Search

We report the first pediatric patient infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron variant in Japan. The patient was a one-year-old boy who resided in Japan. He went abroad from 12 November 2021 to 28 November 2021 with his parents and had no known contact with COVID-19 patients there. His father tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 via quantitative antigen test on arrival at Narita International Airport on 28 November 2021. Because the boy and his mother both tested negative for SARS-CoV-2, they quarantined together at a hotel separately from his father. On 4 December 2021, the boy tested positive by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for SARS-CoV-2 without symptoms and was hospitalized with his mother. He and his father were both found to be infected with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. The boy had not been vaccinated for COVID-19. The RT-PCR results were negative starting 20 December 2021. The incubation period and required period for negative conversion of SARS-CoV-2 RNA of this Omicron variant case were similar to the periods of conventional cases. We have to carefully consider the potential of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant to spread widely among unvaccinated children.

The COVID-19 pandemic required our pediatric health care staff to adjust to many irregularities and solve serious issues in our routine clinical practice. In outpatient clinics, many children exhibited common cold symptoms that mimic COVID-19, thus we initially screened patients via an interview form, then later via SARS-CoV-2 antigen test. Cluster infections were entirely avoided by following systematic, everyday precautions. Patientsquality of life has been difficult to maintain during the pandemic, due to social and staffing restrictions. Other unexpected repercussions - such as an unexpected lack of seasonal virus infections, then a respiratory syncytial (RS) virus outbreak - required agile management of hospital resources. While we must continue to adapt our treatment programs in response to the evolving COVID-19 crisis, it remains essential to support the well-being of children through regular health check-ups, mental health support, educational opportunities, proper socialization, and close communication with parents and families.

Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (nHIE) is a major neonatal brain injury. Despite therapeutic hypothermia, mortality and sequelae remain severe. The lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1) is associated with the pathophysiology of nHIE. In this study, morphologic change and microglial activation under the nHIE condition and LOX-1 treatment were investigated. The microglial activity and proliferation were assessed with a novel morphologic method, immunostaining, and quantitative PCR in the rat brains of both nHIE model and anti–LOX-1 treatment. Circumference ratio, the long diameter ratio, the cell area ratio, and the roundness of microglia were calculated. The correlation of the morphologic metrics and microglial activation in nHIE model and anti–LOX-1 treated brains was evaluated. LOX-1 was expressed in activated ameboid and round microglia in the nHIE model rat brain. In the evaluation of microglial activation, the novel morphologic metrics correlated with all scales of the nHIE-damaged and treated brains. While the circumference and long diameter ratios had a positive correlation, the cell area ratio and roundness had a negative correlation. Anti–LOX-1 treatment attenuated morphologic microglial activation and proliferation, and suppressed the subsequent production of inflammatory mediators by microglia. In human nHIE, round microglia and endothelial cells expressed LOX-1. The results indicate that LOX-1 regulates microglial activation in nHIE and anti–LOX-1 treatment attenuates brain injury by suppressing microglial activation.

Drug-induced crystalluria is reportedly caused by a large number of drugs. Tosufloxacin (TFLX), a second-generation fluoroquinolone antibiotic, is reported to cause kidney injury and crystalluria. We retrospectively analyzed patients with crystalluria caused by TFLX to clarify the clinical course of TFLX-induced crystalluria in children.This study was designed as a retrospective case series using the database of the National Center for Global Medicine covering the period from January 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021. We enrolled pediatric patients aged 15 years or younger with crystalluria attributable to TFLX treated in our pediatric department and collected clinical data.Thirteen patients were diagnosed with crystalluria attributable to TFLX. The median age of the patients at diagnosis was 4.0 years (range, 0.8-15 years; interquartile range = 1.2-8.8 years), and five patients (38%) were male. Six patients (46%) had gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting and abdominal pain, and 12 patients (92%) had decreased oral intake. The median time to diagnosis after TFLX administration was 4 days (range, 2-7 days; interquartile range = 3-6 days). All patients received TFLX at the appropriate dose. Two patients (17%) were diagnosed with acute kidney injury, and both had gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting and abdominal pain.Crystalluria induced by TFLX occurred despite administration of the appropriate dose of TFLX. Physicians should recognize crystalluria and renal injury attributable to TFLX. It may be possible to prevent renal injury by discontinuing drug therapy.

