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Immediate nephrectomy versus preoperative chemotherapy in the management of non-metastatic Wilms' tumour: Results of a randomised trial (UKW3) by the UK Children's Cancer Study Group Purpose: To determine if patients receiving preoperative chemotherapy with vincristine and actinomycin D for non-metastatic Wilms' tumour have a more advantageous stage distribution and so need less treatment compared to patients who have immediate nephrectomy, without adversely affecting outcome. Methods: Between 1991 and 2001, a total of 205 patients with newly diagnosed non-metastatic renal tumours, of which 186 had Wilms' histologies, were randomly assigned either to immediate surgery or to 6 weeks preoperative chemotherapy and then delayed surgery. Both groups of children received postoperative chemotherapy according to tumour stage and histology determined at the time of nephrectomy Results: There was a significant improvement in the stage distribution for patients with Wilms' histologies receiving delayed surgery compared to those having immediate nephrectomy (stage L 65.2% versus 54.3%; stage 11: 23.9% versus 14.9%; stage 111: 9.8% versus 29.8%, chi(2) test for trend = 7.02, p = 0.008). This improvement resulted in 20% fewer children receiving radiotherapy or doxorubicin yet event-free and overall survivals at 5 years of 79.6% and 89.0%, respectively, were similar in the two groups. Conclusion: Six weeks of preoperative chemotherapy with vincristine and actinomycin D results in a significant shift towards a more advantageous stage distribution and hence reduction in therapy, while maintaining excellent event free and overall survival in children with non-metastatic Wilms' tumour. Around 20% of survivors were therefore spared the late-effects of doxorubicin or radiotherapy. Our results suggest that all children with non-metastatic Wilms' tumour should receive chemotherapy prior to tumour resection. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

We report the case of a girl with multi-focal hepatoblastoma in whom chemotherapy alone has resulted in long term event-free survival and possibly cure, without any surgical procedure apart from biopsy for initial diagnosis. At presentation she had a large tumour arising from the left lobe of liver and two other separate masses were noted in the right lobe, but the lungs were free of metastases. Histology showed a foetal type of hepatoblastoma. The serum alpha-feto protein (AFP) level was 44,000 iu/litre. Chemotherapy was started using the triple drug regime recommended for "high risk" (of relapse) patients in the SIOPEL 2 hepatoblastoma protocol of the International Society of Paedaitric Oncology (SIOP). Within a few weeks her abdominal girth decreased, the child became much more comfortable. Drug-induced cardiotoxicity, ototoxicity and nephrotoxicity were not observed. After a total of 4 courses of chemotherapy (completed at the end of August 1998) a CT scan showed that all 3 tumours were smaller but that there were residual multifocal defects in the liver neither hepatic resection nor liver transplantation were considered safe or appropriate. 6.5 years after completion of chemotherapy and now aged 8.5 years the child is in normal health and at school with normal liver size, serum AFP levels and chest imaging.

The study sought to evaluate the response to cyclophosphamide (CPM) in hepatoblastoma (HB). Patients with a refractory or relapsing HB after first-line therapy as per SIOPEL 2 and 3 protocols were eligible. All patients were to receive two courses of CPM 2 g/m(2) on days 1 and 2 at 3-week intervals. Eighteen patients were included; 17 were evaluable for response. Prior treatment was cisplatinum alone (1 patient) or cisplatinum-carboplatin-doxorubicin (17 patients). The disease status at the beginning of CPM was: progressive during first-line treatment (10 patients), persistent unresectable disease at the end of the protocol (2 patients), relapse (6 patients). Tumour response was partial response (1 patient), stable disease (1 patient), progressive disease (15 patients) and not evaluable in one. All patients died, 17 of progressive disease and one of surgery complications. The low response rate (1/17) led the SIOPEL group to conclude that single-agent CPM is not effective for the treatment of relapsing or refractory HB.

