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Businge L, Hagenimana M, Motlhale M, Bardot A, Liu B, Anastos K, Castle PE, Murenzi G, Claire K, Sabushimike D, Cyuzuzo C, Kubwimana G, Maniragaba T, Uwinkindi F, Paczkowski M, Soerjomataram I, Parkin DM. Stage at diagnosis and survival by stage for the leading childhood cancers in Rwanda. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2024; 71:e31020. [PMID: 38668553 PMCID: PMC11116036 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.31020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The lack of accurate population-based information on childhood cancer stage and survival in low-income countries is a barrier to improving childhood cancer outcomes. METHODS In this study, data from the Rwanda National Cancer Registry (RNCR) were examined for children aged 0-14 diagnosed in 2013-2017 for the eight most commonly occurring childhood cancers: acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), Burkitt lymphoma (BL), non-Hodgkin lymphoma excluding BL, retinoblastoma, Wilms tumour, osteosarcoma and rhabdomyosarcoma. Utilising the Toronto Childhood Cancer Stage Guidelines Tier 1, the study assigned stage at diagnosis to all, except HL, and conducted active follow-ups to calculate 1-, 3- and 5-year observed and relative survival by cancer type and stage at diagnosis. RESULTS The cohort comprised 412 children, of whom 49% (n = 202) died within 5 years of diagnosis. Five-year survival ranged from 28% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 12.5%-45.6%) for BL to 68% (CI: 55%-78%) for retinoblastoma. For the cancers for which staging was carried out, it was assigned for 83% patients (n = 301 of 362), with over half (58%) having limited or localised stage at diagnosis. Stage was a strong predictor of survival; for example, 3-year survival was 70% (95% CI: 45.1%-85.3%) and 11.8% (2.0%-31.2%) for limited and advanced non-HL, respectively (p < .001). CONCLUSION This study is only the second to report on stage distribution and stage-specific survival for childhood cancers in sub-Saharan Africa. It demonstrates the feasibility of the Toronto Stage Guidelines in a low-resource setting, and highlights the value of population-based cancer registries in aiding our understanding of the poor outcomes experienced by this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia Businge
- Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), Kigali, Rwanda
- Einstein-Rwanda Research and Capacity Building Program, Research for Development (RD Rwanda), Kigali, Rwanda
| | | | - Melitah Motlhale
- International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO), Lyon, France
- National Cancer Registry, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Aude Bardot
- International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO), Lyon, France
| | - Biying Liu
- African Cancer Registry Network, Prama House, 267 Banbury Road, Oxford OX2 7HT, UK
| | - Kathryn Anastos
- Einstein-Rwanda Research and Capacity Building Program, Research for Development (RD Rwanda), Kigali, Rwanda
- Departments of Medicine and of Epidemiology & Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Philip E. Castle
- Divisions of Cancer Prevention and Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Gad Murenzi
- Einstein-Rwanda Research and Capacity Building Program, Research for Development (RD Rwanda), Kigali, Rwanda
| | | | | | | | - Gallican Kubwimana
- Einstein-Rwanda Research and Capacity Building Program, Research for Development (RD Rwanda), Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Theoneste Maniragaba
- Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), Kigali, Rwanda
- Rwanda Military Hospital, Kigali, Rwanda
| | | | | | | | - Donald Maxwell Parkin
- International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO), Lyon, France
- African Cancer Registry Network, Prama House, 267 Banbury Road, Oxford OX2 7HT, UK
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Lavasidis G, Papaioannou K, Anagnostou N, Ketteler P, Bechrakis NE, Ntzani E. Evidence in Focus: The Sparse Landscape of Randomized Trials on Retinoblastoma Treatment. Ocul Oncol Pathol 2024; 10:53-62. [PMID: 38751498 PMCID: PMC11095627 DOI: 10.1159/000536410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Retinoblastoma, although rare, is one of the most common intraocular malignancies worldwide. Its prognosis has improved significantly in the past few decades, thanks to modern treatments, like systemic, intra-arterial, and intravitreal chemotherapy. However, regarding survival, there are significant differences between high- and low-income countries, eye salvage is still a challenge worldwide, and treatment-related toxicity needs to be carefully and sufficiently managed. Summary To appraise the strength of supporting evidence, we performed a systematic review of randomized controlled trials investigating any therapeutic protocol for retinoblastoma. Four trials with 174 participants (188 eyes) were eligible, all pertaining to different intravenous chemotherapy regimens. Vincristine, etoposide, and carboplatin (VEC) appear superior to a 5-drug combination for stage III retinoblastoma. Moreover, etoposide and carboplatin as neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by thermochemotherapy seem to offer better local control than vincristine and carboplatin. However, increasing carboplatin dose in the VEC protocol failed to improve treatment efficacy. Key Messages Retinoblastoma is a success story of modern medicine. However, only intravenous chemotherapy has been studied through randomized trials, while evidence for the most novel retinoblastoma treatments has mainly stemmed from observational studies. International collaborations for multicenter randomized trials could overcome difficulties and increase certainty and precision in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgios Lavasidis
