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Advances in cancer therapies have significantly improved patient outcomes. However, with improvements in survival, the toxicities associated with cancer therapy have become of paramount importance and oncologists are faced with the challenge of establishing therapeutic efficacy while minimizing toxicity. Cardiovascular disease represents a significant risk to survivors of childhood cancer and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. This article outlines the current state of knowledge regarding cardiotoxicity in children undergoing cancer therapies, including the impact of specific oncologic therapies, recommendations for cardiovascular screening, the management of established cardiac disease, and the evolving field of pediatric cardio-oncology.

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With increasing numbers of childhood cancer survivors, direct sequelae of cancer therapy and psychosocial outcomes are becoming more important. The authors described psychosocial outcomes (education, employment, health insurance, and marriage) for survivors of pediatric lower extremity bone tumors. The long-term follow-up study of the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study is a multiinstitutional cohort study comprising 14,054 individuals who have survived for 5 or more years after treatment for cancer diagnosed during childhood or adolescence. Baseline demographic and medical information were obtained. Six hundred ninety-four survivors had osteosarcoma or Ewing sarcoma of the lower extremity or pelvis and were classified by amputation status and by age at diagnosis. The median age at diagnosis was 14 years old with a median of 16 years of follow up since diagnosis. Demographic characteristics were used to analyze the rates of psychosocial outcomes. Amputation status and age at diagnosis did not significantly influence any of the measured psychosocial outcomes. Education was a significant positive predictor of employment, having health insurance, and being currently in their first marriage. Male gender predicted ever being employed and female gender predicted having health insurance and marriage. When compared with siblings, amputees had significant deficits in education, employment, and health insurance. Overall, no differences between amputees and nonamputees were found. However, gender and education play a prominent role. When compared with siblings, amputees in this cohort may benefit from additional supports. Cancer 2003;10:2554–64. © 2003 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.11363

A 2-month-old girl presented for treatment with a diffuse rash, interstitial pneumonia, otorrhea, and lymphadenopathy. Skin biopsy confirmed Langerhans cell histocytosis by electron microscopy. After receiving multiple courses of chemotherapy, only marginal improvement was achieved, with progressive marrow and liver involvement. The decision was made to pursue a human leukocyte antigen-identical unrelated cord blood transplantation. Two years after transplant, the bone marrow was clear of Langerhans cell histocytosis and 100 donor engraftment. The poor prognosis of patients with an inadequate response to therapy and the presence of organ dysfunction (marrow and liver) substantiated the decision to pursue an unrelated cord blood transplantation.

No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Background: Objectives were to describe guardian proxy-reported quality of life (QoL) during chemotherapy for pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and to identify treatment and demographic factors associated with worse QoL.

We describe the pattern and incidence of SMNs with 10 additional years of follow-up of an international cohort (Bhatia, N Engl J Med, 1996; Bhatia, J Clin Oncol, 2003) of children with HL diagnosed between 1955 and 1986 at age 16 y or younger.