Background The aims of UKWT2 included consolidating the results for stage III patients obtained in UKWT1 and improving the outcome for patients with inoperable tumours by giving vincristine, actinomycin-D and doxorubicin in an intensive schedule (Intensive AVA). Procedure The second UK WT trial (UKWT2) ran between July 1986 and September 1991 accruing 448 patients. One hundred and six patients were diagnosed and treated for stage III disease. Six had clear cell sarcoma of the kidney (CCSK) and seven had rhabdoid tumours of the kidney (RTK) and are analysed separately. One other patient was excluded from overall analysis. Ninety-two patients were followed for a median of 115 months. Seventy-five received standard chemotherapy and abdominal radiotherapy according to protocol. Seventeen had stage III disease at immediate nephrectomy, but radiotherapy was omitted by physician choice. Thirty-three patients had inoperable disease at diagnosis and received pre-nephrectomy chemotherapy. Results Overall survival (OS) at 4 years for stage III favourable histology (FH) patients receiving abdominal RT was 83% (CI: 73–89). For children with stage III disease in whom RT was omitted the OS was 82% (CI: 59–97) and for inoperable disease 94% (CI: 78–98). The overall and event-free survival (EFS) of children with stage III CCSK was 100% and was achieved with the majority of patients not receiving radiotherapy (CI: 48–100). Three of seven children with RTK are alive EFS and OS 43% (CI: 10–73). For patients treated by abdominal radiotherapy the overall local control rate was 94.4% (CI: 86.4–98.5*%), 96.7% (CI: 88.5–99.6%) for flank RT and 83.3% (51.6–98.0%) for whole abdominal radiotherapy (WRT). Conclusions The outcome for stage III FH disease was similar to that reported for UKWT1 and NWTS-3. The combination of abdominal RT together with 3-drug chemotherapy achieves a high abdominal tumour control rate. Flank RT is probably sufficient for localised tumour rupture. The high cure rates for children in this trial with ‘inoperable disease’ suggests that treatment should be modified according to their post-chemotherapy stage in order to avoid over-treatment. The high OS for stage III CCSK on this protocol suggests that treatment duration could be curtailed and the role of RT reviewed, though the numbers are small. The prognosis for older children with RTK seems to be better than for younger children although larger studies are required to confirm this. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Purpose: Damage to the CNS, including the cerebellum, and to the hypothalamopituitary axis, is documented in Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH). Neuropsychologic deficits have been recognized, but this is the first study in which cognitive function has been systematically assessed in a cohort of patients. Patients and Methods: Twenty-eight long-term survivors of multisystem LCH (mean age, 15.1 years) were investigated for intelligence, memory and learning, language, and academic attainments. Results: The mean intelligence quotient (IQ) of the entire group was not significantly different from the mean of the population (ie, mean ± SD, 100 ± 1), but there were wide ranges (Full-Scale IQ [FSIQ]: mean, 93.6; range, 61.7 to 134; Performance IQ [PIQ]: mean, 92.2; range, 46 to 136; and Verbal IQ [VIQ]: mean, 93.7; range, 64.2 to 126). CNS involvement was a significant risk factor for lower scores, but sex, diabetes insipidus, and cranial radiotherapy were not. The CNS group had lower VIQ, PIQ, and FSIQ than patients with no CNS involvement (no CNS group: mean ± SD FSIQ, 102.3 ± 15.6; CNS group: mean ± SD FSIQ, 73.6 ± 7.7; P < .001). A similar pattern of results was obtained for all other cognitive measures. Even when effects of reduction in FSIQ were taken into account, specific deficits were found in patients in the CNS group. Conclusion: Long-term survivors of multisystem LCH, particularly patients with CNS involvement, may develop significant cognitive deficits. All patients should have formal, repeated neuropsychologic assessment as part of long-term follow-up, which will enable abnormalities to be detected early so that appropriate supportive measures can be offered.