- Evidence-based Medicine Unit, Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, University of Ioannina School of Medicine, Ioannina, Greece
- Department of Ophthalmology, Elpis General Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Kyriaki Papaioannou
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Nikolaos Anagnostou
- Evidence-based Medicine Unit, Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, University of Ioannina School of Medicine, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Petra Ketteler
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Nikolaos E. Bechrakis
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Evangelia Ntzani
- Evidence-based Medicine Unit, Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, University of Ioannina School of Medicine, Ioannina, Greece
- Center for Evidence Synthesis in Health, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, USA
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Mallon B, Kaboré R, Couitchere L, Akonde FB, Narison MLR, Budiongo A, Dackono TA, Pondy A, Diedhiou F, Patte C, Steliarova-Foucher E, Clavel J. The feasibility of implementing Toronto childhood cancer stage guidelines and estimating the impact on outcome for childhood cancers in seven pediatric oncology units in sub-Saharan Africa. A study from the Franco-African Pediatric Oncology Group. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2023; 70:e30664. [PMID: 37732944 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.30664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The improvement of childhood cancer outcome is determined by early diagnosis, effective treatment, supportive care, and adequate medical follow-up. Stage at diagnosis may reflect timeliness of diagnosis, therefore standardized registration of stage is essential for interpretation of regional differences and time trends in survival. Here, we describe the feasibility of implementing the Toronto Childhood Cancer Stage Guidelines (hereafter Toronto Guidelines [TG]) in the hospital-based cancer registry of the Franco-African Pediatric Oncology Group (GFAOP), and assess the impact of TG stage on outcome in pediatric oncology units (POUs) in seven low- and middle-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). METHODS All cancer patients diagnosed before 15 years of age with one of the 15 cancer types defined in TG, resident in one of the participating countries, and attending one of the selected POUs in 2017-2019 were included. Stage was assigned according to TG. Patients were followed-up for vital status for at least 12 months post diagnosis. Survival at 3, 6, and 12 months was calculated using Kaplan-Meier method and compared between POUs and tumor groups using log-rank test. RESULTS TG stage was assigned to 1772 of 2446 (89%) cases diagnosed with one of 11 cancer types. It was not possible to assign TG stage to acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and the three types of the central nervous system tumors included in the TG. One-year overall survival (OS) was 58% [95% confidence interval: 55-60] and varied between POUs. Survival declined with increasing stage for four tumor types and was statistically significant for two. CONCLUSION Except for ALL and brain tumors, we demonstrated feasibility of TG implementation for childhood solid cancers in participating POUs in SSA, and provided a baseline assessment of childhood cancer outcomes against which future stage distribution and survival can be measured as timelines of diagnosis improve over time within the GFAOP network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenda Mallon
- Groupe Franco-Africain d'Oncologie Pédiatrique (GFAOP) Gustave Roussy Villejuif, Villejuif, France
| | - Rolande Kaboré
- Service d'oncologie pédiatrique, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Yalgado Ouédraogo, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Line Couitchere
- Unité d'oncologie pédiatrique, Hôpital de Treichville, Abidjan, Ivory Coast
| | | | | | - Aléine Budiongo
- Unité d'oncologie pédiatrique, Cliniques Universitaires de Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Congo
| | | | - Angel Pondy
- Centre Mère et Enfant de la Fondation Chantal Biya, Yaoundé, Cameroun
| | - Francis Diedhiou
- Groupe Franco-Africain d'Oncologie Pédiatrique (GFAOP) Gustave Roussy Villejuif, Villejuif, France
| | - Catherine Patte
- Groupe Franco-Africain d'Oncologie Pédiatrique (GFAOP) Gustave Roussy Villejuif, Villejuif, France
| | - Eva Steliarova-Foucher
- Cancer Surveillance Branch, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO), Lyon, France
| | - Jacqueline Clavel
- INSERM UMRS-1153 - EPICEA Epidémiologie des Cancers de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, Paris, France
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Liu B, Abraham N, Chitsike I, Sylvie CGL, Kambugu J, Stévy NMA, Pondy AHO, Renner L, Parkin DM. Enhancing information on stage at diagnosis for childhood cancer in Africa. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2023; 70:e30555. [PMID: 37432023 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.30555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/PURPOSE Stage at diagnosis is an important metric in treatment and prognosis of cancer, and also in planning and evaluation of cancer control. