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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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2
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Ibne Ali Jaffari SM, Hashmi M, Hashmi AW, Nisar S, Ashraf H, Tariq G, Farooq A, Awan J, Zaidi SMJ, Kaneez M. Infection-Associated Mortality During Induction Chemotherapy in Group B Intermediate-Risk Pediatric Burkitt's Lymphoma. Cureus 2023; 15:e40365. [PMID: 37456486 PMCID: PMC10340133 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.40365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) in the pediatric population has significant burden in developing countries. Infection-related complications during the induction chemotherapy phase pose a major challenge and contribute to high mortality rates due to a severely immunocompromised state. However, there is scarce data on the etiologies and optimal management strategies for infection-related mortality in pediatric BL patients, especially in developing countries like Pakistan. Methods This is a cross-sectional study that included a total of 116 pediatric patients with intermediate-risk BL. All patients were treated based on the Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Group (CCLG) 2020 guidelines. Data on patient demographics, presenting symptoms, diagnosis, infectious etiologies, and outcomes were collected. Infection-related complications and mortality were monitored during the induction chemotherapy period. The results of relevant culture reports were tabulated and data were analyzed. Results Among the 116 included patients, 61.1% were males with a mean age of 4.83 ± 2.12 years. Abdominal BL was the most common anatomical location. During the induction period, 66 patients (56.9%) had culture-proven infections, resulting in 33 deaths (28.4%). Fever was the predominant presenting symptom in all patients, followed by vomiting (57.6%), loose stools (42.4%), and cough (18.2%). Neutropenic colitis, sepsis, pneumonia, and meningitis were among the diagnosed infections. Hospital-acquired bacterial infections, including multi-drug resistant gram-negative and gram-positive organisms, were the main cause of mortality, with fungal infections and cytomegalovirus viremia also identified in a few patients. Conclusions This study highlights the urgent need for improved management strategies in pediatric BL patients in Pakistan to reduce infection-related complications and mortality rates, emphasizing the importance of context-specific approaches for infection prevention and management.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Masooma Hashmi
- Internal Medicine, Walsall Manor Hospital, Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, Walsall, GBR
| | | | - Samaha Nisar
- Pediatrics, Shalamar Medical and Dental College, Lahore, PAK
| | - Hafsa Ashraf
- Pediatrics, Shalamar Medical and Dental College, Lahore, PAK
| | - Ghufran Tariq
- Pediatrics, Arif Memorial Teaching Hospital, Lahore, PAK
| | - Arslan Farooq
- Internal Medicine, Combined Military Hospital, Lahore, PAK
| | - Javeria Awan
- Pediatrics, Rawalpindi Medical University, Rawalpindi, PAK
| | - Syed Muhammad Jawad Zaidi
- Pediatrics, Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi, PAK
- Pediatric Oncology, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Lahore, PAK
| | - Mehwish Kaneez
- Pediatrics, Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi, PAK
- Pediatric Oncology, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Lahore, PAK
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3
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Holmes DM, Matatiyo A, Mpasa A, Huibers MHW, Manda G, Tomoka T, Mulenga M, Namazzi R, Mehta P, Zobeck M, Mzikamanda R, Chintagumpala M, Allen C, Nuchtern JG, Borgstein E, Aronson DC, Ozuah N, Nandi B, McAtee CL. Outcomes of Wilms tumor therapy in Lilongwe, Malawi, 2016-2021: Successes and ongoing research priorities. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2023; 70:e30242. [PMID: 36798020 PMCID: PMC10698850 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.30242] [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: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Wilms tumor therapy in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) relies on treatment protocols adapted to resource limitations, but these protocols have rarely been evaluated in real-world settings. Such evaluations are necessary to identify high-impact research priorities for clinical and implementation trials in LMICs. The purpose of this study was to identify highest priority targets for future clinical and implementation trials in sub-Saharan Africa by assessing outcomes of a resource-adapted treatment protocol in Malawi. METHODS We conducted a retrospective cohort study of children treated for Wilms tumor with an adapted SIOP-backbone protocol in Lilongwe, Malawi between 2016 and 2021. Survival analysis assessed variables