The occurrence of a primary mediastinal germ cell tumor and hematological neoplasia provides a poor prognosis that is known to be fatal at a median of 6 months after onset. We report the case of a 15-year-old male who was treated with chemotherapy and hematopoietic cell transplantation based on a report of a surviving case. At diagnosis, the patient had an unresectable mediastinal tumor with elevated alpha-fetoprotein and human chorionic gonadotropin levels and acute megakaryoblastic leukemia. We prioritized treatment with chemotherapy for the tumor owing to the oncological emergency. We then performed leukemia induction therapy and achieved complete remission. Although we used CDDP in combination with intensive therapy, the mediastinal tumor grew too large for it to be safely resected. We transplanted bone marrow from the patient's human leukocyte antigen-haploidentical sibling upon conditioning with busulfan-melphalan. After 44 days, the leukemia recurred in the patient's central nervous system. This was followed by various post-transplant complications, and the patient died of organ failure that was associated with infectious diseases. At necropsy, a poorly engrafted bone marrow was observed. The mediastinal tumor was primarily necrotic, although some immature teratoma components were observed. No leukemic precursor cells were detected. Residual mediastinal tumors may be associated with the recurrence of leukemias. We seek a treatment strategy that enables early tumor resection and high-dose chemotherapy. Further case studies are warranted along with the development of effective treatment methods.

Background In Japan, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is widely performed for recurrent neuroblastomas. This retrospective study aimed to investigate the prognosis of recurrent neuroblastoma in Japan and explore the effectiveness of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Methods Clinical characteristics and data on the treatment of patients with high-risk neuroblastoma who experienced first progression between 2003 and 2010 after attaining complete remission or partial remission were collected from hospitals participating in the Japanese Neuroblastoma Research Group. Results Data from 61 patients who fulfilled these criteria were collected. The median interval from disease onset to first progression was 19 months (range, 7–65 months), whereas the median observation time of the surviving patients was 18 months (range, 1–69 months). All patients were treated with chemotherapy, where 22 and 3 patients received allogeneic and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, respectively. Seven patients were alive in second complete remission, and 39 died, including two in complete remission. The 3-year progression-free survival and overall survival rates were 15.3% (SE: 6.1%) and 16.9% (SE: 6.5%), respectively. For patients with allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, the 3-year progression-free survival and overall survival were 28.3% (standard error, 12.0%) and 24.3% (standard error, 11.5%), respectively, and for patients without allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, the 3-year progression-free survival and overall survival were 6.0% (standard error 5.5%) and 12.0% (standard error 7.6%), respectively. The duration of initial remission (≥ 18 months) and implementation of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation were independently predictive of progression-free survival (P = 0.002 and P = 0.017), whereas for overall survival, only allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation was predictive (P = 0.012). Conclusion Although allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation contributed to some improvement in prognosis, it was insufficient.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is commonly associated with major BCR-ABL transcript. We present a child with blastic phase CML associated with minor BCR-ABL transcript without prior CML diagnosis. Diagnosis was achieved by fluorescence in situ hybridization of peripheral blood neutrophils, which identified 90% as BCR-ABL positive. The patient received chemotherapy with imatinib followed by dasatinib and underwent reduced-intensity hematopoietic allogeneic stem cell transplantation with prophylactic posttransplant dasatinib for 2 years and has remained in complete molecular remission. Our intensified treatment regimen was effective compared with previous studies on minor BCR-ABL CML describing inferior outcomes with tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy.

Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (nHIE) is a major neonatal brain injury. Despite therapeutic hypothermia, mortality and sequelae remain severe. The lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1) is associated with the pathophysiology of nHIE. In this study, morphologic change and microglial activation under the nHIE condition and LOX-1 treatment were investigated. The microglial activity and proliferation were assessed with a novel morphologic method, immunostaining, and quantitative PCR in the rat brains of both nHIE model and anti-LOX-1 treatment. Circumference ratio, the long diameter ratio, the cell area ratio, and the roundness of microglia were calculated. The correlation of the morphologic metrics and microglial activation in nHIE model and anti-LOX-1 treated brains was evaluated. LOX-1 was expressed in activated ameboid and round microglia in the nHIE model rat brain. In the evaluation of microglial activation, the novel morphologic metrics correlated with all scales of the nHIE-damaged and treated brains. While the circumference and long diameter ratios had a positive correlation, the cell area ratio and roundness had a negative correlation. Anti-LOX-1 treatment attenuated morphologic microglial activation and proliferation, and suppressed the subsequent production of inflammatory mediators by microglia. In human nHIE, round microglia and endothelial cells expressed LOX-1. The results indicate that LOX-1 regulates microglial activation in nHIE and anti-LOX-1 treatment attenuates brain injury by suppressing microglial activation.

