Strengthening public health policies for childhood cancer: Peru's achievements through the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer

Objective

To report the progress in Peru, since June 2019, in the implementation of the World Health Organization Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer using the CureAll framework, which can be replicated in low- and middle-income countries.

Methods

A mixed method was used of participatory and documentary evaluation. The participatory evaluation included stakeholders from various government institutions, nonprofit organizations, and international partners. The documentary aspect consisted of a review of data on the regulatory environment, national projects, and interventions implemented. The Ministry of Health engaged more than 150 participants to form working committees, which have developed policy and regulatory documents to strengthen care services.

Results

Achievements include a decrease in the national treatment abandonment rate from 18.6% to 8.5%, the approval of the Childhood Cancer Law, improvements in the management of patients with febrile neutropenia, and a reduction in rates of events of clinical deterioration and mortality of hospitalized patients. The Cure All implementation framework allows local teams to implement specific strategies and monitor early outcomes in pediatric oncology.

Conclusions

The results obtained reflect the teamwork, the leadership of the authorities, the technical support of professionals, and the support of involved organizations. Further actions will be needed to guarantee sustainability, and monitoring tools are needed to assure success in the planned activities.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of children with WAGR syndrome and Wilms tumor and/or nephroblastomatosis: The 30-year SIOP-RTSG experience

BACKGROUND

WAGR syndrome (Wilms tumor, aniridia, genitourinary anomalies, and range of developmental delays) is a rare contiguous gene deletion syndrome with a 45% to 60% risk of developing Wilms tumor (WT). Currently, surveillance and treatment recommendations are based on limited evidence.

METHODS

Clinical characteristics, treatments, and outcomes were analyzed for patients with WAGR and WT/nephroblastomatosis who were identified through International Society of Pediatric Oncology Renal Tumor Study Group (SIOP-RTSG) registries and the SIOP-RTSG network (1989-2019). Events were defined as relapse, metachronous tumors, or death.

RESULTS

Forty-three patients were identified. The median age at WT/nephroblastomatosis diagnosis was 22 months (range, 6-44 months). The overall stage was available for 40 patients, including 15 (37.5%) with bilateral disease and none with metastatic disease. Histology was available for 42 patients; 6 nephroblastomatosis without further WT and 36 WT, including 19 stromal WT (52.8%), 12 mixed WT (33.3%), 1 regressive WT (2.8%) and 2 other/indeterminable WT (5.6%). Blastemal type WT occurred in 2 patients (5.6%) after prolonged treatment for nephroblastomatosis; anaplasia was not reported. Nephrogenic rests were present in 78.9%. Among patients with WT, the 5-year event-free survival rate was 84.3% (95% confidence interval, 72.4%-98.1%), and the overall survival rate was 91.2% (95% confidence interval, 82.1%-100%). Events (n = 6) did not include relapse, but contralateral tumor development (n = 3) occurred up to 7 years after the initial diagnosis, and 3 deaths were related to hepatotoxicity (n = 2) and obstructive ileus (n = 1).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with WAGR have a high rate of bilateral disease and no metastatic or anaplastic tumors. Although they can be treated according to existing WT protocols, intensive monitoring of toxicity and surveillance of the remaining kidney(s) are advised.

LAY SUMMARY

WAGR syndrome (Wilms tumor, aniridia, genitourinary anomalies, and range of developmental delays) is a rare genetic condition with an increased risk of developing Wilms tumor. In this study, 43 patients with WAGR and Wilms tumor (or Wilms tumor precursor lesions/nephroblastomatosis) were identified through the international registry of the International Society of Pediatric Oncology Renal Tumor Study Group (SIOP-RTSG) and the SIOP-RTSG network. In many patients (37.5%), both kidneys were affected. Disease spread to other organs (metastases) did not occur. Overall, this study demonstrates that patients with WAGR syndrome and Wilms tumor can be treated according to existing protocols. However, intensive monitoring of treatment complications and surveillance of the remaining kidney(s) are advised.

Palonosetron compared with ondansetron in pediatric cancer patients: multicycle analysis of a randomized Phase III study

Aim: To investigate across multiple cycles the efficacy and safety of palonosetron in the prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in pediatric cancer patients receiving highly or moderately emetogenic chemotherapy (HEC/MEC). Patients & methods: Patients were randomly assigned to 10, 20 μg/kg palonosetron or 3 × 150 μg/kg ondansetron for up to four cycles of HEC/MEC. Results: In all on-study chemotherapy cycles, complete response rates were higher in patients in the 20 μg/kg palonosetron group than the ondansetron group. Treatment-emergent adverse events were comparable between the palonosetron 20 μg/kg and ondansetron groups. Conclusion: Over four cycles of HEC/MEC, 20 μg/kg palonosetron was an efficacious and safe treatment for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in pediatric cancer patients.

Hydroa-like cutaneous T-cell lymphoma: a clinicopathologic and molecular genetic study of 16 pediatric cases from Peru