Background The outcome of treatment for advanced hepatoblastoma has recently improved after the introduction of preoperative or pre- and postoperative cisplatin-containing chemotherapy combined with complete surgical excision. The role of liver transplantation in a population of patients who have received this regimen has not been clearly defined. Methods Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) was performed in 13 children, aged 5 months to 11 years (median 27 months), who were assessed with unresectable hepatoblastoma, and whose pretreatment extent-of-disease was based on radiologic findings of group III (n=11) and group IV (n=2). One child with a multifocal tumor showed pulmonary metastases at presentation, but, according to radiologic studies, the deposits resolved with chemotherapy before liver transplantation. One other child showed exophytic extension of the primary tumor infiltrating the porta hepatis and body of the pancreas. All 13 patients received preoperative chemotherapy to reduce the size of the primary tumor(s) and to treat metastatic spread. Results Twelve children underwent elective OLT; all are alive and show normal graft function at a mean follow-up of 33 months (range 1-108). One child shows evidence of recurrent disease in the form of pulmonary metastases. One child underwent emergency OLT for acute liver failure after (incomplete) extended right hepatectomy and died from respiratory failure, with no evidence of recurrent tumor 3 weeks posttransplant. Conclusions Liver transplantation is an effective treatment for unresectable unifocal or multifocal hepatoblastoma confined to the liver. A multidisciplinary approach to the management of hepatoblastoma, with thoughtful collaboration between pediatric oncologists, hepatologists, and liver surgeons, is essential.

To test the hypothesis that poor response to chemotherapy in patients with bilateral Wilms tumor may be associated with the appearance of rhabdomyomatous histology, suggesting a differentiation response.Twenty-six patients with bilateral Wilms tumor were treated at the authors' hospital between 1985 and 1995. Radiologic response to presurgical chemotherapy was assessed, and postsurgery histology was reviewed.There was a significant association between rhabdomyomatous differentiation in postchemotherapy surgical specimens and poor radiologic response. Poor response did not, however, necessarily mean poor outcome: of 11 patients with rhabdomyomatous differentiation, 7 are alive and disease-free, 2 died of complications, and only 2 died of uncontrolled Wilms tumor.Rhabdomyomatous differentiation in postchemotherapy bilateral Wilms tumor is associated with poor radiologic response. This observation may indicate a differentiation response rather than an absolute failure of response to chemotherapy. Clinical measures other than tumor volume are needed to distinguish between tumors that respond to chemotherapy but do not shrink, and those that genuinely do not respond.

We report three children who had multisystem Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) with cutaneous involvement and subsequently developed juvenile xanthogranuloma (JXG). JXG appeared 3--6 years after the initial manifestation of LCH. JXG lesions, which presented as yellowish papules, revealed typical Touton giant cells and were factor XIIIa positive but S100 and CD1a negative. Non-LCH histiocyte disorders, such as JXG, are known to occur as a reaction to a variety of external stimuli such as infection and trauma. It is therefore conceivable that the inflammatory reaction associated with LCH may have precipitated the development of JXG in our patients. Alternatively, one could speculate that this association might be due to a common histogenetic precursor of the cell types involved.

Background and Procedure Most deaths from neuroblastoma occur within 2 years of diagnosis but there have been several anecdotal reports of relapse and death after much longer periods of follow up. In order to investigate and quantify the risk of late events we analysed data for patients registered with the European Neuroblastoma Study Group between 1982 and 1990. Out of a total of 1,277 children registered, 427 were alive with follow-up beyond 5 years from diagnosis (median follow-up of 8.8 years, range 5–14 years). Of these 406 were in remission with no prior recurrence, 16 were in remission having experienced a relapse prior to 5 years, and 5 were alive with progressive disease. Results For the 406 patients in remission with no prior relapse the 10 year progression free survival (PFS) was 96% (CI 94–98). For those aged over 1 year with stage 4 disease at diagnosis 10 year PFS was 88% (CI 79–96) compared to 98% (CI 97–99) for other patients combined, P 1 yr with stage 4 disease at diagnosis (relative risk 10.5, P < 0.001) and prior relapse (RR 4.2, P = 0.01). Conclusions The results of this study emphasise the importance of long-term follow-up of patients and the need for late monitoring of clinical trials in children with neuroblastoma. They also provide a baseline for comparison with future and hopefully more effective treatment programmes. Med. Pediatr. Oncol. 36:235–238, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

