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Joh-Carnella N, Bauman G, Yock TI, Zelcer S, Youkhanna S, Cacciotti C. Case report: Pediatric low-grade gliomas: a fine balance between treatment options, timing of therapy, symptom management and quality of life. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1366251. [PMID: 38912055 PMCID: PMC11190070 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1366251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Pediatric low-grade gliomas (pLGG) are the most common brain tumor in children and encompass a wide range of histologies. Treatment may pose challenges, especially in those incompletely resected or those with multiple recurrence or progression. Case description We report the clinical course of a girl diagnosed with pilocytic astrocytoma and profound hydrocephalus at age 12 years treated with subtotal resection, vinblastine chemotherapy, and focal proton radiotherapy. After radiotherapy the tumor increased in enhancement temporarily with subsequent resolution consistent with pseudoprogression. Despite improvement in imaging and radiographic local control, the patient continues to have challenges with headaches, visual and auditory concerns, stroke-like symptoms, and poor quality of life. Conclusion pLGG have excellent long-term survival; thus, treatments should focus on maintaining disease control and limiting long-term toxicities. Various treatment options exist including surgery, chemotherapy, targeted agents, and radiation therapy. Given the morbidity associated with pLGG, individualized treatment approaches are necessary, with a multi-disciplinary approach to care focused on minimizing treatment side effects, and promoting optimal quality of life for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Glenn Bauman
- Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Oncology, London Health Sciences Centre & Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Torunn I. Yock
- Department of Pediatric Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Shayna Zelcer
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, London Health Sciences Centre & Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Sabin Youkhanna
- Department Radiation Oncology, London Regional Cancer Centre, London, ON, Canada
| | - Chantel Cacciotti
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, London Health Sciences Centre & Western University, London, ON, Canada
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Liu KX, Haas-Kogan DA, Elhalawani H. Radiotherapy for Primary Pediatric Central Nervous System Malignancies: Current Treatment Paradigms and Future Directions. Pediatr Neurosurg 2023; 58:356-366. [PMID: 37703864 DOI: 10.1159/000533777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Central nervous system tumors are the most common solid tumors in childhood. Treatment paradigms for pediatric central nervous system malignancies depend on elements including tumor histology, age of patient, and stage of disease. Radiotherapy is an important modality of treatment for many pediatric central nervous system malignancies. SUMMARY While radiation contributes to excellent overall survival rates for many patients, radiation also carries significant risks of long-term side effects including neurocognitive decline, hearing loss, growth impairment, neuroendocrine dysfunction, strokes, and secondary malignancies. In recent decades, clinical trials have demonstrated that with better imaging and staging along with more sophisticated radiation planning and treatment set-up verification, smaller treatment volumes can be utilized without decrement in survival. Furthermore, the development of intensity-modulated radiotherapy and proton-beam radiotherapy has greatly improved conformality of radiation. KEY MESSAGES Recent changes in radiation treatment paradigms have decreased risks of short- and long-term toxicity for common histologies and in different age groups. Future studies will continue to develop novel radiation regimens to improve outcomes in aggressive central nervous system tumors, integrate molecular subtypes to tailor radiation treatment, and decrease radiation-associated toxicity for long-term survivors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin X Liu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Brigham and Women's Hospital/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Daphne A Haas-Kogan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Brigham and Women's Hospital/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Hesham Elhalawani
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Brigham and Women's Hospital/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Peters S, Frisch S, Stock A, Merta J, Bäumer C, Blase C, Schuermann E, Tippelt S, Bison B, Frühwald M, Rutkowski S, Fleischhack G, Timmermann B. Proton Beam Therapy for Pediatric Tumors of the Central Nervous System-Experiences of Clinical Outcome and Feasibility from the KiProReg Study. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14235863. [PMID: 36497345 PMCID: PMC9737072 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14235863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
As radiotherapy is an important part of the treatment in a variety of pediatric tumors of the central nervous system (CNS), proton beam therapy (PBT) plays an evolving role due to its potential benefits attributable to the unique dose distribution, with the possibility to deliver high doses to the target volume while sparing surrounding tissue. Children receiving PBT for an intracranial tumor between August 2013 and October 2017 were enrolled in the prospective registry study KiProReg. Patient's clinical data including treatment, outcome, and follow-up were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Kaplan-Meier, and Cox regression analysis. Adverse events were scored according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) 4.0 before, during, and after PBT. Written reports of follow-up imaging were screened for newly emerged evidence of imaging changes, according to a list of predefined keywords for the first 14 months after PBT. Two hundred and ninety-four patients were enrolled in this study. The 3-year overall survival of the whole cohort was 82.7%, 3-year progression-free survival was 67.3%, and 3-year local control was 79.5%. Seventeen patients developed grade 3 adverse events of the CNS during long-term follow-up (new adverse event n = 7; deterioration n = 10). Two patients developed vision loss (CTCAE 4°). This analysis demonstrates good general outcomes after PBT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Peters
- West German Proton Therapy Center Essen (WPE), University Hospital Essen, 45147 Essen, Germany
- Clinic for Particle Therapy, University Hospital Essen, 45147 Essen, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-201-723-8943
| | - Sabine Frisch
- West German Proton Therapy Center Essen (WPE), University Hospital Essen, 45147 Essen, Germany
| | - Annika Stock
- Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital Wuerzburg, 97080 Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Julien Merta
- West German Proton Therapy Center Essen (WPE), University Hospital Essen, 45147 Essen, Germany
| | - Christian Bäumer
- West German Proton Therapy Center Essen (WPE), University Hospital Essen, 45147 Essen, Germany
| | - Christoph Blase
- AnästhesieNetz Rhein-Ruhr, Westenfelder Str. 62/64, 44867 Bochum, Germany
| | - Eicke Schuermann
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Pediatrics III, University Hospital Essen, 45147 Essen, Germany
| | - Stephan Tippelt
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Pediatrics III, University Hospital Essen, 45147 Essen, Germany
| | - Brigitte Bison
- Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, 86156 Augsburg, Germany
- Neuroradiological Reference Center for the Pediatric Brain Tumor (HIT) Studies of the German Society of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, University Hospital Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Michael Frühwald
- Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Swabian Childrens Cancer Center, University Medical Center Augsburg, 86156 Augsburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Rutkowski
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Gudrun Fleischhack
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Pediatrics III, University Hospital Essen, 45147 Essen, Germany
| | - Beate Timmermann
- West German Proton Therapy Center Essen (WPE), University Hospital Essen, 45147 Essen, Germany
- Clinic for Particle Therapy, University Hospital Essen, 45147 Essen, Germany
- West German Cancer Center (WTZ), 45147 Essen, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), 45147 Essen, Germany
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