The use and effectiveness of temozolomide in children with central nervous system tumours: a survey from the Canadian Paediatric Brain Tumour Consortium

International consensus statement on the diagnosis and management of phaeochromocytoma and paraganglioma in children and adolescents

Phaeochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGL) are rare neuroendocrine tumours that arise not only in adulthood but also in childhood and adolescence. Up to 70-80% of childhood PPGL are hereditary, accounting for a higher incidence of metastatic and/or multifocal PPGL in paediatric patients than in adult patients. Key differences in the tumour biology and management, together with rare disease incidence and therapeutic challenges in paediatric compared with adult patients, mandate close expert cross-disciplinary teamwork. Teams should ideally include adult and paediatric endocrinologists, oncologists, cardiologists, surgeons, geneticists, pathologists, radiologists, clinical psychologists and nuclear medicine physicians. Provision of an international Consensus Statement should improve care and outcomes for children and adolescents with these tumours.

The use of temozolomide in paediatric metastatic phaeochromocytoma/paraganglioma: A case report and literature review

There is increasing evidence to support the use of temozolomide therapy for the treatment of metastatic phaeochromocytoma/paraganglioma (PPGL) in adults, particularly in patients with SDHx mutations. In children however, very little data is available. In this report, we present the case of a 12-year-old female with a SDHB-related metastatic paraganglioma treated with surgery followed by temozolomide therapy. The patient presented with symptoms of palpitations, sweating, flushing and hypertension and was diagnosed with a paraganglioma. The primary mass was surgically resected six weeks later after appropriate alpha- and beta-blockade. During the surgery extensive nodal disease was identified that had been masked by the larger paraganglioma. Histological review confirmed a diagnosis of a metastatic SDHB-deficient paraganglioma with nodal involvement. Post-operatively, these nodal lesions demonstrated tracer uptake on 18F-FDG PET-CT. Due to poor tumour tracer uptake on 68Ga-DOTATATE and 123I-MIBG functional imaging studies radionuclide therapy was not undertaken as a potential therapeutic option for this patient. Due to the low tumour burden and lack of clinical symptoms, the multi-disciplinary team opted for close surveillance for the first year, during which time the patient continued to thrive and progress through puberty. 13 months after surgery, evidence of radiological and biochemical progression prompted the decision to start systemic monotherapy using temozolomide. The patient has now completed ten cycles of therapy with limited adverse effects and has benefited from a partial radiological and biochemical response.

Stability of extemporaneously compounded temozolomide 10 mg/mL suspensions in Oral Mix SF® in glass and plastic bottles and plastic syringes

BACKGROUND

Temozolomide oral suspension is not commercially available.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the stability of three temozolomide 10 mg/mL suspensions prepared in Oral Mix SF® in three container types stored at 4°C and 23°C.

METHODS

Using commercial capsules, three separate batches of three different temozolomide 10 mg/mL formulations (Oral Mix SF® with PK-30; PK-30 and citric acid; and neither PK-30 nor citric acid) were made and stored in three container types (amber glass bottles, amber polyethylene terephthalate bottles, and polypropylene oral syringes). The aliquots in each container type were stored protected from light, half at 25°C and half at 4°C. On study days 0, 5, 8, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, and 56, physical properties of samples from each container type at each temperature were assessed, and the temozolomide concentration was determined using a stability-indicating method. The beyond-use-date (time to achieve 90% of initial concentration calculated using the lower limit of the 95% confidence interval of the observed degradation rate) was calculated.

RESULTS

Samples stored at 25°C turned from white to orange within seven days. Temozolomide crystals were observed in all samples. Concentration changes due to study day and temperature (p < 0.001) were observed but not due to container (p = 0.991) or formulation (p = 0.987). The beyond-use-date of all formulations in all container types was 56 days at 4°C and 6 days at 23°C.

CONCLUSIONS

We recommend that these temozolomide 10 mg/mL formulations be stored at 4°C and be assigned a beyond-use-date of 30 days.

