Growth impairment after TBI of leukemia survivors children: a model- based investigation

Association between conditioning intensity and height growth after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in children

BACKGROUND

The present study aimed to examine the association between the conditioning intensity and height growth in pediatric patients who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT).

METHODS

We reviewed the clinical records of 89 children with malignant diseases who underwent initial allo-HSCT between 2003 and 2021. Height measurements were standardized using standard height charts prepared by the Japanese Society for Pediatric Endocrinology to calculate standard deviation score (SDS). We defined short stature as a height SDS less than -2.0 in that reference. Myeloablative conditioning (MAC) comprised total-body irradiation at more than 8 Gy and busulfan administration at more than 8 mg/kg (more than 280 mg/m2 ). Other conditioning regimens were defined as reduced intensity conditioning (RIC).

RESULTS

A total of 58 patients underwent allo-HSCT with MAC, and 31 patients received allo-HSCT with RIC. There were significant differences in the height SDS at 2 and 3 years after allo-HSCT between MAC and RIC group (-1.33 ± 1.20 vs. -0.76 ± 1.12, p = 0.047, -1.55 ± 1.28 vs. -0.75 ± 1.11, p = 0.022, respectively). Multivariate logistic regression analysis with the adjustments for potential confounding factors of patients less than 10 years of age at allo-HSCT and chronic graft-versus host disease demonstrated that MAC regimen was associated with a markedly increased risk of a short stature at 3 years after allo-HSCT (adjusted odds ratio, 5.61; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-29.4; p = 0.041).

CONCLUSION

The intensity of conditioning regimen may be associated with short statures after allo-HSCT.

Ionizing radiation-induced circulatory and metabolic diseases

Risks to health are the prime consideration in all human situations of ionizing radiation exposure and therefore of relevance to radiation protection in all occupational, medical, and public exposure situations. Over the past few decades, advances in therapeutic strategies have led to significant improvements in cancer survival rates. However, a wide range of long-term complications have been reported in cancer survivors, in particular circulatory diseases and their major risk factors, metabolic diseases. However, at lower levels of exposure, the evidence is less clear. Under real-life exposure scenarios, including radiotherapy, radiation effects in the whole organism will be determined mainly by the response of normal tissues receiving relatively low doses, and will be mediated and moderated by systemic effects. Therefore, there is an urgent need for further research on the impact of low-dose radiation. In this article, we review radiation-associated risks of circulatory and metabolic diseases in clinical, occupational or environmental exposure situations, addressing epidemiological, biological, risk modelling, and systems biology aspects, highlight the gaps in knowledge and discuss future directions to address these gaps.

Long-term effects on growth, development, and metabolism of ALL treatment in childhood

INTRODUCTION

One aim of the long-term care in survivors from acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) during childhood is to avoid or limit complications caused by aggressive therapeutic strategies.

AREAS COVERED

ALL survivors are a heterogeneous group according to therapeutic protocols. In the last decades, cranial radiotherapy (cRT) has been largely replaced by intrathecal chemotherapy (CT) with a reduction of endocrine sequelae. Published studies are generally difficult to be interpreted because patients were treated according to different risk-adapted protocols and results are conflicting. We perform this review on endocrine long-term effects in childhood ALL survivors focusing on studies published in the last decades. Articles were selected using the following terms (Mesh terms): 'acute lymphoblastic leukemia' AND 'survivors' AND 'childhood' AND 'growth/puberty/fertility/obesity/metabolic syndrome/bone'.

EXPERT COMMENTARY

Most childhood ALL survivors treated with CT alone attain normal height and have adequate pubertal development. Despite recent protocols improvements, ALL survivors still develop long-term metabolic complications (overweight, obesity, and cardiovascular disease) especially the female gender and patients with an increased body mass index (BMI) at diagnosis. The aim of this review is to describe the state of the art on these topics. We should be able to anticipate, prevent, and treat endocrine long-term morbidities through a well-established follow-up strategy.

Haploidentical peripheral blood stem cell transplantation with posttransplant cyclophosphamide in children and adolescents with hematological malignancies

BACKGROUND

Haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haplo-HSCT) using posttransplant cyclophosphamide (Cy) for graft versus host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis has emerged as an alternative transplant strategy for patients without related donors, especially in the setting of limited resources in which T-cell ex vivo depletion is not affordable. Experience with this transplant modality in children and adolescents is limited.

PROCEDURE

We report a retrospective analysis of 25 consecutive outpatients under 21 years of age with high-risk hematological malignancies, who received a haplo-HSCT using posttransplant Cy as GVHD prophylaxis.

RESULTS

Twenty-three (92%) of the 25 patients engrafted, and 20 (95%) of 21 evaluable subjects achieved full donor chimerism by day +30. One-year estimated overall survival and event-free survival were 50% and 33%, respectively. The cumulative incidence rate of severe acute GVHD was 19%, and 15% of patients developed chronic GVHD.

CONCLUSIONS

Haplo-HSCT with posttransplant Cy is a feasible therapeutic option for children and adolescents with high-risk hematological malignancies in a limited resource setting.