Use of Granulocyte Transfusions in the Management of Severe Infections Among Children with Neutropenia.

Infections remain the leading cause of mortality among neutropenic patients with haematologic malignancies, making effective infection management crucial. Achieving a sufficient neutrophil count is essential for the elimination of pathogens. Granulocyte concentrate (GC) can be a treatment option for neutropenic patients with severe infections.

Analysis of early and treatment related deaths among children and adolescents with acute myeloid leukemia in Poland: 2005-2023.

Background: A personalised approach to the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in children and adolescents, as well as the development of supportive therapies, has significantly improved survival. Despite this, some patients still die before starting treatment or in an early phase of therapy before achieving remission. The study analysed the frequency, clinical features and risk factors for early deaths (ED) and treatment related deaths (TRD) of children and adolescents with AML.

The Healthcare Study Examines the Humoral Anti-S1 Antibody Response Following mRNA Vaccination, Comparing Individuals with and without Prior SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

Vaccines targeting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have been pivotal in curtailing the spread of infection. Health care workers, as frontline responders, were among the first to receive vaccination to mitigate coronavirus disease in 2019 (COVID-19) transmission. This study aimed to assess the humoral response elicited by mRNA vaccines, specifically measuring antibodies against the spike S1 protein, a marker of immune response.

Nutritional status, body composition and diet quality in children with cancer.

During cancer treatment, nutritional status disorders such as malnutrition or obesity affect the tolerance of cancer treatment, quality of life, but also the pharmacokinetics of drugs. It is hypothesized that changes in fat and lean body mass can modify chemotherapy volume distribution, metabolism and clearance. In children with cancer, lean body mass decreases or remains low during treatment and fat mass increases.

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis and Treatment with Tixagevimab/Cilgavimab for COVID-19 among Immunocompromised Pediatric Patients.

Patients treated with hemato-oncological malignancies (HO) or undergoing cellular therapies such as hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) or chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T) were significantly affected by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Despite the success of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, immunocompromised patients remain at increased risk for severe coronavirus disease (COVID-19), rendering this group of population a high priority for additional prevention and treatment options. Tixagevimab and Cilgavimab (TIXA/CILGA, AZD7442, Evusheld) is a combination of two fully human, long-acting monoclonal antibodies.

Treatment Outcomes of Adolescents Compared to Younger Pediatric Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Do They Need a Special Approach?

Background: The reports of studies that compare the survival of adolescents and young adults with younger children with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are contradictory.

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 220 AML patients aged 0-18 years treated in pediatric oncologic centers in Poland from 2015 to 2022. The evaluated group included 31 infants (below 1 year), 91 younger children (1-9.

Gemtuzumab ozogamicin for relapsed or primary refractory acute myeloid leukemia in children-the Polish Pediatric Leukemia and Lymphoma Study Group experience.

Background: Gemtuzumab ozogamicin (GO), one of the first targeted drugs used in oncology, consists of an anti-cluster of differentiation 33 (CD33) monoclonal antibody bound to a derivative of cytotoxic calicheamicin. After the drug withdrawn in 2010 due to a significantly higher rate of early deaths, GO regained approval in 2017 for the treatment of newly diagnosed, refractory, or relapsed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in adults and children over 15 years of age. The objective of the study was a retrospective analysis of clinical characteristics, treatment outcomes, and GO toxicity profile in children with primary refractory or relapsed (R/R) AML treated in Poland from 2008 to 2022.

Biologic and clinical features of childhood gamma delta T-ALL: identification of STAG2/LMO2 γδ T-ALL as an extremely high risk leukemia in the very young.

Purpose: Gamma delta T-cell receptor-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (γδ T-ALL) is a high-risk but poorly characterized disease.

Methods: We studied clinical features of 200 pediatric γδ T-ALL, and compared the prognosis of 93 cases to 1,067 protocol-matched non-γδ T-ALL. Genomic features were defined by transcriptome and genome sequencing.

SARS-CoV-2 and thyroid diseases.

SARS-CoV-2 virus responsible for acute respiratory disease affected other organs leading to co-existence symptoms or complications. Thyroid gland was one of them due to expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), the protein facilitating viral binding to the host cells. Moreover, thyroid gland, important for regulation of hormonal network, is extremely sensitive to any changes in homeostasis and metabolism.

Prevention and Health Benefits of Prebiotics, Probiotics and Postbiotics in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common type of leukemia in children, comprising 75-85% of cases. Aggressive treatment of leukemias includes chemotherapy and antibiotics that often disrupt the host microbiota. Additionally, the gut microbiota may play a role in the development and progression of acute leukemia.

Monitoring of treatment with L-asparaginase in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, with a focus on silent inactivation and its influence on the treatment outcome.