Combination therapy for toxoplasmosis consists of sulfadiazine, pyrimethamine and leucovorin. Although sulfadiazine can cause hypersensitivity reactions, such as fever, rash and liver dysfunction, there is no consensus on an effective therapy for congenital toxoplasmosis (CTox) without sulfadiazine. We attempted desensitization to sulfadiazine in 2 patients with CTox and sulfadiazine hypersensitivity. Desensitization was achieved for 1 patient.

Chest radiographs should be obtained at the peak of inspiration so that radiological findings can be precisely interpreted. However, this is not easily achieved, particularly in young children who do not follow the instruction to hold their breath. We developed a sensor that detects the breathing movements and conducted a randomized controlled study to determine whether the sensor would increase the proportion of chest radiographs obtained in the inspiration phase. We recruited 124 infants and children aged less than 3 years, who visited the pediatric department of a general hospital in Tokyo, Japan, and allocated them into one of two groups: with-sensor and without-sensor groups. Overall, 81% of all images were obtained during inspiration. The proportion of chest radiographs taken during inspiration was not statistically different between the two groups (81% vs. 82%). In the with-sensor group, radiologic technologists were able to obtain chest radiographs of the same quality while not observing the chest movement, but the sensor. The use of the sensor did not increase the proportion of chest radiographs taken in the inspiration phase in this study. However, this null result may indicate the possibility of utilizing the sensor for automatizing chest radiography in the future.

Due to the significant spread of a new type of coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) infection (COVID-19) in China, the Chinese government blockaded several cities in Hubei Province. Japanese citizens lost a means of transportation to return back to Japan. The National Center for Global Health and Medicine (NCGM) helped the operation of charter flights for evacuation of Japanese residents from Hubei Province, and this article outlines our experiences. A total of five charter flights were dispatched, and the majority of returnees (793/829 [95.7%]) were handled at NCGM. A large number of personnel from various departments participated in this operation; 107 physicians, 115 nurses, 110 clerical staff, and 45 laboratory technicians in total. Several medical translators were also involved. In this operation, we conducted airborne precautions in addition to contact precautions. Eye shields were also used. The doctors collecting the pharyngeal swab used a coverall to minimize the risk of body surface contamination from secretions and droplets. Enhanced hand hygiene using alcohol hand sanitizer was performed. Forty-eight persons were ultimately hospitalized after the triage at NCGM operation, which was more than the number of persons triaged at the airport (n = 34). Of those hospitalized after NCGM triage, 8.3% (4/48 patients) ultimately tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, significantly higher than the positive rate among subjects not triaged (4/48 [8.3%] vs. 9/745 [1.2%]: p = 0.0057). NCGM participated in a large-scale operation to evacuate Japanese nationals from the COVID-19 epidemic area. We were able to establish a scheme through this experience that can be used in the future.

The Japanese Children’s Cancer Group (JCCG) Neuroblastoma Committee (JNBSG) conducted a phase II clinical trial for high-risk neuroblastoma treatment. We report the result of the protocol treatment and associated genomic aberration studies. JN-H-07 was a single-arm, late phase II trial for high-risk neuroblastoma treatment with open enrollment from June 2007 to February 2009. Eligible patients underwent five courses of induction chemotherapy followed by high-dose chemotherapy with hematopoietic stem cell rescue. Surgery for the primary tumor was scheduled after three or four courses of induction chemotherapy. Radiotherapy was administered to the primary tumor site and to any bone metastases present at the end of induction chemotherapy. The estimated 3-year progression-free and overall survival rates of the 50 patients enrolled were 36.5 ± 7.0 and 69.5 ± 6.6%, respectively. High-dose chemotherapy caused severe toxicity including three treatment-related deaths. In response to this, the high-dose chemotherapy regimen was modified during the trial by infusing melphalan before administering carboplatin and etoposide. The modified high-dose chemotherapy regimen was less toxic. Univariate analysis revealed that patients younger than 547 days and patients whose tumor showed a whole chromosomal gains / losses pattern had a significantly poor prognosis. Notably, the progression-free survival of cases with MYCN amplification were not inferior to those without MYCN amplification. The outcome of patients treated with the JN-H-07 protocol showed improvement over the results reported by previous studies conducted in Japan. Molecular and genetic profiling may enable a more precise stratification of the high-risk cohort.