We describe the pattern and incidence of SMNs with 10 additional years of follow-up of an international cohort (Bhatia, N Engl J Med, 1996; Bhatia, J Clin Oncol, 2003) of children with HL diagnosed between 1955 and 1986 at age 16 y or younger.Medical record review was used to identify SMNs, define vital status and describe therapeutic exposures. Pathology reports served to validate SMNs. Cumulative incidence (CI) utilized competing risk methods. Standardized incidence ratio (SIR) and absolute excess risk (AER/10,000 p-y) utilized age-, gender- and year-matched rates in the general population. Cox regression techniques (using calendar time as time scale) identified predictors of SMN risk.The cohort included 1023 patients diagnosed with HL at a median age of 11 y, and followed for a median of 26.8 y (IQR, 16.4-33.7). Eighty-nine percent had received radiation, either alone (22%), or in combination with chemotherapy (67%). Alkylating agent (AA) score was defined as follows: 1 AA for 6 m = AA score of 1; 2 AA for 6 m or 1 AA for 12 m = AA score of 2, etc. The AA score was 1-2 for 54% and 3+ for 16%; 30% did not receive AA. A total of 188 solid SMNs developed in 139 patients (breast [54], thyroid [24], lung [11], colorectal [11], bone [8], other malignancies [80]. Table summarizes SIR (95%CI), CI, and AER by attained age. The cohort was at an 11.1-fold increased risk of developing solid SMNs (excluding non-melanoma skin cancers) compared with the general population (95% CI, 9.4-13.0). CI of solid SMNs was 25.2% at 40 y from HL diagnosis (Fig 1). Among patients aged ≥40 y, 79% of total AER was attributable to breast, thyroid, colorectal and lung SMNs (Table). Thirty-seven patients developed >1 solid SMN; the cumulative incidence of the 2nd SMN was 19.6% at 10 years from diagnosis of the 1st SMN. Breast Cancer: Females (n=41) had a 20.9-fold increased risk, and males (n=3) a 45.8-fold increased risk c/w general population. Age at HL of 10-16 y vs. <10 y (RR=9.7, 95%CI, 2.3-40.6, p=0.002), and exposure to chest radiation (RR=5.9, 95%CI, 1.4-25.9) were associated with increased risk. Among females aged 10-16 y at chest radiation, cumulative incidence was 24.3% by age 45 y, as opposed to 2.6% for those <10 y, p=0.001 (Fig 2). Exposure to AA was associated with a lower risk (RR=0.4, p=0.002). Diagnosis of HL after 1975 was associated with decreased risk (RR=0.25, 95%CI 0.12-0.53), explained, in part by the increasing use of AA after 1975 (78%) vs. before 1975 (61%). By age 40 y, the risk of breast cancer among females exposed to chest radiation at age 10-16 y (18.2%) was comparable to the risk for BRCA1 mutation carriers (15%-20% by age 40 y; Chen, J Clin Oncol, 2007). Lung cancer: Ten of 11 lung cancer cases were diagnosed in males (males: SIR=24.7; females: SIR=3.2, p=0.05); all had received neck/chest radiation. The CI of lung cancer among males was 3.8% by age 50 y, comparable to the risk among male smokers (2% by age 50 y, Bilello, Clinics Chest Med, 2002). Colorectal cancer: There was a 11.5-fold increased risk c/w general population. The CI among those with abdominal/pelvic radiation was 4.1% by age 50 y ; this risk is higher than that observed in individuals with ≥2 first degree relatives affected with colorectal cancer (1.2% by age 50 y, Butterworth, Eur J Cancer, 2006). Thyroid cancer: Survivors had a 22.2-fold increased risk; all developed within radiation field. Females (RR=4.3, 95%CI 1.8-10.4) were at increased risk.In this cohort of HL survivors with 20,344 p-y of follow-up, the greatest excess risk of SMNs among those > 40 y was attributable to breast, thyroid, colorectal and lung SMNs. Observed risks for the most common SMNs were comparable to or greater than known high-risk groups within the general population.No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

During the past several decades, survival rates of many childhood cancers have risen at a remarkable pace. The ever-growing population of cancer survivors is at potential risk for developing a broad spectrum of adverse outcomes relating to cancer diagnosis and treatment, including infertility, adverse pregnancy-related outcomes, and health problems of offspring. Unfortunately, these topics have not been extensively studied, particularly among pediatric cancer survivors receiving more recent therapies. Based on the current literature, therapy for childhood cancer, in general, does not appear to have a significant impact on pregnancy outcomes and on the health of offspring of childhood cancer survivors. Additional investigations, incorporating more rigorous designs, need to be conducted to further address potential long-term risks relating to birth outcomes, including birth weight. Studies currently underway to evaluate the incidence of and risk factors for birth defects, occurrence of cancer, and other serious health-related outcomes will provide valuable information to guide researchers, clinicians, and survivors and their families.