INTRODUCTION Langerhans' cell histiocytosis is a rare disorder, with diabetes insipidus occurring in up to half of patients. Causes of growth failure include the illness itself, treatments used and growth hormone insufficiency. PATIENTS AND METHODS We identified all patients with an endocrinopathy secondary to Langerhans' cell histiocytosis (LCH). Growth data were analysed from all patients with multisystem involvement. RESULTS Of 144 patients with multisystem LCH, 50 had an endocrinopathy, 49 of whom had diabetes insipidus. Growth hormone insufficiency (GHI) was present in 21 patients, seven of whom had other anterior pituitary deficiencies as well (gonadotrophin deficiency + GHI n = 2, gonadotrophin deficiency + TSH deficiency + GHI n = 2, panhypopituitarism n = 3). GH insufficiency, the development of which appeared to be independent of pituitary radiation, occurred at a median age of 8.3 years (4.7–18 years) and at a median interval of 3.5 years (0–11.8 years) after diagnosis of LCH. The median height SDS at diagnosis of growth hormone insufficiency was −2.9. Thirteen of the patients with growth hormone insufficiency attained final height with a median height SDS of −1.2. The final height SDS of 15 patients without GH insufficiency was closer to target height SDS, but not statistically different from that of the GH insufficient group. CONCLUSIONS GH therapy significantly improves growth in GH insufficient patients with Langerhans' cell histiocytosis. Early institution of GH therapy may further improve height outcome. However, most children with Langerhans' cell histiocytosis regardless of endocrine function, failed to reach target height.

The aims of the UKW2 study were: (1) to further refine treatment for stage I and II favourable histology (FH) patients; (2) to consolidate the UKW1 results for stage III FH patients; (3) to improve the outlook for patients with inoperable primary tumours and those patients with stage IV and unfavourable histology disease. Treatment consisted of primary nephrectomy, wherever possible, followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy, as dictated by stage and histology. Treatment was refined successfully for stage I and II FH patients. The 4-year event-free survival for these two groups was 94% and 91%, respectively. Stage III FH patients had a 4-year event free survival of 84%. The outlook for patients with clear cell sarcoma of the kidney is as good as for patients with favourable histology, whilst that for patients with anaplastic or rhabdoid variants remains poor. The outlook for the majority of children with Wilms’ tumour is now excellent. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaign

PURPOSE The European Bone Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) Solid Tumor Registry (STR) contains detailed information on children with advanced neuroblastoma who, after standard-dose induction chemotherapy and surgery, received myeloablative megatherapy (MGT) followed by stem-cell transplantation (SCT). This data base was analyzed to identify factors that predict event-free survival (EFS). PATIENTS AND METHODS Eligibility criteria were stage IV neuroblastoma, age over 1 year at diagnosis, and no relapse before MGT/SCT. Between February 1978 and July 1992, 549 patients were registered by 36 European transplant centers. The median age at diagnosis was 36 months (range, 13 to 216 months) and the male-female ratio was 1:45. Before MGT, 157 patients were in complete remission (CR), 156 in very good partial remission (VGPR), and 208 in partial remission (PR), whereas 24 had had only a minor response (MR). One hundred ten of 546 patients had undergone two successive MGT procedures. The median observation time was 60 months (range, 12 to 187 months). RESULTS Actuarial EFS is 26% at 5 years. Multivariate analysis by the Cox proportional hazards regression model included 529 patients with complete data sets. After adjustment for treatment duration before MGT and double MGT procedures, two adverse, independent risk factors that influenced EFS were identified: (1) persisting skeletal lesions before MGT as defined by technetium (99TC) scans and/or meta-iodobenzylguanidine (mIBG) scans (P = .004) and (2) persisting bone marrow involvement before MGT (P = .03). CONCLUSION After induction treatment, persisting skeletal disease as defined above and persisting bone marrow involvement may be predictive of a particularly poor outcome. Physicians may consider this an additional important tool to decide the patient's management.