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), for the latter, the only data source is the population-based cancer registry (PBCR). For childhood cancers, the 'Toronto Staging Guidelines' have been developed to facilitate abstraction of stage by cancer registry personnel. Although the feasibility of staging using this system has been shown, there is limited information on the accuracy of staging. METHODS A panel of case records of six common childhood cancers was established. A total of 51 cancer registrars from 20 SSA countries staged these records, using Tier 1 of the Toronto guidelines. The stage that they assigned was compared with that decided by two expert clinicians. RESULTS The registrars assigned the correct stage for 53%-83% of cases (71% overall), with the lowest values for acute lymphocytic leukaemia (ALL), retinoblastoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), and the highest for osteosarcoma (81%) and Wilms tumour (83%). For ALL and NHL, many unstageable cases were mis-staged, probably due to confusion over the rules for dealing with missing data; for the cases with adequate information, accuracy was 73%-75%. Some confusion was observed over the precise definition of three stage levels of retinoblastomas. CONCLUSIONS A single training in staging resulted in an accuracy, for solid tumours, that was not much inferior to what has been observed in high-income settings. Nevertheless, some lessons were learned on how to improve both the guidelines and the training course.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biying Liu
- African Cancer Registry Network, Oxford, UK
| | - Natasha Abraham
- National Cancer Registry, National Healh Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Inam Chitsike
- Paediatric Heme-Oncology Unit, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | | | | | | | - Angèle Hermine Ongotsoyi Pondy
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and Mother and Child Chantal Biya Foundation Pediatric Teaching Hospital, Biomedicales, University of Yaounde, Yaounde, Cameroon
| | - Lorna Renner
- Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Donald Maxwell Parkin
- Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Cancer Surveillance Unit, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France
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Youlden DR, Baade PD, Frazier AL, Gupta S, Gottardo NG, Moore AS, Aitken JF. Temporal changes in childhood cancer incidence and survival by stage at diagnosis in Australia, 2000-2017. Acta Oncol 2023; 62:1256-1264. [PMID: 37647245 DOI: 10.1080/0284186x.2023.2251668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Toronto Paediatric Cancer Stage Guidelines are a compendium of staging systems developed to facilitate collection of consistent and comparable data on stage at diagnosis for childhood cancers by cancer registries. MATERIAL AND METHODS This retrospective, observational cohort study investigated changes in stage-specific incidence and survival for children diagnosed between 2000-2008 compared to 2009-2017 using the population-based Australian Childhood Cancer Registry. Information on mortality for each patient was available to 31st December 2020. Shifts in incidence by stage were evaluated using chi-square tests, and differences in stage-specific five-year observed survival for all causes of death over time were assessed using flexible parametric models. RESULTS Stage was assigned according to the Toronto Guidelines for 96% (n = 7944) of the total study cohort (n = 8292). Changes in the distribution of incidence by stage between the two diagnosis periods were observed for retinoblastoma, with stage 0 increasing from 26% to 37% of cases (p = 0.02), and hepatoblastoma, with metastatic disease increasing from 22% to 39% of cases (p = 0.04). There were large gains in stage-specific survival over time for stage IV rhabdomyosarcoma (five-year adjusted mortality hazard ratio for 2009-2017 compared to 2000-2008 of 0.38, 95% CI 0.19-0.77; p = 0.01), stage M3 for medulloblastoma (HR = 0.41, 95% CI 0.21-0.79; p = 0.01) and metastatic neuroblastoma excluding stage MS (HR = 0.61, 95% CI 0.44-0.84; p < 0.01). CONCLUSION These results indicate that improvements in childhood cancer survival in Australia are most likely due to refined management rather than changes in stage at diagnosis, particularly for metastatic solid tumours. Wide international uptake of the Toronto Guidelines will allow comprehensive evaluation of differences in survival between countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danny R Youlden
- Viertel Cancer Research Centre, Cancer Council Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia
| | - Peter D Baade
- Viertel Cancer Research Centre, Cancer Council Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - A Lindsay Frazier
- Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Boston, USA
| | - Sumit Gupta
- Division of Haematology/Oncology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Nicolas G Gottardo
- Department of Paediatric and Adolescent Oncology/Haematology, Perth Children's Hospital, Perth, Australia
- Brain Tumour Research Program, Telethon Kids Cancer Centre, Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Andrew S Moore
- Oncology Service, Queensland Children's Hospital, Children's Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service, Brisbane, Australia
- Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Joanne F Aitken
- Viertel Cancer Research Centre, Cancer Council Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
- School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
