Poor outcome of gastrointestinal perforations associated with childhood abdominal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Traumatic Rupture of Jejunal Burkitt's Lymphoma with Intestinal Transection

Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) is an aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma.[1] BL of the small intestine, presenting as a surgical emergency needing emergency laparotomy, is an uncommon presentation of this tumor. We present a case of BL presenting as perforation peritonitis after blunt trauma abdomen.

Surgery in perforated pediatric intestinal lymphoma

BACKGROUND

Perforation is the most common surgical complication in pediatric intestinal lymphoma. During operation, many surgical decisions are debatable.

AIM

To assess the outcome of surgical management of perforated pediatric intestinal lymphoma.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This is a retrospective analysis of all pediatric patients (<18 years old) with intestinal lymphoma treated in our hospital between July 2007 and June 2017. Risk factors for perforation, type of management and outcome in cases of intestinal perforation were analyzed.

RESULTS

The study included 240 patients with intestinal lymphoma. Perforation developed in 16 patients (6.7%) with a median age of 5.3 (range: 2.8-15.7) years. Most of the patients (92.5%) had Burkitt lymphoma. The ileum was the most common site of perforation (n = 10). Perforation occurred at presentation (n = 2), during induction (n = 10), during maintenance chemotherapy (n = 2), or at relapse (n = 2). Primary resection anastomosis was done in 12 patients. The resected specimen showed a viable tumor in ten patients. Wound infection (25%) and dehiscence (12.5%) were the most common postoperative complications. The 5-year overall and event-free survivals of patients with perforation were 78.6% and 71.4%, respectively, compared with 85.5% and 81.2% in non-perforated patients; the difference was not significant (p = 0.374 and p = 0.270, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Perforation is not an adverse prognostic factor for survival in pediatric intestinal lymphoma patients. Primary resection anastomosis seems to be a safe option if complete tumor resection is feasible.

Intestinal perforation after treatment of Burkitt's lymphoma: case report and review of the literature

Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL) is the most common intestinal malignancy in children, and Burkitt's lymphoma is the most frequently encountered histologic subtype. In pediatric patients, intestinal involvement of the lymphoma is a common finding. As over half of these intestinal tumors are unresectable at the time of presentation, chemotherapy is the mainstay of treatment. However, as the tumor responds to chemotherapy, regression of the tumor in the bowel wall can result in intestinal perforation. We report a unique case of a pediatric patient with lymphoma-related intestinal perforation which was managed with a damage control laparotomy, discuss operative management strategies in these difficult cases, and provide a review of similar cases in the literature.

A patient with metastatic melanoma presenting with gastrointestinal perforation after dacarbazine infusion: a case report

INTRODUCTION

We report a rare case of gastrointestinal perforation following dacarbazine infusion for metastatic melanoma. The condition is attributed to a responding malignant melanoma in the gastrointestinal tract.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 52-year-old Caucasian man presented with abdominal pain and distension, malaise, night sweats, dysphagia and early satiety. A computed tomography scan showed massive ascites, lymphadenopathy and liver lesions suspect for metastases. An upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed and revealed multiple dark lesions of 5 mm to 10 mm in his stomach and duodenum.When his skin was re-examined, an irregular pigmented lesion over the left clavicle measuring 15 mm x 8 mm with partial depigmentation was found. Histological examination of a duodenal lesion was consistent with a diagnosis of metastatic melanoma. The patient deteriorated and his level of lactate dehydrogenase rapidly increased. The patient was started on systemic treatment with dacarbazine 800 mg/m2 every three weeks and he was discharged one day after the first dose. On the sixth day he was readmitted with severe abdominal pain. A chest X-ray showed the presence of free intraperitoneal air that was consistent with gastrointestinal perforation. His lactate dehydrogenase level had fallen from 6969U/L to 1827U/L, supporting the conclusion that the response of gastrointestinal metastases to dacarbazine had resulted in the perforation of the patient's bowel wall. A laparotomy was discussed with the patient and his family but he decided to go home with symptomatic treatment. He died 11 days later.

CONCLUSION

Melanoma can originate in, as well as metastasize to, the gastrointestinal tract. Gastrointestinal perforations due to responding tumors are a well-known complication of systemic treatment of gastrointestinal lymphomas. However, as the response rate of metastatic melanoma to dacarbazine is only 10% to 20%, and responses are usually only partial, perforation due to treatment response in metastatic melanoma is rare.Medical oncologists should be aware of the risk of bowel perforation after starting cytotoxic chemotherapy on patients with gastrointestinal metastases.

Clinical images. Primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the sigmoid colon in a child

Primary non-Hodgkin's lymphomas of the gastrointestinal tract are rare in children, and few of these lymphomas are located in the sigmoid colon. The preoperative diagnosis rate is low. Complete resection is indicated if it can be done safely. Combination chemotherapy after resection is indicated.

Trends in treatment-related deaths (TRDs) in childhood cancer and leukemia over time: a follow-up of patients included in the childhood cancer registry of the Rhône-Alpes region in France (ARCERRA)

BACKGROUND

We assessed the number and causes of treatment-related deaths (TRDs) in childhood cancer over time and correlated them with adherence to therapeutic guidelines.

PROCEDURE

We compared two cohorts of children of the Childhood Cancer Registry of the Rhône-Alpes Region: Cohort I (1987-1992, 909 patients) and Cohort II (1996-1999, 648 patients).

RESULTS

In all cancers together, 75 TRDs were reported in Cohort I and 24 in Cohort II (P = 0.001). Cumulative incidence at 5 years declined from 7.9% to 4.1%, and overall survival (OS) increased from 71.0% to 77.2%. TRDs declined by nearly 10-fold in patients with solid malignant tumors (P = 0.02) and central nervous system tumors (P = 0.001), but OS improved for patients with solid malignant tumors only (P = 0.01). No difference was observed in treatment- and transplantation-related deaths in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML), but OS was better in patients with AML (P = 0.02). Between the two cohorts, transplantation-related mortality did not decrease and was higher at 5 years in patients with ALL who received unrelated-matched donor transplants (41.3%) than in those receiving sibling-matched donor transplants (18.7%). OS improved in the respective transplant groups (37.0% and 64.2%). Severe graft-versus-host disease was also observed among patients with ALL (P = 0.036). The decrease in TRDs was correlated with compliance to therapeutic guidelines.

CONCLUSION

Although mortality declined, improved adherence to therapeutic guidelines and more restricted indications of allograft are needed to preclude further treatment- and transplantation-related deaths, particularly among those with leukemia.

Critical care of patients with cancer. Surgical considerations

Surgical evaluation of and therapy for the critically ill cancer patient continue to present significant challenges despite, or perhaps in part because of, an ongoing technologic refinement of therapeutic modalities within a modern ICU.