Phase 1/2 trial of talazoparib in combination with temozolomide in children and adolescents with refractory/recurrent solid tumors including Ewing sarcoma: A Children's Oncology Group Phase 1 Consortium study (ADVL1411)

PURPOSE

We conducted a phase 1/2 trial of the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1/2 inhibitor talazoparib in combination with low-dose temozolomide (TMZ) to determine the dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs), recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D), and pharmacokinetics of this combination in children with recurrent/refractory solid tumors; and to explore clinical activity in Ewing sarcoma (EWS) (NCT02116777).

METHODS

Talazoparib (400-600 µg/m² /dose, maximum daily dose 800-1000 µg) was administered q.d. or b.i.d. orally on day 1 followed by q.d. dosing concomitant with q.d. dosing of oral TMZ (20-55 mg/m² /day) on days 2 to 6, every 28 days.

RESULTS

Forty patients, aged 4 to 25 years, were enrolled. Talazoparib was increased to 600 µg/m² /dose b.i.d. on day 1, and q.d. thereafter, with 20 mg/m² /day of TMZ, without DLTs. TMZ was subsequently increased, during which dose-limiting neutropenia and thrombocytopenia occurred in two of three subjects at 55 mg/m² /day, two of six subjects at 40 mg/m² /day, and one of six subjects at 30 mg/m² /day. During dose-finding, two of five EWS and four of 25 non-EWS subjects experienced prolonged stable disease (SD), and one subject with malignant glioma experienced a partial response. In phase 2, 0 of 10 EWS subjects experienced an objective response; two experienced prolonged SD.

CONCLUSIONS

Talazoparib and low-dose TMZ are tolerated in children with recurrent/refractory solid tumors. Reversible neutropenia and thrombocytopenia were dose limiting. The RP2D is talazoparib 600 µg/m² b.i.d. on day 1 followed by 600 µg/m² q.d. on days 2 to 6 (daily maximum 1000 µg) in combination with temozolomide 30 mg/m² /day on days 2 to 6. Antitumor activity was not observed in EWS, and limited antitumor activity was observed in central nervous system tumors.

Prognostic value of O-6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) protein expression in glioblastoma excluding nontumour cells from the analysis

AIMS

It is important to predict response to treatment with temozolomide (TMZ) in glioblastoma (GBM) patients. Both MGMT protein expression and MGMT promoter methylation status have been reported to predict the response to TMZ. We investigated the prognostic value of quantified MGMT protein levels in tumour cells and the prognostic importance of combining information of MGMT protein level and MGMT promoter methylation status.

METHODS

MGMT protein expression was quantified in tumour cells in 171 GBMs from the population-based Region of Southern Denmark (RSD)-cohort using a double immunofluorescence approach. Pyrosequencing was performed in 157 patients. For validation we used GBM-patients from a Nordic Study (NS) investigating the effect of radiotherapy and different TMZ schedules.

RESULTS

When divided at the median, patients with low expression of MGMT protein (AF-low) had the best prognosis (HR = 1.5, P = 0.01). Similar results were observed in the subgroup of patients receiving the Stupp regimen (HR = 2.0, P = 0.001). In the NS-cohort a trend towards superior survival (HR = 1.6, P = 0.08) was seen in patients with AF-low. Including MGMT promoter methylation status, we found for both cohorts that patients with methylated MGMT promoter and AF-low had the best outcome; median OS 23.1 and 20.0 months, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Our data indicate that MGMT protein expression in tumour cells has an independent prognostic significance. Exclusion of nontumour cells contributed to a more exact analysis of tumour-specific MGMT protein expression. This should be incorporated in future studies evaluating MGMT status before potential integration into clinical practice.

Patient and treatment factors associated with survival among pediatric glioblastoma patients: A Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results study

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a rare malignancy in children. The United States Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database allows large-scale analyses of clinical characteristics and prognostic features. We used it to study patients aged <20 years with histologically confirmed GBM (2000-2010) and examined the relationship between patient demographics, tumor characteristics, patterns of treatment, and outcomes. The primary outcome was disease-specific survival. 302 subjects were identified, with median age 11 years. Median follow-up was 32 months (95% CI 27-39). 34.4% had gross total resection (GTR). 61% underwent radiation after surgery (17% of subjects <3 years, 67% of those aged 4-19 years). Median survival and 2-year survival rates were 20 months and 46.9%, respectively. In multivariate analyses, age, tumor location, extent of resection, and year of diagnosis were significantly associated with the primary outcome. Compared to those aged 0-4 years, subjects aged 5-9 years and 10-14 years had higher risk of mortality. Infratentorial tumor location (HR 2.0, 95% CI 1.2-3.3, p = 0.007) and subtotal resection (HR 2.04, 95% CI 1.4-3.0, p < 0.001) were associated with increased mortality. Later year of diagnosis was significantly associated with decreased risk of death (HR 0.93, 95% CI 0.9-0.99, p = 0.031). There was no association between sex, race, region, or tumor size and the primary outcome. Repeat analyses examining all-cause mortality identified the same risk factors as for CNS cancer-specific mortality. Younger age, supratentorial location, GTR, and later year of diagnosis were associated with improved survival.