Multidisciplinary therapy has increased the risk of subsequent late effects, but detailed analyses on secondary cancers in childhood cancer survivors (CCSs) are limited in Asian countries. This was a retrospective cohort study comprising 10,069 CCSs who were diagnosed between 1980 and 2009 across 15 Japanese hospitals. We conducted secondary analyses to estimate the incidence of secondary cancer according to each primary malignancy and to elucidate the association between primary and secondary cancers. We also explored the risk factors for the development of secondary cancer in each independent primary malignancy. The cumulative incidence of secondary cancer at 20 years varied among primary cancers: hematological malignancy, 3.1% (95% CI 2.2–4.3); retinoblastoma, 6.6% (95% CI 1.5–16.8); pediatric solid tumor, 2.5% (95% CI 1.3–4.2); brain tumors, 5.2% (95% CI 1.7–11.8) bone/soft tissue sarcoma, 5.2% (95% CI 2.3–10.1); and others, 3.3% (95% CI 1.6–6.0) (p = 0.015). The cumulative incidence of secondary cancers is highest in those with osteosarcoma (13.1%) followed by those with hepatoblastoma (8.4%) and retinoblastoma (6.6%). Close association between the primary and secondary cancer diagnoses was found. The risk factors for secondary cancer development depended on the primary cancer, but autologous/allogeneic stem cell transplantation was a relatively common risk factor. The cumulative incidence of secondary cancer varied among primary cancers. The primary cancer was closely associated with the secondary cancer but stem cell transplantation was a common risk factor for secondary cancers among CCSs.

In the era of Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) in which human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection affected children can expect a better prognosis, the importance of careful follow up of pediatric HIV-1 cases for neurological complications has been growing. We present a case of hemorrhagic Moyamoya syndrome in a child with congenital HIV-1 infection. A 10-year-old girl was referred to our hospital for the treatment of Pneumocystis Jirovecii Pneumonia (PCP: Pneumocystis pneumonia). Her HIV-1 control was poor and Moyamoya syndrome was found during the opportunistic infection screening at admission. Despite subsequent successful treatment of PCP and HIV-1 infection, we could not save her life due to the intracranial hemorrhage caused by Moyamoya syndrome. A few reported cases of Moyamoya syndrome associated with HIV-1 infection have shown negative outcomes when the control of HIV-1 infection is unsuccessful. Recently "HIV-associated vasculopathy" has been used to describe the cerebrovascular disorder related to HIV-1 infection that is caused by the endothelial dysfunction induced from chronic inflammation and cytokine imbalances due to HIV-1 infection. We assumed that "HIV-associated vasculopathy" may have contributed to the development of collateral vessels impairment related to the bleeding, although the mechanism of vascular damage with HIV-1 infection is not yet well defined. Therefore proper management of the HIV-1 infection is crucial for Moyamoya syndrome with HIV-1 cases. Furthermore it is better to take into account the risk of intracerebral hemorrhage when considering the indication and timing of the revascularization surgery, although generally hemorrhaging is rare in Moyamoya disease in children.

BACKGROUND Tenascin-C (TN-C) is an extracellular matrix glycoprotein that is heavily upregulated at sites of inflammation. We conducted a retrospective study to assess the utility of TN-C as a novel biomarker to predict the risk of developing coronary artery lesions (CAL) and resistance to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in patients with Kawasaki disease (KD).Methods and Results:We collected blood samples of 111 KD patients (IVIG-responder: 89, IVIG-resistant: 22; CAL: 8) and 23 healthy controls, and measured the serum levels of TN-C. TN-C levels on admission were significantly higher in patients than in healthy controls and in patients during convalescence after IVIG administration (69.6 vs. 20.4 vs. 39.7 ng/ml, respectively; P

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most common cause of congenital infection. Pneumonitis is considered to be a rare manifestation although congenital CMV infection presents with various non-specific findings. Ganciclovir and valganciclovir are beneficial for improving neurodevelopmental sequelae and hearing outcomes of congenital CMV infection; however, treatment response evaluation is not well reported. We report a female case of congenital CMV infection presenting with pneumonitis, meningoencephalitis, and chorioretinitis. She was treated with intravenous ganciclovir for 6 weeks, and clinical features improved. Measurement of the CMV genome load by real-time polymerase chain reaction assay was performed during treatment. After the administration of ganciclovir, the CMV genome was not detected in the blood and levels decreased gradually in the urine. Physicians should consider the possibility of congenital CMV infection in neonates who present with respiratory distress. Furthermore, measurement of the CMV genome load in blood and urine may be useful for evaluating treatment response.

