Carboplatin Rechallenge After Hypersensitivity Reactions in Pediatric Patients With Low-Grade Glioma

Chemotherapy in pediatric low-grade gliomas (PLGG)

Pediatric low-grade gliomas (PLGG) are commonly treated with a combination of surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. Recent trends prioritize reducing long-term morbidities, particularly in younger patients. While historically chemotherapy was reserved for cases progressing after radiotherapy, evolving recommendations now advocate for its early use, particularly in younger age groups. The carboplatin and vincristine (CV) combination stands as a standard systemic therapy for PLGG, varying in dosage and administration between North America and Europe. Clinical trials have shown promising response rates, albeit with varying toxicity profiles. Vinblastine has emerged as another effective regimen with minimal toxicity. TPCV, a regimen combining thioguanine, procarbazine, lomustine, and vincristine, was compared to CV in a Children's Oncology Group trial, showing comparable outcomes, but more toxicity. Vinorelbine, temozolomide, and metronomic chemotherapy have also been explored, with varied success rates and toxicity profiles. Around 40-50% of PLGG patients require subsequent chemotherapy lines. Studies have shown varied efficacy in subsequent lines, with NF1 patients generally exhibiting better outcomes. The identification of molecular drivers like BRAF mutations has led to targeted therapies' development, showing promise in specific molecular subgroups. Trials comparing targeted therapy to conventional chemotherapy aim to delineate optimal treatment strategies based on molecular profiles. The landscape of chemotherapy in PLGG is evolving, with a growing focus on molecular subtyping and targeted therapies. Understanding the role of chemotherapy in conjunction with novel treatments is crucial for optimizing outcomes in pediatric patients with low-grade gliomas.

A new era for optic pathway glioma: A developmental brain tumor with life-long health consequences

Optic pathway and hypothalamic glioma (OPHG) are low-grade brain tumors that arise from any part of the visual pathways frequently involving the hypothalamus. The tumors grow slowly and present with features driven by their precise anatomical site, their age at presentation and the stage of growth and development of the host neural and orbital bony tissues. Up to 50% of optic pathway glioma arise in association with Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), which affects 1 in 3,000 births and is a cancer predisposition syndrome. As low-grade tumors, they almost never transform to malignant glioma yet they can threaten life when they present under two years of age. The main risks are to threaten vision loss by progressive tumor damage to optic pathways; furthermore, invasion of the hypothalamus can lead to diencephalic syndrome in infancy and hypopituitarism later in life. Progressive cognitive and behavioural dysfunction can occur, as part of NF1 syndromic features and in sporadic cases where large bulky tumors compress adjacent structures and disrupt neuro-hypothalamic pathways. Persistently progressive tumors require repeated treatments to attempt to control vision loss, other focal brain injury or endocrine dysfunction. In contrast tumors presenting later in childhood can be seen to spontaneously arrest in growth and subsequently progress after periods of stability. These patterns are influenced by NF status as well as stages of growth and development of host tissues. The past two decades has seen an expansion in our understanding and knowledge of the clinical and scientific features of these tumors, their modes of presentation, the need for careful visual and endocrine assessment. This influences the decision-making surrounding clinical management with surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and most recently, the potential benefit of molecularly targeted drug therapy. This article, based upon the authors' clinical and research experience and the published literature will highlight advances in approach to diagnosis, the established role of vision loss as justification of treatments and the emerging evidence of endocrine and neurological consequences that need to be incorporated into judgements for case selection for therapy or observation. Consideration is given to the current state of biological evidence justifying current trials of new therapies, the genetic studies of the NF1 gene and the potential for new approaches to OPHG detection and treatment. The outstanding health system priorities from the perspective of children, their parents and health system commissioners or insurers are discussed.

SIOP PODC Adapted treatment guidelines for low grade gliomas in low and middle income settings

Effective treatment of children with low grade glioma (LGG) requires a functioning multi-disciplinary team with adequate neurosurgical, neuroradiological, pathological, radiotherapy and chemotherapy facilities and personnel. In addition, the treating centre should have the capacity to manage a variety of LGG and treatment-associated complications. These requirements have made it difficult for many centers in low and middle-income countries (LMIC) to offer effective treatment and follow up. This article provides management recommendations for children with LGG according to the level of facilities available.

Risk Factors of Hypersensitivity to Carboplatin in Patients with Gynecologic Malignancies