associated with poor outcome with high potential for future research and intervention. RESULTS We identified 136 patients, most commonly with stage III (n = 35; 25.7%) or IV disease (n = 35; 25.7%). Two-year event-free survival (EFS) was 54% for stage I/II, 51% for stage III, and 13% for stage IV. A single patient with stage V disease survived to 1 year. Treatment abandonment occurred in 36 (26.5%) patients. Radiotherapy was indicated for 55 (40.4%), among whom three received it. Of these 55 patients, 2-year EFS was 31%. Of 14 patients with persistent metastatic pulmonary disease at the time of nephrectomy, none survived to 2 years. Notable variables independently associated with survival were severe acute malnutrition (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.9), increasing tumor stage (HR: 1.5), and vena cava involvement (HR: 3.1). CONCLUSION High-impact targets for clinical and implementation trials in low-resource settings include treatment abandonment, late presentation, and approaches optimized for healthcare systems with persistently unavailable radiotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Holmes
- Department of Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Apatsa Matatiyo
- University of North Carolina Project Malawi, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | - Atupele Mpasa
- Global Hematology-Oncology pediatric Excellence (HOPE), Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Minke H W Huibers
- Department of Outreach, Princess Maxima Center, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Geoffrey Manda
- Global Health Institute, Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, University of Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Tamiwe Tomoka
- University of North Carolina Project Malawi, Lilongwe, Malawi
- Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Maurice Mulenga
- Department of Pathology, Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | - Ruth Namazzi
- Global Hematology-Oncology pediatric Excellence (HOPE), Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Parth Mehta
- Global Hematology-Oncology pediatric Excellence (HOPE), Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Mark Zobeck
- Global Hematology-Oncology pediatric Excellence (HOPE), Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Rizine Mzikamanda
- Global Hematology-Oncology pediatric Excellence (HOPE), Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | | | - Carl Allen
- Global Hematology-Oncology pediatric Excellence (HOPE), Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jed G Nuchtern
- Department of Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Eric Borgstein
- Department of Surgery, University of Malawi College of Medicine, Zomba, Malawi
| | - Daniel C Aronson
- Department of Surgery, University Children's Hospital Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Nmazuo Ozuah
- Global Hematology-Oncology pediatric Excellence (HOPE), Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Bip Nandi
- Department of Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Surgery, Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | - Casey L McAtee
- Global Hematology-Oncology pediatric Excellence (HOPE), Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
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4
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van Heerden J, Balagadde-Kambugu J, Angom R, Lusobya RC, Chantada G, Desjardins L, Fabian ID, Israels T, Paintsil V, Hessissen L, Diouf MN, Elayadi M, Turner SD, Kouya F, Geel JA. Evaluating the baseline survival outcomes of the "six Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer index cancers" in Africa. Pediatr Hematol Oncol 2022; 40:203-223. [PMID: 36369884 DOI: 10.1080/08880018.2022.2140860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Limited survival data for the six Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer (GICC) priority cancers are available in Africa. Management of pediatric malignancies in Africa is challenging due to lack of resources, setting-specific comorbidities, high rates of late presentation and treatment abandonment. Reporting of outcome data is problematic due to the lack of registries. With the aim of evaluating the feasibility of baseline outcomes for the six index cancers, we present a descriptive analysis of respective survival rates in Africa. The survival rates were between 18% (lower middle-income countries) to 82.3% (upper middle-income countries) for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, between 26.9% (low-income countries) to 77.9% (upper middle-income countries) for nephroblastoma, between 23% (low-income countries) to 100% (upper middle-income countries), for retinoblastoma, 45% (low-income countries) to 95% (upper middle-income countries) for Hodgkin lymphoma and 28% (low-income countries) to 76% (upper middle-income countries) for Burkitt lymphoma. Solutions to improve survival rates and reported