Hydroa-like cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (hydroa-like CTCL) is an unusual pediatric malignancy with a poor prognosis. An impressive cutaneous rash characterized by edema, blisters, ulcers, crusts, and scars, resembling hidroa vacciniforme, is seen mainly on the face and sometimes on the extremities. The lesion consists of lymphomatous T-cell infiltration of the skin and subcutis with variable exocytosis and angiocentricity. It has been also called edematous, scarring vasculitic panniculitis and hydroa-like lymphoma. An association with Epstein-Barr virus has been suggested. The differential diagnosis includes other cutaneous lymphomas, particularly the cutaneous nasal type T/natural killer-cell lymphoma, mycosis fungoides, precursor T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma, nonspecific peripheral T-cell lymphoma, cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma, and subcutaneous panniculitic T-cell lymphoma. Other differential diagnoses are inflammatory dermatopathies and panniculitides. Based on a series of 16 such cases referred to the Institute of Neoplastic Diseases, the objective of this report is not only to provide a better clinicopathologic understanding of this entity but also a reappraisal of it as a malignancy. The male/female frequency ratio was 1:1. The median age was 10 years old. All cases showed predominant facial involvement with edema, blisters, ulcers, crusts, and scars. Chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy had little or no benefit. The prognosis was usually dismal. The lymphoma extended from the epidermis to the subcutis, with frequent angiocentric and periadnexal array. Lymphoma cells were mostly of intermediate size with dense hyperchromatic nuclei, inconspicuous nucleoli, and infrequent mitosis. A scanty and variable inflammatory background was found. The lymphoma cells displayed T-cell cytotoxic phenotype. In addition, they were negative for the natural killer cell antigens CD56 and CD57. Epstein-Barr virus in situ hybridization was positive in the six cases in which it was assayed. T-cell receptor gamma (TCRgamma) displayed monoclonal-type rearrangement in four cases studied. Our findings indicate that hydroa-like CTCL is an independent clinicopathologic entity that affects children. Consequently, it should be considered an independent subset of CTCLs and be included as such in the classification of neoplastic diseases of the lymphoid tissues.

Germ cell tumors in children: gonadal and extragonadal

Sixty-three pediatric patients with germ cell tumors are presented with details of symptoms, histological findings, staging, serological markers, treatment, and response to therapy. The primary sites were: ovarian 32, testicular 17, presacral 7, mediastinal 3, intraabdominal 2, vaginal 1, and right inguinal canal 1. These patients were treated with T2 (sequential use of dactinomycin, doxorubicin, vincristine, and cyclophosphamide, with or without radiation), T6 (combination chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, bleomycin, dactinomycin, doxorubicin, methotrexate, vincristine), or VAB treatment protocols (velban, dactinomycin, bleomycin, cisplatin). The cure rate for stage I ovarian and testicular germ cell tumors was 100%; for stage III, all primary sites, 82% and for stage IV, all primary sites, 75%. Histology was prognostic in ovarian tumors of the immature malignant teratoma type; the neural type immature teratoma, grades II and III, had the worst prognosis. Initial debulking surgery in combination with chemotherapy and radiation plays an important role in germ cell tumors. Stages II, III, and IV germ cell tumors require aggressive treatment with surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. For stage I patients, with primary ovarian malignant tumor, cure with surgery alone can be achieved in 50% of the cases and in testicular tumors in about 70% of the patients. For those with stage I and elevated serological markers, it is feasible to follow these markers and give no treatment until there is evidence of persistent elevation or a rise in titers after an initial fall. In those without elevated serological markers, one should take into consideration the size of the tumor and the histological type before taking the "wait and see" approach. These stage I tumors are highly curable when they first present but, if allowed to recur, chemotherapy may not offer the patient such a favorable response and cure rate.

Canine transmissible venereal sarcoma: tumor cell and infiltrating leukocyte ultrastructure at different growth stages

Electron microscopic study of the canine transmissible venereal sarcoma (N = 26) at different stages of growth showed that tumors in a progressive phase of growth (N = 12) were comprised mostly of large, round cells with prominent nuclei and nucleoli, a few spindle-shaped cells and collagen fibers, focal areas of necrosis, and lymphocyte infiltrates. Regressing tumors (N = 9) had the fewest viable round cells, greater numbers of infiltrating leukocytes, and were comprised almost entirely of connective tissue (collagen bundles) in the latest stages of regression. The infiltrating leukocytes consisted primarily of lymphocytes, some eosinophils, and neutrophils, but very few macrophages. Round-cell nuclei contained numerous perichromatin and interchromatin granules. Their cytoplasm often had annulate lamellae complexes and large deposits of glycogen. Loosely packed tumor cells had extensive proliferation and elongation of cytoplasmic extensions (filopodia). Evidence for cell-mediated tumor cell lysis was demonstrated by degenerative changes in tumor cells which were closely apposed to lymphocytes. Spindle-shaped cells in regressing tumors had intravacuolar collagen fragments, suggesting a possible degradative capacity by these cells.

Leukemic hypopyon

A seven-year-old girl was successfully treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Despite clinical remission she developed a monocular hypopyon which was treated successfully with topical and subtenons steroids. When the hypopyon reappeared, a diagnostic paracentesis revealed leukemic cells and a normal aqueous lactate dehydrogenase. Leukemic ocular infiltration may clinically mimic both neoplastic and inflammatory ocular conditions. The combination of paracentesis and lactate dehydrogenase assay greatly aid in the correct diagnosis.

Evaluation of a psychiatric clerkship by videotape

The authors used a videotape-based objective examination ingeneral psychiatry to assess the clinical competence of medical students who had completed their third-year clerkship. The test has been shown to be a reliable, valid measure of clinical competence. Subjective faculty grading related positively to test scores. Students on one ward had significantly lower overall test scores, with particularly low scores on clinical judgement questions. However, faculty grades for these students were not significantly different. This suggests that the faculty was unable to assess the relative efficacy of its own teaching. The test can provide objective assessment of student clinical competence and is a means of program evaluation.

Histochemical localization of phosphatases in Mycoplasma gallisepticum

Histochemical studies of adenosine triphosphatase and acid phosphatase activity were performed on Mycoplasma gallisepticum. The adenosine triphosphatase activity appears to be localized in the bleb and infrableb regions exclusively and is associated with the cell membrane; acid phosphatase activity is localized in the infrableb region and does not appear to be membrane-associated. These findings are consistent with data from biochemical studies of Mycoplasma cell fractions but, unlike them, reveal that adenosine triphosphatase activity is restricted to a particular part of the cell membrane.