We evaluated the prevalence of and risk factors for hypersensitivity reactions related to carboplatin, which is commonly used to treat gynecological malignancies. All women with pathologically documented ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer treated with carboplatin alone or a carboplatin-based combination chemotherapy regimen at a single hospital between January 2006 and December 2013 were retrospectively recruited. We analyzed the incidence, characteristics, risk factors, management, and outcomes of carboplatin-related hypersensitivity reactions among these patients. Among 735 eligible women, 75 (10.2%) experienced a total of 215 carboplatin-related hypersensitivity reaction events. The annual incidence of carboplatin-related hypersensitivity reactions gradually increased from 0.88% in 2006 to 5.42% in 2013. The incidence of carboplatin-related hypersensitivity was higher in patients with advanced stage disease (P < 0.001, Kruskal-Wallis test), serous and mixed histological types (P = 0.003, Kruskal-Wallis test), malignant ascites (P = 0.009, chi-square test), and history of other drug allergy (P < 0.001, chi-square test). Compared to women without hypersensitivity reactions, women who experienced hypersensitivity reactions had a significantly greater median cycle number (12 vs. 6, P < 0.001, independent sample t-test) and dose (6,816 vs. 3,844 mg, P < 0.001, independent sample t-test). The cumulative incidence of carboplatin-related hypersensitivity reactions dramatically increased with >8 cycles or dose >3,500 mg. Therefore, disease severity, histological type, malignant ascites, past drug allergies, and cumulative carboplatin dose are risk factors for carboplatin-related hypersensitivity reactions. Such reactions could potentially be reduced or prevented by slowing the infusion rate and using a desensitization protocol involving anti-allergy medications.

Hypersensitivity to Carboplatin in Children with Malignancy

Purpose: Carboplatin-based regimens have proven efficacy in children with cancer. However, the development of hypersensitivity reactions (HSRs) may have a negative impact on treatment intensity and patients’ outcome. The aim of this review is to summarize the incidence and the clinical features of HSRs occurring in children with cancer treated with carboplatin and their impact on treatment efficacy.

Methods: Data were collected by searching for relevant studies on the incidence, clinical features and management of possible side effects about the use of carboplatin in children, published from March 1987 to October 2016 in the PubMed database.

Results: Carboplatin HSRs present with mild/moderate to severe clinical patterns. The risk of HSR is related to the cumulative number of infusions. Moreover, a greater risk of developing an HSR has been observed in younger patients than in older age groups of children; risk is also greater in girls and in patients with a prior history of allergy to other drugs. Management options include cessation of carboplatin and switching to another agent, premedication with antihistamines and/or corticosteroids, and carboplatin desensitization. For sensitized patients who have obtained benefits from carboplatin, the continuation of the treatment is desirable and desensitization protocols have showed promising results.

Conclusion: Clinicians must not underestimate the potential risk and occurrence of carboplatin HSRs in the pediatric population in order to outline adequate management strategies. Desensitization protocols should be considered for patients sensitive to carboplatin in order to avoid having to discontinue an effective chemotherapy.

Rechallenge to Carboplatin in Children with Low Grade Glioma and Carboplatin Hypersensitivity Reactions

Background: Carboplatin based regimens have demonstrated activity in pediatric patients with low grade gliomas (LGG). However, carboplatin hypersensitivity reactions (CHRs) may be a major problem leading to premature cessation of an effective therapy. The objectives of this study were to describe the prevalence, characteristics and management of CHR.

Methods: We performed a retrospective review of children with LGG treated between January 1994 and July 2015 with carboplatin and vincristine who had a documented CHR. We identified two groups: the first was treated following the schema proposed by Packer et al., and re-exposed to carboplatin using a desensitization protocol; the second was treated according to protocol SIOP LGG 2004 and re-exposed with the infusion time prolonged.

Results: CHRs were observed in 16 patients (34%) out of 47. Hypersensitivity reactions occurred in 6 patients (20.7%) of the first, and 10 patients (55.5%) of the second group, respectively. The grade 2 reactions were the most common. The median number of carboplatin doses administered at the first episode of CHR was 7 (range, 3–9) for the first group, and 8.5 (range, 5–11) for the second, respectively. Six patients were re-exposed to carboplatin using a desensitization protocol; 10 with a prolonged infusion time. Overall success rate for re-exposition was 43.75% (100% and 10%, respectively) (P = 0.001).

Conclusions: Our results show that re-exposure is a safe alternative to abandoning carboplatin. Desensitization showed greater effectiveness compared to a prolonged infusion time, which allowed the patients to receive effective treatment without adverse reactions.

Clinical Utility of Basophil CD203c as a Biomarker for Predicting the Timing of Hypersensitivity Reaction in Carboplatin Rechallenge: Three Case Reports

PURPOSE

Drug desensitization has been found to be an effective option for carboplatin rechallenge in patients at risk for severe hypersensitivity reaction. However, identifying such patients requires precise clinical tests. This study was performed to evaluate the clinical utility of basophil CD203c to predict the timing of carboplatin-induced severe hypersensitivity reaction.

METHODS

Here we report on 3 patients undergoing a carboplatin-desensitization protocol at Mie University Hospital. For all patients, ex vivo exposure to carboplatin resulted in increased levels of activated basophils in a previous occurrence of carboplatin-induced severe hypersensitivity reaction.

FINDINGS

Basophil activation test using carboplatin was returned to negative just before the first course of carboplatin-desensitization protocol in all patients, and they successfully received their first course of the protocol with no signs of anaphylaxis. However, for all of the patients, increased basophil activation was once again detected after subsequent readministration of carboplatin and grade 3 or 4 anaphylaxis developed. Basophil activation test coincided precisely with the timing of carboplatin-induced anaphylaxis in all patients.

IMPLICATIONS

CD203c basophil activation testing might prove to be a reliable tool for risk stratification and clinical decision making for carboplatin desensitization in which severe hypersensitivity reaction is likely to occur.