We present a case of Kawasaki Disease (KD) that was refractory to plasma exchange (PE), but which finally responded to concurrent intravenous methylprednisolone pulse (IVMP) and PE treatment. To determine direct and indirect evidence for the efficacy of this combination therapy, we analyzed data of patients with refractory KD by review of the literature using medical databases and cytokine profiling. For literature searches, we used the Pubmed™ and Ichushi™ databases. Search terms used included “Kawasaki disease” and “plasma exchange” to extract articles that described KD cases treated with PE. For cytokine profiling, we measured interleukin (IL)-6, soluble tumor necrosis factor-α receptor (sTNF-αR) type 1 and type 2 before and after PE and PE with IVMP. Our search revealed 201 KD patients treated with PE, of which PE treatment was effective in 188 patients (93.5%), but not in 13 cases (6.5%). All 13 cases were treated successfully with additional treatment. Of the 13 cases, only six (2.5%) had recurrence during the PE treatment period. In our case, cytokine profiling showed PE treatment decreased IL6, while sTNF-αR type1 and type2 remained at high levels. PE and IVMP decreased IL-6 and sTNFα-R type 1 and type 2 levels. Conclusion: PE concurrent with additional anti-inflammatory treatment such as IVMP might be a very promising treatment option for PE refractory patients.

Patients with severe aplastic anemia (SAA) and an absolute neutrophil count (ANC) of 0 typically have fatal outcomes. We defined fulminant AA (FAA) as ANC = 0 for at least 2 weeks prior to and after immunosuppressive therapy (IST). We analyzed the outcomes of 35 children with FAA among 288 children who enrolled in a prospective study for AA (AA-97 study). AA was classified as FAA (n = 35), very SAA (vSAA; n = 129), or SAA (n = 124). All of the children received the IST with horse anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) and cyclosporine (CsA). A significantly lower response rate at 6 months was seen in children with FAA when compared to those with vSAA or SAA (40.0, 63.6, and 63.7 %, respectively; p = 0.027). Of 20 nonresponder patients in the FAA group, 11 were rescued by alternative donor transplantation, and 5 patients showed a late response after 6 months. Consequently, no significant difference was noted in overall survival when comparing the FAA, vSAA, and SAA groups (88.5, 95.8, and 96.8 %). These findings indicate that IST with ATG and CsA is justified as a first-line treatment for children with FAA who lack a human leukocyte antigen-matched sibling donor.

Purpose Perifosine is an alkylphospholipid analog that inhibits or modulates signaling through signal transduction pathways such as Akt, which is enhanced in neuroblastoma (NB) by activation of tyrosine kinase receptors. We conducted a phase I study of perifosine in Japanese patients with recurrent or refractory NB. Experimental Design All patients enrolled were over 2 years of age; all had refractory or relapsed NB and a performance status of greater than 50%. Perifosine was orally administered at a loading dose (100–300 mg) on day 1 and at a maintenance dose (50–150 mg) from day 2 onward. Dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) and pharmacokinetics were assessed in Step 1 and safety and efficacy in Step 2. Results Nineteen patients were recruited. No DLT was observed. Adverse reactions occurring in more than 30% of the patients were vomiting (63%), nausea (53%), and diarrhea (37%). The mean plasma concentration of perifosine was 27.5 ± 9.8 μM on day 15 and 27.3 ± 11.5 μM on day 29. The response rate (RR) in 18 patients evaluable according to modified International Neuroblastoma Response Criteria was 0%; the disease control rate (DCR) was 56%. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 122 days. In 11 patients evaluable according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors, the RR and DCR were 9% and 55%, respectively. The median PFS was not reached. Conclusions Perifosine monotherapy was well tolerated in Japanese patients with recurrent/refractory NB. Further investigations in combination with other anticancer or molecular targeted agents are warranted.