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Majaliwa E, Smith ER, Cotache-Condor C, Rice H, Gwanika Y, Canick J, Chao N, Schroeder K, Rice HE, Staton C, Mmbaga BT. Childhood and Adolescent Cancer Care at a Tertiary Hospital in Northern Tanzania: A Retrospective Study. JCO Glob Oncol 2023; 9:e2200263. [PMID: 37384861 PMCID: PMC10497254 DOI: 10.1200/go.22.00263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Over 400,000 children are diagnosed with cancer around the world each year, with over 80% of these children residing in low- and middle-income countries. This study aims to summarize the epidemiology and care patterns of newly diagnosed childhood cancer patients in Northern Tanzania. METHODS Data from all children and adolescents (age 0-19 years) with newly diagnosed cancers were collected from the Kilimanjaro Cancer Registry located at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre. Descriptive and inferential analyses were used to compare the demographic and clinical characteristics of the participants over time, stage, and status at last contact. Statistical significance was set at P < .05. Secondary descriptive analysis was conducted on a subset sample with available staging data. RESULTS A total of 417 patients were diagnosed with cancer between 2016 and 2021. There was an increase in the rate of patients with newly diagnosed pediatric cancer each year, particularly among children under age 5 years and 10 years. Leukemias and lymphomas were the leading diagnoses and accounted for 183 (43.8%) of all patients. Over 75% of patients were diagnosed at stage III or above. From a subset analysis of patients with available staging data (n = 101), chemotherapy was the most common treatment (87.1%), compared with radiotherapy and surgery. CONCLUSION There is a significant burden of children with cancer in Tanzania. Our study fills crucial gaps in the literature related to the large burden of disease and survival for children with cancer in the Kilimanjaro region. Furthermore, our results can be used to understand the regional needs and guide research and strategic interventions to improve childhood cancer survival in Northern Tanzania.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther Majaliwa
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Services, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, Moshi, Tanzania
- Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College, Moshi, Tanzania
| | - Emily R. Smith
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC
| | - Cesia Cotache-Condor
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC
- Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
| | - Hannah Rice
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Yotham Gwanika
- Kilimanjaro Cancer Registry, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, Moshi, Tanzania
| | - Julia Canick
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC
| | - Nelson Chao
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
| | - Kristin Schroeder
- Department of Oncology, Bugando Medical Centre, Mwanza, Tanzania
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
| | - Henry E. Rice
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC
- Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
| | - Catherine Staton
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC
| | - Blandina T. Mmbaga
- Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College, Moshi, Tanzania
- Kilimanjaro Clinical Research Institute, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, Moshi, Tanzania
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López C, Burkhardt B, Chan JKC, Leoncini L, Mbulaiteye SM, Ogwang MD, Orem J, Rochford R, Roschewski M, Siebert R. Burkitt lymphoma. Nat Rev Dis Primers 2022; 8:78. [PMID: 36522349 DOI: 10.1038/s41572-022-00404-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is an aggressive form of B cell lymphoma that can affect children and adults. The study of BL led to the identification of the first recurrent chromosomal aberration in lymphoma, t(8;14)(q24;q32), and subsequent discovery of the central role of MYC and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in tumorigenesis. Most patients with BL are cured with chemotherapy but those with relapsed or refractory disease usually die of lymphoma. Historically, endemic BL, non-endemic sporadic BL and the immunodeficiency-associated BL have been recognized, but differentiation of these epidemiological variants is confounded by the frequency of EBV positivity. Subtyping into EBV+ and EBV- BL might better describe the biological heterogeneity of the disease. Phenotypically resembling germinal centre B cells, all types of BL are characterized by dysregulation of MYC due to enhancer activation via juxtaposition with one of the three immunoglobulin loci. Additional molecular changes commonly affect B cell receptor and sphingosine-1-phosphate signalling, proliferation, survival and SWI-SNF chromatin remodelling. BL is diagnosed on the basis of morphology and high expression of MYC. BL can be effectively treated in children and adolescents with short durations of high dose-intensity multiagent chemotherapy regimens. Adults are more susceptible to toxic effects but are effectively treated with chemotherapy, including modified versions of paediatric regimens. The outcomes in patients with BL are good in high-income countries with low mortality and few late effects, but in low-income and middle-income countries, BL is diagnosed late and is usually treated with less-effective regimens affecting the overall good outcomes in patients with this lymphoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina López
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.,Institute of Human Genetics, Ulm University and Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Birgit Burkhardt
- Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Berlin-Frankfurt-Münster (NHL-BFM) Study Center and Paediatric Hematology, Oncology and BMT, University Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - John K C Chan
- Department of Pathology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Lorenzo Leoncini
- Section of Pathology, Department of Medical Biotechnology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Sam M Mbulaiteye
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, US Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | | | - Rosemary Rochford
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Mark Roschewski
- Lymphoid Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Reiner Siebert
- Institute of Human Genetics, Ulm University and Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany.
