outcomes of pCML (paediatric CML) but data on long-term off-target toxicities of TKIs in children are scarce. In this single-centre, retrospective cum prospective study of pCML in chronic phase, we report our experience of treating 173 children with imatinib and following them for long-term toxicities. Mean (SD) time to attain CHR, CCyR and MMR were 3.

Wilms Tumor in India: A Systematic Review.

Shyam Srinivasan  Cure rates of childhood malignancies are inferior in India compared with upper-middle-income countries. There is paucity of quality data addressing outcome of childhood Wilms tumor (WT) from India. This systematic review was conducted to assess the disease trends, treatment strategies, and outcome indicators in WT across India.

Cardiac function in pediatric Ewing sarcoma during and after treatment: A longitudinal study.

Background: While anthracycline therapy has been shown to improve outcomes in Ewing sarcoma, it may be associated with severe and even fatal cardiac dysfunction. We evaluated the burden and determinants of cardiac dysfunction in pediatric Ewing sarcoma (pES).

Methods: This retrospective study included children aged 0-18 years with pES treated at our center with the EFT 2001 protocol (anthracycline and cyclophosphamide containing regimen), with/without radiation therapy from January 2001 to December 2018.

Outcome and prognostic variables in childhood rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) with emphasis on impact of FOXO1 fusions in non-metastatic RMS: experience from a tertiary cancer centre in India.

While factors influencing outcomes of rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) in developed countries have evolved from clinical characteristics to molecular profiles, similar data from developing countries are scarce. This is a single-centre analysis of outcomes in treated cases of RMS, with emphasis on prevalence, risk-migration and prognostic impact of Forkhead Box O1 (FOXO1) in non-metastatic RMS. All children with histopathologically proven RMS, treated between January 2013 and December 2018 were included.

Systematic review and updated recommendations for cardiomyopathy surveillance for survivors of childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancer from the International Late Effects of Childhood Cancer Guideline Harmonization Group.

Survivors of childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancer, previously treated with anthracycline chemotherapy (including mitoxantrone) or radiotherapy in which the heart was exposed, are at increased risk of cardiomyopathy. Symptomatic cardiomyopathy is typically preceded by a series of gradually progressive, asymptomatic changes in structure and function of the heart that can be ameliorated with treatment, prompting specialist organisations to endorse guidelines on cardiac surveillance in at-risk survivors of cancer. In 2015, the International Late Effects of Childhood Cancer Guideline Harmonization Group compiled these guidelines into a uniform set of recommendations applicable to a broad spectrum of clinical environments with varying resource availabilities.

Outcomes of relapsed/refractory extracranial germ cell tumors treated on conventional salvage chemotherapy without stem cell rescue: Experience from a tertiary cancer center.

Background And Aims: Data on the outcome and prognostic indicators in extracranial relapsed/refractory germ cell tumors (rel/ref-GCTs) in children are limited to a few studies. This study looks at remission rates and outcomes of rel/ref-GCTs treated with conventional salvage chemotherapy (SC) regimens without stem cell rescue at a single center in the developing world.

Methods: Patients treated at our center from January 2009 to December 2018 were included.

Pediatric cancer-associated thrombosis: Analysis from a tertiary care cancer center in India.

Background And Aims: Thrombotic events (TEs) have been extensively studied in adult cancer patients, but data in children are limited. We prospectively analyzed pediatric cancer-associated thrombosis (PCAT) in children with malignancies.

Methods: Children below 15 years of age with confirmed malignancies, treated at a large tertiary cancer center in India from July 2015 to March 2020 developing any TE were eligible.

Long-Term Outcomes in Survivors of Childhood Cancer: A 30-Year Experience From India.

Purpose: Despite an increasing number of survivors of childhood cancer (CCS) in low- and middle-income countries, survivorship care is in its nascent stages. We describe the spectrum of late effects seen, challenges faced, and lessons learnt over three decades of a late effects program in India.

Methods: We describe the demographics and profile of late effects of all CCS survivors enrolled in our After Completion of Treatment Clinic from February 5, 1991 (inception) to February 4, 2021.

Can 18 F-FDG-Positron Emission Tomography be a Prognostic Tool in Children With Rhabdomyosarcoma Treated With Definitive Radiotherapy?

Background: Persisting residual masses at treatment completion are known in rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) treated with definitive radiotherapy (RT) to the primary site, but their prognostic significance is uncertain. Tumor response as assessed by anatomic imaging is not prognostic and studies based on 18 F-FDG-PET response are limited. We report the prognostic significance of persistent FDG-avidity in residual masses, assessed 3-month postdefinitive RT, in pediatric RMS.

Clinical features, predictors and outcome of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) in children with hematolymphoid malignancies.

Background And Aim: Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a clinico-radiological syndrome characterized by a neurotoxic state with vasogenic edema. We studied the clinical profile, predisposing factors, imaging features, and outcome of PRES in children receiving treatment for hematolymphoid malignancies.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of the clinical data and radiological features of patients with PRES diagnosed between June 2014 and December 2019.

Radiation Therapy Dose Escalation in Unresectable Ewing Sarcoma: Final Results of a Phase 3 Randomized Controlled Trial.

Purpose: Our aim was to assess the effect of radiation therapy (RT) dose escalation on outcomes in surgically unresectable Ewing sarcoma (ES)/primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET).

Methods And Materials: Patients with nonmetastatic unresectable ES/PNET (excluding intracranial/chest wall) receiving vincristine, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, and etoposide chemotherapy, planned for definitive RT, were accrued in this single-institution, open-label, phase 3 randomized controlled trial. Randomization was between standard dose RT (SDRT; 55.

Outcomes and prognostic variables of extracranial germ cell tumors in children and adolescents treated over a decade: A developing world perspective.

Background: The purpose of this single-center study was to analyze the outcomes of extracranial germ cell tumors (GCTs) in children treated on a multimodality regimen.

Methods: Retrospective study of children (<18 years) with a histopathologically confirmed diagnosis of extracranial GCT over a period of 10 years (January 2009 to December 2018) treated on a uniform institution-based protocol consisting of both cisplatin- and carboplatin-based regimens. All completely excised teratomas and stage I gonadal tumors received no further therapy (low risk [LR]); stage IV ovarian, stage III-IV extragonadal GCTs received six cycles of chemotherapy (high risk [HR]), and the remaining received four cycles of chemotherapy (intermediate risk [IR]).