Pathologists and pediatric hematologist/ oncologists of the World Health Organization's Committee on Histiocytic/Reticulum Cell Proliferations and the Reclassification Working Group of the Histiocyte Society present a classification of the histiocytic disorders that primarily affect children. Nosology, based on the lineage of lesional cells and biological behavior, is related to the ontogeny of histiocytes (macrophages and dendritic cells of the immune system). Dendritic cell-related disorders of varied biological behavior are dominated by Langerhans cell histiocytosis, but separate secondary proliferations of dendritic cells must be differentiated. Juvenile xanthogranuloma represents a disorder of dermal dendrocytes, another dendritic cell of skin. The hemophagocytic syndromes are the most common of the macrophage-related disorders of varied biological behavior. Guidelines for distinguishing the exceedingly rare malignant diseases of histiocytes from large cell lymphomas through the use of a battery of special studies are provided.

Fourteen of 58 (24%) children with Langerhans cell hisiocytosis (LCH) currently attending the Hospital for Sick Children (London) developed thirst and polyuria during the course of their disease. Three had single-system disease confined to bone, and 11 had multisystem disease. The median age at presentation of LCH was 2 years 0 months, and polyuria/polydipsia developed at a median age of 3 years 9 months (range 1 month before diagnosis of LCH to 4 years after diagnosis). Each child had a water deprivation test with measurement of urinary arginine vasopressin (AVP) to document diabetes insipidus. The doses of 1-desamino-8-D arginine vasopressin (DDAVP) required to control symptoms were compared at diagnosis and at a mean follow-up of 7 years 8 months. Local and systemic treatment was recorded. Ten of 14 children were shown to have "complete" diabetes insipidus, whilest the other four had "partial" diabetes insipidus. Seven children were treated with irradiation. with or without systemic chemotherapy, six with systemic chemotherapy only, and one with DDAVP replacement only. No child, including two with partial diabetes insipidus irradiated within 4 weeks of the onset of symptoms, lost symptoms of polyuria/polydypsia and none was able to discontinue DDAVP replacement. One child treated with Etoposide showed a temporary rise in urinary AVP level to within the normal range but still needed DDAVP to control her symptoms. The mean doses of DDAVP at onset of diabetes insipidus and at follow-up were 9.3 micrograms and 18 micrograms daily, respectively. We conclude that the most appropriate treatment for reversing diabetes insipidus complicating Langerhans cell histiocytosis is yet to be determined. Precise documentation of posterior pituitary dysfunction, including measurement of urinary AVP levels, is essential if the effects of new forms of treatment are to be assessed accurately.

Testicular function was studied in 40 males treated in childhood for Hodgkin's disease at St Bartholomew's Hospital, and the Hospital for Sick Children, London, between 1971-1985. All patients were 16 years or over at evaluation, and off treatment more than 6 years. Basal FSH, LH and testosterone levels were measured. Testicular size was measured using a Prader orchidometer, and all patients were offered a seminal analysis. Twenty-eight patients were treated with chemotherapy, usually ChlVPP. Twenty-one also had radiotherapy, five below the diaphragm. Twelve patients were treated with radiotherapy alone (five below the diaphragm). Twenty-six of 28 patients treated with chemotherapy and three of five patients treated with radiotherapy alone below the diaphragm have elevated basal FSH levels, and 18 of these also have elevated basal LH levels. Median testicular volume is 11 ml (range 5-25 ml). Eleven of 13 patients investigated are azoospermic. All patients have normal testosterone levels, and normal secondary sexual characteristics. There is no biochemical evidence of healing of the damaged germinal epithelium with elevated FSH levels persisting up to 17 years from the end of therapy. These results indicate a high incidence of damage to the germinal epithelium in patients treated with ChlVPP chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy below the diaphragm. Appropriate counselling of these patients with regard to their reproductive capabilities is essential.