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Davidson A, Moodley J, Pillay K, Hendricks M, Stewart A, Parkes J. The University of Cape Town’s paediatric cancer database: Results from the first years (2019–2021). SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.4102/sajo.v6i0.234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The paediatric oncology multidisciplinary team at the University of Cape Town (UCT) developed a research-ready data set.Aim: This study aimed to describe the early results detailing the epidemiological profile of childhood cancer patients and evaluated factors associated with presentation and outcome.Setting: The UCT paediatric oncology platform at the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital (RCWMCH) and Groote Schuur Hospital (GSH).Methods: A REDCap database was developed with a Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) grant. A database administrator consented all new patients and recorded demographic and social information.Results: There were 212 children consented from 2019 to 2021: 109 girls and 103 boys. The age range was from 1 day to 15.98 years, with a median of 5.18 years. Only 32 (15%) of these families had medical insurance, 34 (16%) lived in informal housing and 25 (12%) did not have access to piped water. Seventy-four families (35%) reported a relative with cancer, including seven first degree relatives. With a median follow-up of 12.4 months, the estimated 2-year overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) was 77% and 72%, respectively. Overall survival was significantly different (p = 0.013) by disease group, varying from 100% for Wilms tumour and germ cell tumours to 52% for rhabdomyosarcoma. Most patients with solid tumours (72%) had advanced disease at diagnosis. Outcomes were poorer for children living in informal housing and without piped water.Conclusion: A real-time database can provide a research-ready data set for interrogating cohort-specific factors impacting childhood cancer outcomes.
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Mallon B, Kaboré R, Couitchere L, Akonde FB, Lukamba R, Dackono TA, Narison MLR, Khattab M, Pondy A, Fedhila Ben Ayed F, Budiongo A, Guedenon K, Oberlin O, Patte C. The development of an international childhood cancer hospital register database in 13 African countries. A project of the French African Pediatric Oncology Group (GFAOP). Pediatr Blood Cancer 2022; 69:e29464. [PMID: 34913572 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.29464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM The establishment of an international hospital-based register (HBR) for the French African Pediatric Oncology Group (GFAOP) was a necessary step in the group's clinical research program. With help from the Sanofi Espoir Foundation's "My Child Matters" program, the GFAOP resolved to develop an international HBR network to collect quality data on children attending the Pediatric Oncology Units (POUs). METHODS All children entering POUs from January 2016 to December 2018 were registered using an online questionnaire. Data collection included information on diagnosis, disease stage, demographics, socioeconomic status, and outcome. An intensive training program was developed to improve both data quality and quantity. RESULTS Among the 3348 children registered, 3230 had a suspected cancer, 681 were not confirmed. A diagnosis was confirmed on radiological, clinical, or histological examination for 2549 children including Burkitt lymphoma (516: 20%)-the most frequent diagnosis, Wilms' tumor (459: 18%), retinoblastoma (357: 14%), and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (345: 13%). Of these, 2187 children were treated. Early deaths, abandonment, economic difficulties, and lack of equipment were some of the reasons offered to explain the numbers of undiagnosed and untreated children. Vital status is known for 1994 children: 1187 died and 807 were alive, 551 of these with a follow-up > 12 months. CONCLUSION This work has provided reliable data on children attending the POUs, especially clarifying reasons and occasions for care rupture. The data will help to identify material, human resources, and staff training needs, to evaluate progress, and to encourage consideration of pediatric cancer in national cancer plans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rolande Kaboré
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Yalgado Ouédraogo, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | | | | | - Robert Lukamba
- Cliniques Universitaires de Lubumbashi (CUL) Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
| | | | | | | | - Angèle Pondy
- Centre Mère et Enfant de la Fondation Chantal Biya, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | | | | | - Koffi Guedenon
- Unité d'oncologie pédiatrique, CHU Sylvanus Olympio, Lomé, Togo