outcomes include establishing and funding sustainable registries, training and to actively include all countries in consortia from different African regions.HighlightsContinental differences in childhood cancer management such lack of resources, setting-specific comorbidities, high rates of late presentation and treatment abandonment, present challenges to the achievement of Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer goals.The available data registries do not adequately inform on the true incidences and outcomes of childhood cancers in Africa.The pathophysiology of some childhood cancers in Africa are associated with high-risk prognostic factors.Outcomes can be improved by greater regional collaboration to manage childhood cancer based on local resources and tumor characteristics.Some individual countries have reached the Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer goals for single cancers and it should be possible for more African countries to follow suit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaques van Heerden
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium.,Pediatric hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa.,Department of Pediatric Oncology, Uganda Cancer Institute, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | - Racheal Angom
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Uganda Cancer Institute, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Rebecca Claire Lusobya
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Guillermo Chantada
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hospital Sant Joan de Deu, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Ido Didi Fabian
- Goldschleger Eye Institute, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.,International Center for Eye Health London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Trijn Israels
- Department of Pediatrics, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Vivian Paintsil
- Department of Child Health, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Laila Hessissen
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Center, University Mohammed V Rabat, Rabat, Morocco
| | | | - Moatasem Elayadi
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, National Cancer Institute, Egypt & Children Cancer Hospital of Egypt (CCHE-57357), Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
| | | | - Francine Kouya
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Cameroon Baptist Convention Hospitals in Mutengene, Mbingo and Banso, Mutengene, Cameroon
| | - Jennifer A Geel
- Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, University of the Witwatersrand, Witwatersrand, South Africa
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5
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Harif M, Mallon B, Patte C, Bey P, Chalvon-Demersay C, Omer-Decugis L, Hessissen L. Improving Care for Children With Cancer in Africa: Two Decades of Experience of the French African Pediatric Oncology Group. JCO Glob Oncol 2021; 7:1509-1512. [PMID: 34678073 PMCID: PMC8547926 DOI: 10.1200/go.21.00239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Mhamed Harif
- Groupe Franco-Africain d’Oncologie Pédiatrique, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Tanger, Faculté de médecine et de pharmacie, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Brenda Mallon
- Groupe Franco-Africain d’Oncologie Pédiatrique, Villejuif, France
| | - Catherine Patte
- Groupe Franco-Africain d’Oncologie Pédiatrique, Villejuif, France
| | - Pierre Bey
- Groupe Franco-Africain d’Oncologie Pédiatrique, Villejuif, France
| | | | | | - Laila Hessissen
- Groupe Franco-Africain d’Oncologie Pédiatrifque, Centre Hospitalier Ibn Sina, Faculté de Médecine et de pharmacie, Rabat, Morocco
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6
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van Heerden J, Zaghloul M, Neven A, de Rojas T, Geel J, Patte C, Balagadde-Kambugu J, Hesseling P, Tchintseme F, Bouffet E, Hessissen L. Pediatric Oncology Clinical Trials and Collaborative Research in Africa: Current Landscape and Future Perspectives. JCO Glob Oncol 2021; 6:1264-1275. [PMID: 32762563 PMCID: PMC7456323 DOI: 10.1200/go.20.00159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Adequate clinical services have yet to be established in the majority of African countries, where childhood cancer survival rates vary from 8.1% to 30.3%. The aim of this review is to describe the landscape of pediatric oncology trials in Africa, identify challenges, and offer future opportunities for research collaborations. METHODS The study includes data from the International Pediatric Oncology Society (SIOP) global mapping survey, meta-research identifying trials in Africa in ClinicalTrials.gov, and a literature overview of publications on the subject of pediatric oncology clinical research supported by expert opinions on the current situation and challenges. RESULTS The SIOP global