In vitro nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy metabolic biomarkers for the combination of temozolomide with PI3K inhibition in paediatric glioblastoma cells

Recent experimental data showed that the PI3K pathway contributes to resistance to temozolomide (TMZ) in paediatric glioblastoma and that this effect is reversed by combination treatment of TMZ with a PI3K inhibitor. Our aim is to assess whether this combination results in metabolic changes that are detectable by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, potentially providing metabolic biomarkers for PI3K inhibition and TMZ combination treatment. Using two genetically distinct paediatric glioblastoma cell lines, SF188 and KNS42, in vitro 1H-NMR analysis following treatment with the dual pan-Class I PI3K/mTOR inhibitor PI-103 resulted in a decrease in lactate and phosphocholine (PC) levels (P<0.02) relative to control. In contrast, treatment with TMZ caused an increase in glycerolphosphocholine (GPC) levels (P≤0.05). Combination of PI-103 with TMZ showed metabolic effects of both agents including a decrease in the levels of lactate and PC (P<0.02) while an increase in GPC (P<0.05). We also report a decrease in the protein expression levels of HK2, LDHA and CHKA providing likely mechanisms for the depletion of lactate and PC, respectively. Our results show that our in vitro NMR-detected changes in lactate and choline metabolites may have potential as non-invasive biomarkers for monitoring response to combination of PI3K/mTOR inhibitors with TMZ during clinical trials in children with glioblastoma, subject to further in vivo validation.

Pediatric low-grade gliomas: how modern biology reshapes the clinical field

Low-grade gliomas represent the most frequent brain tumors arising during childhood. They are characterized by a broad and heterogeneous group of tumors that are currently classified by the WHO according to their morphological appearance. Here we review the clinical features of these tumors, current therapeutic strategies and the recent discovery of genomic alterations characteristic to these tumors. We further explore how these recent biological findings stand to transform the treatment for these tumors and impact the diagnostic criteria for pediatric low-grade gliomas.

Polo-like kinase 1 inhibition kills glioblastoma multiforme brain tumor cells in part through loss of SOX2 and delays tumor progression in mice

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) ranks among the deadliest types of cancer and given these new therapies are urgently needed. To identify molecular targets, we queried a microarray profiling 467 human GBMs and discovered that polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) was highly expressed in these tumors and that it clustered with the proliferative subtype. Patients with PLK1-high tumors were more likely to die from their disease suggesting that current therapies are inactive against such tumors. This prompted us to examine its expression in brain tumor initiating cells (BTICs) given their association with treatment failure. BTICs isolated from patients expressed 110-470 times more PLK1 than normal human astrocytes. Moreover, BTICs rely on PLK1 for survival because the PLK1 inhibitor BI2536 inhibited their growth in tumorsphere cultures. PLK1 inhibition suppressed growth, caused G(2) /M arrest, induced apoptosis, and reduced the expression of SOX2, a marker of neural stem cells, in SF188 cells. Consistent with SOX2 inhibition, the loss of PLK1 activity caused the cells to differentiate based on elevated levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein and changes in cellular morphology. We then knocked glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) down SOX2 with siRNA and showed that it too inhibited cell growth and induced cell death. Likewise, in U251 cells, PLK1 inhibition suppressed cell growth, downregulated SOX2, and induced cell death. Furthermore, BI2536 delayed tumor growth of U251 cells in an orthotopic brain tumor model, demonstrating that the drug is active against GBM. In conclusion, PLK1 level is elevated in GBM and its inhibition restricts the growth of brain cancer cells.