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Major A, Palese M, Ermis E, James A, Villarroel M, Klussmann FA, Hessissen L, Geel J, Khan MS, Dalvi R, Sullivan M, Kearns P, Frazier AL, Pritchard-Jones K, Nakagawara A, Rodriguez-Galindo C, Volchenboum SL. Mapping Pediatric Oncology Clinical Trial Collaborative Groups on the Global Stage. JCO Glob Oncol 2022; 8:e2100266. [PMID: 35157510 PMCID: PMC8853619 DOI: 10.1200/go.21.00266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The global pediatric oncology clinical research landscape, particularly in Central and South America, Africa, and Asia, which bear the highest burden of global childhood cancer cases, is less characterized in the literature. Review of how existing pediatric cancer clinical trial groups internationally have been formed and how their research goals have been pursued is critical for building global collaborative research and data-sharing efforts, in line with the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer. Local stakeholder engagement is necessary to collaborate with global pediatric cancer trial groups.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajay Major
- Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Monica Palese
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Ebru Ermis
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Anthony James
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Milena Villarroel
- Grupo de América Latina de Oncología Pediátrica (GALOP), Hospital Luis Calvo Mackenna, National Pediatric Cancer Program (PINDA), Santiago, Chile
| | - Federico Antillon Klussmann
- National Unit of Pediatric Oncology, Francisco Marroquin University School of Medicine, Guatemala City, Guatemala
| | - Laila Hessissen
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Mohammed V University of Rabat, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Jennifer Geel
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Division of Pediatric Haematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Muhammad Saghir Khan
- Department of Pediatrics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Al Madinah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rashmi Dalvi
- Bombay Hospital Institute of Medical Sciences and SRCC Children's Hospital, Mumbai, India
| | - Michael Sullivan
- Children's Cancer Centre, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Pamela Kearns
- Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit, National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | | | - Kathy Pritchard-Jones
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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11
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Spreafico F, Fernandez CV, Brok J, Nakata K, Vujanic G, Geller JI, Gessler M, Maschietto M, Behjati S, Polanco A, Paintsil V, Luna-Fineman S, Pritchard-Jones K. Wilms tumour. Nat Rev Dis Primers 2021; 7:75. [PMID: 34650095 DOI: 10.1038/s41572-021-00308-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Wilms tumour (WT) is a childhood embryonal tumour that is paradigmatic of the intersection between disrupted organogenesis and tumorigenesis. Many WT genes play a critical (non-redundant) role in early nephrogenesis. Improving patient outcomes requires advances in understanding and targeting of the multiple genes and cellular control pathways now identified as active in WT development. Decades of clinical and basic research have helped to gradually optimize clinical care. Curative therapy is achievable in 90% of affected children, even those with disseminated disease, yet survival disparities within and between countries exist and deserve commitment to change. Updated epidemiological studies have also provided novel insights into global incidence variations. Introduction of biology-driven approaches to risk stratification and new drug development has been slower in WT than in other childhood tumours. Current prognostic classification for children with WT is grounded in clinical and pathological findings and in dedicated protocols on molecular alterations. Treatment includes conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy and surgery, and radiation therapy in some cases. Advanced imaging to capture tumour composition, optimizing irradiation techniques to reduce target volumes, and evaluation of newer surgical procedures are key areas for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filippo Spreafico
- Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Paediatric Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy.
| | - Conrad V Fernandez
- Department of Paediatrics, IWK Health, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Jesper Brok
- Department of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kayo Nakata
- Cancer Control Center, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Osaka, Japan
| | | | - James I Geller
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Manfred Gessler
- Theodor-Boveri-Institute, Developmental Biochemistry, and Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Mariana Maschietto
- Research Center, Boldrini Children's Hospital, Genetics and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Sam Behjati
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, UK
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Angela Polanco
- National Cancer Research Institute Children's Group Consumer Representative, London, UK
| | - Vivian Paintsil
- Department of Child Health, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Sandra Luna-Fineman
- Division of Hematology, Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Department of Paediatrics, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Kathy Pritchard-Jones
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
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