Pediatric Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas: a retrospective analysis at the Children's Hospital of New Orleans.

Lymphomas constitute 10-12% of childhood cancers and are the third most common childhood malignancy. A retrospective analysis of thirty-six patients from the tumor registry of Children's Hospital of New Orleans was conducted during the period from 1995-2000. Patients were divided based on patient and tumor characteristics with recurrence and survival data compared to the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) data of the National Cancer Institute.

Advanced glycation end-products in sickle cell anaemia.

Tissue accumulation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) has been implicated in the oxidant-induced vascular pathology of diabetes and other diseases. Because homozygous sickle cell anaemia (SCA) is a state of oxidative stress, we tested the hypothesis that circulating AGE levels are elevated in SCA. Blood was obtained from age- and race-matched children classified as either non-sickle cell controls, SCA without vaso-occlusive crisis (SCA - VOC), or SCA with vaso-occlusive crisis (SCA + VOC).

Diagnosis and characterization of Hb C/Hb Iowa: a rare but easily misidentified compound heterozygous condition.

Hb Iowa is a rare hemoglobin (Hb) variant with a Gly --> Ala substitution at position 119 of beta-globin. It was previously reported only in an African American infant who was also heterozygous for Hb S [beta6(A3)Glu --> Val] and her mother (Hb A/Iowa). Here we describe the second report of Hb Iowa, the first in conjunction with Hb C [beta6(A3)Glu --> Lys].

Benign multilocular cystic nephroma.

This article reports a case of cystic nephroma to bring awareness about the benign nature of this condition. The patient presented with a painless abdominal mass. Computed tomography showed a homogeneous, multicystic tumor of the superolateral portion of the left kidney with thin septa without solid parts.

Passive active prophylaxis against Hepatitis B in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

The aim of this study was to assess the antibody response to combined passive active immunisation versus active immunisation along with interferon against Hepatitis B in 60 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) between 1 and 21 years of age with negative Hepatitis B virus (HBV) serology at presentation. Thirty-one patients received combined passive active immunisation with human specific Hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HEPABIG-VHB Pharmaceuticals) and Hepatitis B vaccine (arm I) and 29 patients received active immunisation along with interferon (arm II). Protective antibody levels were detected in 89.

Leukemia in infants.

Objective: Acute Leukemia is rare in infants. It is characterized by non-specific symptomatology requiring a high index of suspicion on the part of a pediatrician for referral and diagnosis. It has peculiar biological features, unresponsiveness to treatment and poor prognosis.