A long-term follow-up study was carried out to assess ototoxicity in children who had been treated for a malignant tumour with "standard dose" cisplatin (60-100 mg/m2 per course), and were at least 2 years from stopping treatment. The median age at diagnosis was 2 years 2 months (range 1 month to 13.5 years). On the basis of hearing assessment by pure-tone audiometry, a practical grading system of hearing loss from 0 to 4 is proposed. Moderate to severe high-frequency hearing loss (grade 2-4) was found in half the children and 10 require appropriate hearing aids. The risk of developing ototoxicity increased significantly with the cumulative cisplatin dose (P = 0.027), although there was considerable individual susceptibility. Serial follow-up testing, to a median of 4 years after completion of cisplatin treatment, showed no recovery of hearing in any of these children. We suggest careful monitoring of young children by a consultant audiological physician throughout treatment with cisplatin, particularly when doses of 400 mg/m2 and over have been reached. Alternative chemotherapy should be discussed if grade 2 ototoxicity develops.

Background Because prostaglandin (PG) E2 has been identified in the bone lesions of Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH), we speculated that indomethacin, a potent PG inhibitor, may be useful in patients with symptomatic LCH involving the bony skeleton. Procedure We used indomethacin to treat patients in whom we wanted to avoid steroids or chemotherapy, or in whom these treatments did not provide complete symptom relief. Ten children with bony LCH between 1984 and 1995 were treated; six had single-system bone disease and four had multisystem disease involving the bony skeleton and other organs. Results The dose of indomethacin ranged from 1 to 2.5 mg/kg/day (9–200 mg/day) in divided doses and was given for 1–16 weeks (mean, 6 weeks). Eight patients had a complete response to treatment, defined as complete resolution of symptoms for 4 weeks. One patient was withdrawn from treatment because of concern regarding the potential of indomethacin to induce seizures and a second patient, with suppurative skin lesions overlying a lytic skull defect, did not respond. Conclusions Indomethacin is a useful therapy for LCH involving the bony skeleton and may have a role as first-line treatment in single-system bone disease. Whether it has a specific role in slowing disease progression or merely acts as an analgesic has not yet been established. Med. Pediatr. Oncol. 32:247–249, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Between February 1986 and July 1988 a total of 21 children aged 1 to 16 years with malignant germ cell tumours (MGCT), 18 with either metastatic disease or unresectable primary tumour, received the JEB regimen - carboplatin dosage calculated from the EDTA glomerular filtration rate (approximately 600 mg m-2), etoposide 120 mg m-2 daily x 3, and bleomycin 15 mg m-2 weekly. Primary sites were: testis (6), ovary (8), sacrococcyx (4), pineal gland (2) and vagina (1). AFP levels were elevated in 19, beta-HCG in 8. Complete marker response was achieved in 19 out of 19 evaluable patients and complete remission of measurable tumour in 16 out of 19, 12 with chemotherapy alone and 4 with the addition of surgery. A reduction in glomerular filtration rate greater than 10% occurred in 3 of 12 evaluable patients; in none greater than 20%. Sequential audiography was normal in 11 out of 12 evaluated. The regimen was myelosuppressive with WHO grade III or IV myelosuppression occurring in 12 patients. Three patients have relapsed; one with a pineal germinoma who relapsed in the abdomen six months after diagnosis, and two with sacrococcygeal teratomas and lung metastases. Two of these remain in second complete remission after further treatment. There was one death from probable bleomycin pulmonary toxicity. We conclude that this regimen is simple to administer and, apart from myelosuppression, it is well tolerated. It appears to have comparable efficacy to cisplatin-based regimens but with much less nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity and avoids the use of alkylating agents and anthracyclines.

