Hypofractionated radiotherapy for Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG): A non-inferiority prospective randomized study including 253 children

BACKGROUND

Pediatric Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is an orfen disease. The study aims at confirming the non-inferiority of hypofractionated (HF) radiotherapy. Identification of the prognostic factors that determine the overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) is the secondary objective.

METHODS

253 patients were randomized into 3 arms; HF1 receiving 39 Gy /13 fractions, HF2 receiving 45 Gy /15 fractions, and Conventional fractionation (CF) 54 Gy/30 fractions. The OS and PFS were calculated using Kaplan-Meier methods and the non-inferiority was estimated against the CF arm.

RESULTS

The median OS for the HF1, HF2, and CF were: 9.6, 8.2, and 8.7 months, respectively. The 1-, 1.5-, and 2- year OS were: 34.6 %, 17.9 %, and 10.7 % for HF1, 26.2 %, 13.1, and 4.8 % for HF2 compared to 25.3 %, 12.1 %, and 8.4 % for CF, respectively (p=0.3). The hazard ratio was 0.776 and 1.124 for HF1 and HF2, respectively. Considering the non-inferiority margin (Δ) of 15% and a power of 90%, the lower inferiority confident interval for HF1= -14.34% & HF2= 11.37% (both below Δ) confirming its non-inferiority at 18-months OS. Younger patients (2 - 5 years) have better median OS in the whole cohort (11.6 months), HF1(13.5), and CF (12.1) but not HF2 (6.2) (p=0.003). Furthermore, the overall survival rates at 1-,1.5- and 2- year for Children 2 - 5 years belonging to HF2 arm was lower than that for HF1 and CF arms. However, similar acute and late side effects were reported in the 3 arms.

CONCLUSIONS

Two Hypofractionated radiotherapy proved to be non-inferior to conventional fractionation. Young age (2 - 5 years) is the only prognostic factor determining both OS and PFS. The young age superiority was lost with a higher hypofractionated RT dose necessitating more caution in applying 45 Gy/15 fractions in younger (2 - 5 years) children.

Accuracy of noninvasive methods for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis in children with chronic viral hepatitis

BACKGROUND

Liver biopsy is the reference standard for assessing liver fibrosis. Moreover, it is an invasive procedure. Transient elastography (TE) is an accurate, noninvasive method for evaluating liver stiffness as a surrogate of liver fibrosis. The aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index (APRI) and Hyaluronic acid (HA) are noninvasive alternatives to liver biopsy for detecting hepatic fibrosis. This study aimed to identify the accuracy of APRI, HA, and TE concerning liver biopsy in children with chronic viral hepatitis.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included 50 children, 5-18 years with chronic viral hepatitis B (HBV) or hepatitis C (HCV) who underwent liver biopsy within nine months of laboratory tests, determining APRI & performing TE. Twenty healthy children of age and sex-matching patients were included as a control group for the serum HA levels.

RESULTS

The histopathological findings of the studied cases showed seven cases with (F0) fibrosis, 36 cases with mild (F1,2), two children with moderate (F3,4), and five children with severe (F5,6). The median (IQR) of steatosis was 4 (three had HCV). When correlating TE, APRI, and HA values in all cases with their laboratory data, there was a positive correlation between ALT and APRI values (P-value = 0.000), a positive correlation between AST and HA values (P-value = 0.02), and a negative correlation between stiffness and APRI. The sensitivity of HA, APRI, and TE compared to fibrosis detected by histopathology was 60.5, 65.1, and 60.5%, and their specificity was 71.4, 57.1, and 85.7%, respectively. TE was significantly higher in a group with (moderate to severe) fibrosis.

CONCLUSION

APRI, HA, and TE are good indicators of the presence of fibrosis almost with the same accuracy. TE is the only method to differentiate mild cases from those with significant fibrosis.

Gallstones in Egyptian infants and children: risk factors, complications and outcome: a single center experience

Background

The widespread use of abdominal ultrasonography in children documented increased detection rate of gallstones. The aim of this study was to assess the possible risk factors of gallstones and to detect the complication rate and outcome of the disease in Egyptian infants and children from a hepatologist perspective. This prospective study included 35 cases, with ultrasound-detected gallstones, who presented to the Pediatric Hepatology Unit from July 2015 to October 2017. All patients were initially evaluated by full history, general and abdominal examination, laboratory assessment, and ultrasound findings to detect possible risk factors of gallstones. Management approach was individualized for each patient according to his/her condition, and the patients were followed up at 3 months interval.