Introduction: The aim of the study was to analyse the frequency of silent inactivation and allergic reaction to asparaginase (ASP) and its impact on treatment results in patients with lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Material And Methods: Seventy patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia treated with ASP were enrolled in the study. Asparaginase activity was monitored.

Pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia Post Cytotoxic Therapy-Retrospective Analysis of the Patients Treated in Poland from 2005 to 2022.

Acute P./myeloid leukemia post cytotoxic therapy (AML-pCT) is rare complication of cancer treatment in childhood. The objective of the study was to identify clinical characteristics and provide an analysis of the outcomes in pediatric AML-pCT.

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.

Uncommon types of autoantibodies - Detection and clinical associations.

Immunofluorescence is a basic method for detection of autoantibodies in serum. It is used as screening for people with symptoms suggesting autoimmune process and disease. Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) assay detecting antibodies against nuclear proteins used commonly for diagnosis of systemic autoimmune disease, although antibodies against cytoplasmic components and mitotic structures are usable in clinic.

Go with the Flow-Early Assessment of Measurable Residual Disease in Children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Treated According to ALL IC-BFM2009.

Measurable residual disease (MRD) is a well-known tool for the evaluation of the early response to treatment in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). In respect to predicting the relapse the most informative cut-off and time point of MRD measurement during therapy were evaluated in our study. Between 1 January 2013 and 31 December 2019, multiparametric flow cytometry (MFC) MRD was measured in the bone marrow of 140 children with ALL treated according to the ALL IC-BFM2009 protocol.

Assessment of adrenal function in pediatric cancer survivors.

Introduction: Oncological therapy can temporarily or permanently disrupt adrenal gland function. The aim of our study was to assess the function of adrenal glands in cancer survivors and to find the best diagnostic tools for it.

Material And Methods: Sixty patients aged 1.

Prebiotics, Probiotics, and Postbiotics in the Prevention and Treatment of Anemia.

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is very common and affects approximately 1/3 of the world's human population. There are strong research data that some probiotics, such as and improve iron absorption and influence the course of anemia. Furthermore, prebiotics, including galactooligosaccharides (GOS) and fructooligosaccharides (FOS), increase iron bioavailability and decrease its destructive effect on the intestinal microbiota.

Late effects of childhood cancer treatment in long-term survivors diagnosed before the age of 3 years - A multicenter, nationwide study.

Background: The effect of age on the incidence of late sequelae that occur after anticancer treatment in childhood is still not fully elucidated. In this multicenter study of long-term survivors diagnosed before age of three, we investigated the prevalence of late effects many years after treatment.

Methods: The study group (n = 561) was selected from the Polish National Childhood Cancer Survivors Registry (n = 1761) created in 2007.

Screening of subclinical P300 event-related potentials changes in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia survivors.

Modern treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has resulted in a high cure rate; however, it can cause central nervous system toxicity. In the present study, a group of 136 ALL survivors were screened for changes in P300. Therapy was conducted according to a modified New York (NY) protocol (30 patients) and two subsequent revisions of a modified Berlin-Frankfurt-Münster (BFM) protocol (32 and 74 patients).

Isolated central nervous system relapses in patients with high-risk neuroblastoma -clinical presentation and prognosis: experience of the Polish Paediatric Solid Tumours Study Group.

Although isolated central nervous system (CNS) relapses are rare, they may become a serious clinical problem in intensively treated patients with high-risk neuroblastoma (NBL). The aim of this study is the presentation and assessment of the incidence and clinical course of isolated CNS relapses. Retrospective analysis involved 848 NBL patients treated from 2001 to 2019 at 8 centres of the Polish Paediatric Solid Tumours Study Group (PPSTSG).

The Assessment of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis After Oncological Treatment in Pediatric Patients with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

Objective: Oncologic treatment can affect the adrenal glands, which in stressful situations may lead to life threatening adrenal crisis. The aim of the study was to assess adrenal function in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) survivors and to identify the best markers for this assessment.

Methods: Forty-three ALL survivors, mean age 8.

The Role of Nutritional Status, Gastrointestinal Peptides, and Endocannabinoids in the Prognosis and Treatment of Children with Cancer.

Neoplastic diseases in children are the second most frequent cause of death among the young. It is estimated that 400,000 children worldwide will be diagnosed with cancer each year. The nutritional status at diagnosis is a prognostic indicator and influences the treatment tolerance.

Epidemiology of Fungal Colonization in Children Treated at the Department of Oncology and Hematology: Single-Center Experience.

Oncological patients are especially predisposed to fungal infections due to multiple risk factors and immunocompromising treatment. Epidemiological research regarding pediatric oncologic patients is still insufficient, and existing data are difficult to generalize on different populations. Therefore, we aimed to analyze fungal infections and fungal epidemiology in the Department of Oncology and Hematology of the University Children's Hospital in Krakow with help from the Clinical Microbiology Department.