mapping survey received responses from 47 of 54 African countries, of which 23 have active clinical research programs. A preliminary search of ClinicalTrials.gov showed that only 105 (12.1%) of 868 African oncology studies included children and adolescents. Of these, 53 (50.5%) were interventional trials according to the registry’s classification. The small number of African trials for children and adolescents included palliative care and leukemia trials. In African oncology journals and international pediatric oncology journals, < 1% of the pediatric oncology publications come from Africa. Services and research were strengthened by international collaboration. National studies focused on clinical needs, local challenges, or interventional priorities. Both the literature review and the expert opinions highlight the need to expand clinical research in Africa, despite ongoing regional instability and lack of resources. CONCLUSION While a low number of pediatric clinical treatment trials are open to African children and adolescents, clinical research of high quality is being done in Africa. Several initiatives are stimulating the development of the research capacity across the continent, which should increase the publication output.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaques van Heerden
- Department of Pediatric Haematology and Oncology, Antwerp University Hospital, University of Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium.,Department of Pediatric Oncology, Uganda Cancer Institute, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Mohamed Zaghloul
- Radiation Oncology Department, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University and Children's Cancer Hospital, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Anouk Neven
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Uganda Cancer Institute, Kampala, Uganda.,Statistics Department, European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Headquarters, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Teresa de Rojas
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Uganda Cancer Institute, Kampala, Uganda.,Pediatric OncoGenomics Unit, Pediatric Oncology-Hematology Department, Children's University Hospital Niño Jesús, Madrid, Spain
| | - 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
| | - Catherine Patte
- Franco-African Pediatric Oncology Group and Gustave Roussy Institute, Villejuif, France
| | | | - Peter Hesseling
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Tygerberg Childrens' Hospital, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | | | - Eric Bouffet
- Pediatric Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Laila Hessissen
- Pediatric Haematology and Oncology Center, University Mohamed V. Rabat, Rabat, Morocco
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7
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Five decades of low intensity and low survival: adapting intensified regimens to cure pediatric Burkitt lymphoma in Africa. Blood Adv 2021; 4:4007-4019. [PMID: 32841337 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2020002178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Long-term cure of childhood Burkitt lymphoma (BL) in sub-Saharan Africa after treatment with single-agent cyclophosphamide has been documented for more than half of a century. Contemporary cure rates for the highest-risk patients with BL in high-income countries exceed 90% using intensive multiagent chemotherapy. By contrast, the majority of African children with BL still die. Data spanning 5 decades in Africa have repeatedly shown that the children most likely to achieve cure with limited cyclophosphamide regimens are those with lower-stage disease isolated to the jaw. Attempts to intensify the cyclophosphamide monotherapy backbone with the addition of vincristine, low-dose methotrexate, prednisone, doxorubicin, and/or low-dose cytarabine have not yielded significant improvement. High-dose methotrexate is a critical component in the treatment of childhood BL worldwide. Although initial efforts in Africa to incorporate high-dose methotrexate resulted in high treatment-related mortality, more recent collaborative experiences from North and West Africa, as well as Central America, demonstrate that it can be administered safely and effectively, despite limitations in supportive care resources. Recognizing the unacceptable disparity in curative outcomes for BL between the United States/Europe and equatorial Africa, there is a critical need to safely adapt contemporary treatment regimens to optimize curative outcomes amid the resource limitations in regions where BL is endemic. Here, we critically review reports of BL treatment outcomes from low- and middle-income countries, in addition to data from high-income countries that predated modern intensified regimens, to identify potential strategies to improve the therapeutic approach for children suffering from BL in sub-Saharan Africa.