Results

The patients’ ages ranged from 3.5 months up to 17 years. The median age of gallstone detection was 2 years. Gallstones were symptomatic in 62.9% with abdominal pain in 51.4%. Complications in the form of choledocholithiasis were detected in 7 patients (20%). Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was done for 7 patients while conservative management was applied for 24 patients. Complete resolution occurred in 8.3% and partial resolution in 33.3%. Chronic hemolytic anemia was the most commonly identified risk factor for gallstones. Patients needed surgical intervention had significant higher serum cholesterol and LDL levels (P = 0.006 and P = 0.002 respectively).

Conclusion

Risk factors for gallstones could be identified in most of pediatric cases. Symptomatic presentation is common among the pediatric population. Conservative management is recommended for asymptomatic cases of gallstones in children. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a safe and recommended procedure for complicated and symptomatic cases of gallstones.

RARE-18. Pediatric craniopharyngioma; single center experience in 246 cases with different management modalities

PURPOSE: To report our experience with different craniopharyngioma management strategies done for 246 patients in a single institution during a period of 14 years. METHODS: The medical records of all children with the diagnosis of craniopharyngioma treated at Children's Cancer Hospital Egypt (CCHE-57357) during the period from July 2007 to December 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS : our registry included 246 pediatric craniopharyngiomawith median age of 7.4 years old. The main strategies of management after initial surgery were follow up, radiotherapy or administration of intracystic interferone post ommaya insertion. The number of cases in each group were 92, 147,and three respectively. Three patients were not operated upon because of heavily calcified lesions, two of them received radiotherapy while the third was kept under follow up. Overall gross or near total total excision was achieved in 31.2 % , subtotal resection was the case in 42.1% while Ommaya insertion and biopsy was done in 21.1 % of cases. Total number of patients received radiotherapy initially or on progression was 195 patients( 78.9%). The five-year overall survival was 88% (95% CI 82.9 – 93.1) while 5- year progression free survival (PFS) was 49.2% (95% CI 41.2—57.2). The five-year PFS rates for patients in the follow up group versus radiotherapy group were 25.2% and 68.7% respectively (P< 0.0001). Beta catenin was positive in 76.4% of cases that were available for testing (123/161). CONCLUSION: management of craniopharyngioma should be individualized with the main objective is the quality of life. Conservative surgery which entails gross total safe resection whenever possible or lesser extent of resection followed by radiotherapy is the main strategy followed in our institution.

Epidemiology and Clinical Outcomes of Childhood Central Nervous System Cancers in a Large Low/Middle-Income Country Pediatric Oncology Center: A Report on 5,051 Kids

BACKGROUND

Central nervous system (CNS) tumors are the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in children. Although most cases come from low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) where their prognosis is worse, few epidemiologic studies are conducted in these regions.

METHODS

We conducted a registry-based cohort study for childhood CNS tumors at Children's Cancer Hospital, Egypt, over 15 years. Unified treatment protocols were implemented. Survival analyses were conducted using the Kaplan-Meier function. Cases were additionally annotated using the International Classification of Childhood Cancer-3 classification.

RESULTS

In total, 5,051 children ≤18 years of age were identified, accounting for 20% of all childhood cancers treated at Children's Cancer Hospital, Egypt. The most common tumor sites were the posterior fossa (36.8%) and brainstem (17.7%). Pathologies were predominantly astrocytic (n = 1,360; 26.9%) and embryonal (n = 1,003; 19.9%) in origin. The 5-year overall survival (OS) and event-free survival for all cases were 64.6% and 51.8%, respectively. More specifically, 1,421 low-grade gliomas were identified, with a 5-year OS of 91.1%. Medulloblastoma (n = 801) recorded a 5-year OS of 66%. The entity with the worst prognosis was diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (n = 633), with a 5-year OS of 3.2%.

CONCLUSIONS

We report on a large number of childhood CNS tumors from an LMIC. This study underscores the need to understand the burden of childhood brain tumors and its outcomes in resource-constrained settings.

IMPACT

This study reports on the epidemiology and clinical outcomes of 5,000+ children with CNS tumors from a specialized LMIC center. Despite the lack of many sophisticated and advanced facilities, LMICs can improve the clinical end-results with experience and augmented efforts.