Background. Current treatment of stage III favorable histology (FH) Wilms tumor is surgery, radiotherapy to residual disease, and ''triple'' chemotherapy (vincristine, dactinomycin, and doxorubicin) for 12 months. This study tests the hypothesis that some stage III patients, especially very young children with minimal residual abdominal disease, might be successfully treated without radiotherapy, thereby avoiding the adverse late effects associated with radiotherapy. Procedure. From 1984, radiotherapy was omitted from the treatment of 8 carefully selected children who were younger than 3 years of age at diagnosis with stage III Wilms tumor by virtue of microscopic residual disease after surgery and whose lymph nodes were not involved by tumor. They were followed with bimonthly abdominal ultrasound examinations to assess local control. Results. Follow-up is now from 2 to 12 years (me dian 6 years) and 7 of the 8 children are alive and well with no abdominal recurrence. One child relapsed in the lungs and despite further treatment died of progressive disease. The disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) are therefore both 87.5%. Conclusions. The DFS and OS in this admittedly small sample are consistent with the survival rates for stage III FH Wilms tumor in the first United Kingdom Children's Cancer Study Group (UKCCSG), North American (NWTS), and European (SIOP) Wilms Tumor studies. Larger numbers of patients are needed to determine whether or not this treatment approach is generally applicable, but we conclude that some children in this stage III ''substage'' may be treated successfully without radiotherapy. Med. Pediatr. Oncol. 31:150-152, 1998. (C) 1998 Wiley- Liss, Inc

Recent findings have increased our understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of hepatoblastoma and their relationship to the molecular pathology of familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). Here, we describe hepatoblastoma in siblings who share a gene mutation for FAP inherited from their father. This observation confirms the link between these diseases and has implications for future molecular research. We also raise the question; should other members of 'at-risk' families be screened following a new diagnosis of either hepatoblastoma or FAP?

Langerhans' cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare disorder of unknown etiology and pathogenesis. End-stage chronic liver disease is one presentation and orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) has been reported in 17 cases, with variable resolution of LCH lesions postoperatively. We report a case of multisystem LCH with end-stage liver disease treated by OLT and review the overall results of OLT for children with LCH.

We have observed hepatopathy, associated with thrombocytopenia, in children receiving chemotherapy for Wilms' tumor. We have studied this hepatopathy-thrombocytopenia syndrome (HTS) in patients enrolled in the United Kingdom Childrens' Cancer Study Group (UKCCSG) Wilms' tumor trials (UKW1 and UKW2). At the time of this study, 501 patients had completed therapy. Treatment flow sheets were examined for evidence of hepatopathy (hepatomegaly with abnormal liver function tests) and severe thrombocytopenia (platelet count less than 25 x 10(9)/L). No child who developed the syndrome had received irradiation. HTS was seen in five of 355 (1.4%) of patients treated with combination chemotherapy but in none of the 146 patients treated with vincristine alone. In each instance, the onset was less than 10 weeks after diagnosis. In two children, hepatopathy was severe with jaundice, ascites, transaminases greater than 1,000 IU/L, and prolongation of prothrombin time. On average, HTS lasted 12 days, and resolved with supportive treatment. After recovery, the children tolerated chemotherapy, mostly at reduced dosage, without recurrence. There was no evident long-term morbidity. Dactinomycin is the probable cause of this syndrome. We conclude that the HTS is a rare but important complication of dactinomycin-containing combination chemotherapy for Wilms' tumor. Children developing "isolated" thrombocytopenia following dactinomycin are "at risk" of developing the full-blown syndrome and should have their treatment modified accordingly.

SUMMARY During a 5 year period, 64 children with advanced stage malignant solid tumours have been treated with high dose melphalan (140-220 mg/m2) combined with non-cryopreserved autologous marrow transplantation. All children developed a profound neutropenia and thrombocytopenia following high dose melphalan. Both the duration of neutropenia (median l1d) and the duration of thrombocytopenia (median 18 d) were related to the nucleated cell count of the reinfused marrow but neither appeared to be affected by the dose of melphalan. This suggests that the initial recovery of the peripheral blood count results from the engrafted autologous marrow. We conclude that autologous marrow transplantation accelerates haemopoietic recovery in children with solid tumours treated with high dose melphalan.