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8
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Granai M, Mundo L, Akarca AU, Siciliano MC, Rizvi H, Mancini V, Onyango N, Nyagol J, Abinya NO, Maha I, Margielewska S, Wi W, Bibas M, Piccaluga PP, Quintanilla-Martinez L, Fend F, Lazzi S, Leoncini L, Marafioti T. Immune landscape in Burkitt lymphoma reveals M2-macrophage polarization and correlation between PD-L1 expression and non-canonical EBV latency program. Infect Agent Cancer 2020; 15:28. [PMID: 32391073 PMCID: PMC7201729 DOI: 10.1186/s13027-020-00292-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Tumor Microenviroment (TME) is a complex milieu that is increasingly recognized as a key factor in multiple stages of disease progression and responses to therapy as well as escape from immune surveillance. However, the precise contribution of specific immune effector and immune suppressor components of the TME in Burkitt lymphoma (BL) remains poorly understood. METHODS In this paper, we applied the computational algorithm CIBERSORT to Gene Expression Profiling (GEP) datasets of 40 BL samples to draw a map of immune and stromal components of TME. Furthermore, by multiple immunohistochemistry (IHC) and multispectral immunofluorescence (IF), we investigated the TME of additional series of 40 BL cases to evaluate the role of the Programmed Death-1 and Programmed Death Ligand-1 (PD-1/PD-L1) immune checkpoint axis. RESULTS Our results indicate that M2 polarized macrophages are the most prominent TME component in BL. In addition, we investigated the correlation between PD-L1 and latent membrane protein-2A (LMP2A) expression on tumour cells, highlighting a subgroup of BL cases characterized by a non-canonical latency program of EBV with an activated PD-L1 pathway. CONCLUSION In conclusion, our study analysed the TME in BL and identified a tolerogenic immune signature highlighting new potential therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Granai
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
- University Hospital of Tübingen, Institute of Pathology, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Lucia Mundo
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Ayse U. Akarca
- Department of Pathology, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Hasan Rizvi
- Department of Cellular Pathology, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - Virginia Mancini
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Noel Onyango
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Joshua Nyagol
- Department of Human Pathology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - Ibrahim Maha
- South Egypt Cancer Institute, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Sandra Margielewska
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK and Durham University, Durham, UK
| | - Wenbin Wi
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK and Durham University, Durham, UK
| | - Michele Bibas
- Clinical Department, National Institute for Infectious Diseases “Lazzaro Spallanzani” I.R.C.C.S, Rome, Italy
| | - Pier Paolo Piccaluga
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic, and Specialty Medicine Bologna University Medical School, S. Orsola Malpighi Hospital, Bologna and Euro-Mediterranean Institute of Science and Technology (IEMEST), Palermo, Italy
| | | | - Falko Fend
- University Hospital of Tübingen, Institute of Pathology, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Stefano Lazzi
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Leoncini
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Teresa Marafioti
- Department of Pathology, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Cellular Pathology, University College Hospital, London, London UK
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9
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Zayac AS, Olszewski AJ. Burkitt lymphoma: bridging the gap between advances in molecular biology and therapy. Leuk Lymphoma 2020; 61:1784-1796. [PMID: 32255708 DOI: 10.1080/10428194.2020.1747068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Genomic studies have revealed molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of Burkitt's lymphoma, including the ID3/TCF3-dependent centroblast gene expression program, tonic PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling, and deregulation of cell cycle and apoptosis through mutations in cyclin D3, CDKN2A, or TP53. Unfortunately, these advances have not been translated into treatment, which relies on dose-intense cytotoxic chemotherapy. While most patients achieve long-term survival, options for relapsed/refractory disease are lacking, as Burkitt lymphoma is often excluded from clinical trials of novel approaches. The lower-intensity, dose-adjusted EPOCH plus rituximab (DA-EPOCH-R) regimen constitutes a major advance allowing for treatment of older and HIV-positive patients but needs augmentation to better address the central nervous system involvement. Furthermore, DA-EPOCH-R provides a platform for the study of targeted or immunotherapeutic approaches while de-escalating cytotoxic agents and their associated adverse effects. In this review we discuss the epidemiology and molecular genetics of BL, first-line treatment considerations, and potential novel treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam S Zayac
- The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.,Division of Hematology-Oncology, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Adam J Olszewski
- The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.,Division of Hematology-Oncology, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
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