Two hundred and eight serial bone marrow samples from 49 consecutively diagnosed children with neuroblastoma were studied retrospectively for evidence of tumour invasion. Bone marrow involvement was found in 24 patients at diagnosis and in four more at a later stage in their disease. Trephine biopsies were more effective than aspirates for tumour detection in 20% of the 154 paired aspirate/trephine procedures, whilst the reverse was the case in 7%. Imprints of trephines gave no additional information. Bilateral sampling (aspirates and trephines) improved the tumour detection rate by 10% over that attained by sampling a single site. There was some correlation between specific appearances in aspirate and in trephine samples, for example the hypocellular smear and the trephine biopsy showing much stromal reaction to tumour infiltration. Bilateral iliac crest bone marrow aspirates and trephine biopsies are indicated in children with neuroblastoma, both for initial staging and for monitoring of progress.

Twenty-five patients with progressive or recurrent neuroblastoma were treated with single-agent ifosfamide. In 2 of 10 relapsing patients, an objective response was observed. If ifosfamide is administered in a dose of 3000 mg/m2 for 2 days every 3 weeks, a response can be expected in 8% of the cases.

A nine-month-old girl with a rare rhabdoid variant of Wilms' tumour but no sign of bony metastases developed hypercalcaemia both at the time of diagnosis and at relapse. Tissue culture studies showed that primary tumour tissue and cells cultured from it released significant bone resorting activity, attributable to prostaglandins, into the culture medium, whereas tissue from a normal kidney and a Wilms' tumour not associated with hypercalcaemia did not. Serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels were normal and PTH was not found in the culture medium of tumour tissue. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that tumour-derived prostaglandins were responsible for the hypercalcaemia in this patient.

Summary Multi-system histiocytosis X is still a potentially fatal disorder. Death occurs from pulmonary, hepatic, small bowel or bone marrow failure often with severe intercurrent infection as the terminal illness. Chemotherapy has had some impact on mortality but morbidity in survivors is still a real problem. Around 50% of survivors will have a significant handicap. Complete response can be achieved with a variety of chemotherapeutic agents but the introduction of combination therapy has led to unacceptable toxicity especially in the very young. There is preliminary evidence that treatment with calf ‘thymic humoral factor’ may benefit a proportion of patients. This recent work supports the notion that histiocytosis X is not a true malignancy, but rather a subtle form of immune deficiency possibly involving a soluble thymic or T-lym-phocyte product.

Messenger RNA(mRNA) has been prepared from reticulocytes obtained from patients with different types of thalassaemia and assayed in the wheat germ system. Since normal human reticulocyte mRNA directs the synthesis of equal numbers of alpha- and beta-globin chains in this system it offers a rapid and simple technique for assaying mRNA in the thalassaemic disorders. In mRNA from beta+ thalassaemics the deficiency of beta-globin synthesis mirrored that observed in intact reticulocytes while that prepared from patients wiht haemoglobin H disease gave alpha/beta globin chain production ratios which showed consistently greater imbalance than was found in reticulocytes. Messenger RNA prepared from haemoglobin E-beta0 thalassaemics from Thailand directed no detectable beta-chain synthesis while that prepared from a betaO thalassaemic from Ferrara synthesized a fraction with the chromatographic characteristics of beta-globin chains.

Etude retrospective de 20 cas de tumeur de Wilms traites en dehors du Groupe d'Etude des Cancers de l'Enfant. 10 des 20 enfants ont recu des doses de radiotherapie nettement superieures a celles demandees par leur etat. La radiotherapie est bien toleree en general chez l'enfant mais les effets nefastes tardifs sont importants. Les centres specialises sont plus aptes a preciser les traitements convenant a chaque stade de la maladie