Aims To identify left ventricular (LV) mechanical impairment by 3D speckle-tracking echocardiography (3DSTE) in long-term childhood cancer survivors after anthracycline therapy with or without persistent LV regional diastolic wall motion abnormalities (WMA) and a preserved LV ejection fraction (EF >53%). Methods and results Thirty-two patients (median: 14.6 years) and 12 age-matched controls were studied. The patients were divided into two groups according to the existence of WMA: Group 1 (with WMA: n = 14), Group 2 (without WMA: n = 18). 3DSTE was performed to assess LV global longitudinal strain (GLS), global circumferential strain (GCS), global radial strain (GRS), global area strain (GAS), LV torsion, LV end-diastolic volume (LVEDV), and LV end-systolic volume (LVESV). LV systolic dyssynchrony index (SDI) was calculated as the percentage of the standard deviation of time to peak strain of the 16 segments divided by the RR interval. There was no significant difference in LVEDV, LVESV, GLS, torsion, or SDI derived from LS, CS, or AS among the 3 groups. In contrast, there were significant differences in GRS, GCS, and GAS, and SDI derived from RS among the 3 groups. Compared with group 2, group 1 had significantly reduced GRS (p

Introduction Recombinant thrombomodulin (rTM), which degrades factors Va and VIIIa by activating protein C, has been developed as a new drug for treating disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Materials and methods Since July 2009, we have treated 25 children with DIC using rTM (380 U/kg/day, or 130 U/kg/day for newborns) as a first-line therapy. Median duration of rTM administration was 5 consecutive days (range, 2–13 days). We employed DIC criteria of the Japan Welfare and Health Ministry. The first day on which rTM treatment was given was defined as day 1. Results Median patients age was 3 years. Underlying diseases were hematological disorders (n = 13) and severe infection (n = 12). Overall, 20 of the 25 patients had recovered from DIC by day 7 and 22 of the 25 patients remained alive at day 28. Median Pediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction score improved from 11 on day 1 to 2 on day 7 (p = 0.009). Laboratory data (median) on day 7 (prothrombin time (PT) ratio, 1.15; fibrin and fibrinogen degradation products (FDP), 9.6 mg/l; D-dimer, 1.6 mg/l FEU; antithrombin, 112%; protein C, 105%) were significantly improved compared to results on day 1 (PT ratio, 1.39; FDP, 21.6 mg/l; D-dimer, 6.4 mg/l FEU; antithrombin, 86%; protein C, 54%). Whereas, 5 patients failed to respond and serious bleeding events were observed in 2 newborns. Conclusion The efficacy of rTM cannot be assessed from the present dataset, due to several limitations such as the small heterogenous patient cohort, and the lack of age- and disease-matched controls. Nevertheless, this case-series remains important in terms of enabling further prospective control studies to evaluate the efficacy of rTM in children.

Background Recent reports have shown a correlation between extensive Mongolian spots and mucopolysaccharidosis type II (Hunter syndrome). However, a statistical survey of the incidence and natural history of extensive Mongolian spots among the patients with Hunter syndrome is lacking. Objectives To determine the prevalence of extensive Mongolian spots, to determine the natural course of the spots according to age in Japanese patients with Hunter syndrome, and to compare them with the results obtained from the patients’ brothers who did not have Hunter syndrome. Patients/Methods Fifty-two males with Hunter syndrome aged 3 to 40 years were studied. Twenty-five patients were examined in two clinics to determine the existence and characteristics of the spots. We interviewed their families about the spots in their neonates and the natural course of the spots according to their ages. The same survey was done among another 27 patients using a mailed questionnaire to their families. As control, we investigated 21 brothers of the patients by a mailed questionnaire to their families. Results The extensive Mongolian spots are identified in almost all the infants with Hunter syndrome and disappear extremely later in their life. The lesions had a high incidence of deep-blue hyperpigmentation. Regardless of age, the overall incidence was 78%. All of the brothers who did not have Hunter syndrome had common-type Mongolian spots in neonates, which regressed during their childhood. Conclusion Our results confirm a strong correlation between extensive Mongolian spots and Hunter syndrome for the Japanese population. The presence of extensive Mongolian blue spots should alert the physician to the possibility of Hunter syndrome.

Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most common malignant solid tumor in childhood. There are well-recognized prognostic factors in NB such as age at diagnosis, organ of origin, stages, MYCN gene amplification, and expression of H-ras, trkA and survivin. Moreover, we investigated the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), p53, stem cell factor (SCF) and c-kit of its receptor with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 22 NBs and 4 other tumors (one malignant lymphoma, one malignant teratoma, and 2 rhabdomyosarcomas) samples. The correlation between patients' prognoses and the expression of TH or c-kit was newly recognized, particularly the good prognosis in patients in whom c-kit highly expressed and the poor prognosis contrarily associated with low or no expression, although the SCF of its ligand had no relationship with patient prognosis. It is possible that tumors without c-kit expression can not react with SCF (via the autocrine or paracrine system) and remain immature. It may be that this is a new critical clinical event in NB patients.

Positron emission tomography combined with computed tomography (PET/CT) is a promising diagnostic procedure for the detection of extramedullary disease (EMD) in acute myeloid leukemia. We studied 2 children with acute myeloid leukemia who underwent PET to assess for EMD at diagnosis as well as in remission. We detected 5 EMD lesions in 2 cases with PET, only 2 of which were detectable on clinical examination. Our cases show PET's increased sensitivity over physical examination alone in assessing and monitoring the extent of this disease.

Background The epidemiology of secondary cancers in childhood cancer survivors has been unknown in Asian countries. Our aim is to assess the incidence and risk factors for secondary cancers through a nationwide survey in Japan. \nMethods A retrospective cohort study comprising 10,069 children who were diagnosed with cancer between 1980 and 2009 was conducted in 15 Japanese hospitals. The cumulative incidence rate was calculated using death as the competing risk and compared by the Gray method. The standardized incidence ratio (SIR) was defined as the ratio of the number of observed cancers divided by the number of expected cancers. The risk factors were analyzed using Cox regression analysis. \nResults One hundred and twenty-eight patients (1.3 %) developed secondary cancers within a median follow-up of 8.4 years. The cumulative incidence rate was 1.1 % (95 % confidence interval [CI] 0.9–1.4) at 10 years and 2.6 % (95 % CI 2.1–3.3) at 20 years after primary cancer diagnosis. Sensitivity analysis, limited to 5-year survivors (n = 5,387), confirmed these low incidence rates. The SIR of secondary cancers was 12.1 (95 % CI 10.1–14.4). In the Cox analysis, the hazard ratios for secondary cancers were 3.81 (95 % CI 1.53–9.47) for retinoblastoma, 2.78 (95 % CI 1.44–5.38) for bone/soft tissue sarcomas, and 1.81 (95 % CI 1.16–2.83) for allogeneic stem cell transplantation. \nConclusions The cumulative incidence of secondary cancers in children in Japan was not high; however, the SIR was relatively high. Retinoblastoma or sarcoma in addition to allogeneic stem cell transplantation were significant risk factors for secondary cancers.

Malignant rhabdoid tumor of the kidney (MRTK) is a rare but highly aggressive tumor in children, and knowledge about the molecular signature of this tumor is limited. We report the molecular genetic alterations and gene expression profile of an MRTK tumor that arose in a 4-month-old Japanese girl. Fluorescence in situ hybridization and Southern blot analyses revealed a homozygous deletion of an approximately 0.29-Mb genomic region bordered by the Rgr and DDT genes in these tumor cells. This deleted region encodes SMARCB1, a candidate tumor suppressor gene for MRTK. Using a high-density oligonucleotide DNA array, we found increased expression of 25 genes, including genes involved in the cell cycle (10 genes), DNA replication (3 genes), cell growth (5 genes), and cell proliferation (5 genes), in this MRTK tumor sample, compared with a noncancerous kidney (NK) sample. On the other hand, 64 genes, including 4 genes regulating apoptosis, were found to show decreased expression in this MRTK tumor sample, compared with the NK sample. Among these alterations, we found alterations of expression of some genes, such as IGF2, MDK, TP53, and TNFSF10, in this MRTK tumor, as described previously. The molecular genetic alterations and altered pattern of gene expression found in this case may have contributed to the biological characteristics of the MRTK tumor that arose in our patient.

Two cases of hepatoblastoma with unique karyotypic changes are described. One case was that of a 2-year-old boy with an unbalanced chromosomal translocation involving 4q35 as the sole chromosomal abnormality. The clonal karyotype of this tumor was 46,XY,add(4)(q35)[3]/46,XY[9]. In the other case, that of a 2-year-old boy, karyotypic analyses revealed the clonal karyotype as 57,XY,+del(1)(p22),+2,+5,+6,+7,+8,+del(12)(p12),+18,+19,+20,+22[4]/46,XY[12]. Review of these two cases, together with previous reports, underscored the significance of numerical and/or structural chromosomal abnormalities of 1q, 4q, 2, 8, and 20 in the development of hepatoblastoma. The present results show that imbalance of the terminal region of 4q could be the sole chromosomal abnormality in a hepatoblastoma. We also found that imbalance of chromosomal regions on chromosomes 1 and 12 may contribute to the development of hepatoblastoma.

Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most common malignant solid tumor in childhood, and among all childhood malignancies is second in prevalence only to leukemia. In NB we need to both make an accurate diagnosis and rapidly analyze the expression of genetic prognostic factors such as MYCN, H-ras, and trkA. Moreover, it has recently become important to analyze the expression of survivin mRNA, a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein family. Expression of the survivin gene is related to tumorigenesis and inhibition of apoptosis in some malignant tumors. We investigated its expression by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in NB cell lines (SK-N-SH, NB-39, and IMR-32), two normal blood cell samples, and 13 clinical NB tumor samples. All three NB cell lines had high levels of mRNA expression for this gene, but normal blood cells had no expression. We detected expression of survivin mRNA in 7 of the 13 NB tumor samples (54%). Two NB patients were in stage I disease, 6 in stage II, and 5 in stage IV(A). Quantitative analysis by RT-PCR revealed that the ratio between survivin mRNA and human glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (h-GAPDH) mRNA was very low in stages I and II (0-0.017). In contrast, in advanced NBs (stage IV(A)) the ratio was much higher (0-0.050). The prognoses of the three patients in the advanced stage who had high ratios of expression were poor. A high level of expression of survivin mRNA indicates a high grade of malignancy, high likelihood of recurrence, and poor prognosis.

The authors describe a 15-year-old boy with hepatosplenic γδ T-cell lymphoma associated with hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS) along with isochromosome 7q and trisomy 8. He presented with prolonged fever, mild anemia, thrombocytopenia, and hepatosplenomegaly. Physical examination, radiography

Ewing's sarcoma (ES) is one of the most malignant bone and soft tissue tumors in childhood. Morphologically, ES belongs to the small round cell tumors (SRCT). ES, peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET), and Askin's tumor are classified as ES family tumors (ESFT) because they share a common chromosomal translocation. The EWS-FLI1 chimeric gene is generated by t (11; 22). Other reciprocal translocations resulting in formation of chimeric genes between EWS and ETS family genes (ERG, ETV1, E1AF, and FEV) are t (21; 22), t (7; 22), t (17; 22), and t (2; 22), respectively. Although it is generally difficult to distinguish ES from SRCT, we could easily and quickly distinguish ES from other SRCT by using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). We looked for specific chimeric genes in 23 tumor samples, including three ES clinical samples. We detected five chimeric genes in the three ES samples. Three chimeric genes, all EWS-FLI1, were detected in one ES sample. Different chimeric genes, EWS-ERG and EWS-ETV1, were detected in the other two ES samples. Moreover, because we could not detect specific chimeric genes in samples from non-ESFT, it may be possible to use this technique to diagnose ESFT and to detect tumor cell contamination before hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Two cases of fetal hepatoblastoma with unique karyotypic changes are described. One was a 17-month-old boy with multiple unbalanced chromosomal translocations, resulting in four types of derivative chromosomes involving chromosomal loci at 1q21, 1q32, 2q23, 6q27, 7p22, and 21p12, partial tetrasomy of 1q, partial trisomy of 2q, and partial monosomy of 21p. The clonal karyotype of this tumor was 46,XY,der(2)t(1;2)(q32;q37), der(6)t(1;6)(q12;q27), der(7)t(2;7)(q23;p22), der(21)t(2;21)(q23;p12). In the other case, a 4-year-old girl, karyotypic analyses revealed trisomy 2 and 8, and the clonal karyotype of this case was 48,XX, + 2, + 8. Review of these cases together with previous reports suggested the significance of chromosomal changes including numerical abnormalities of 1q, 2 (or 2q), 20, and 8 (or 8q), and breakage of 1q and 2q in the development of hepatoblastoma. The results presented herein underscore the significance of numerical abnormalities of chromosomal regions 1q and 2q and of chromosome 8 in the development of hepatoblastoma, in addition to abnormalities of 6q27, 7p22, and 21p12 ∼ 13 as other chromosomal loci that may be responsible for the pathogenesis of this embryonal type of tumor.

The main purpose of the present study was to determine the response rate to immunosuppressive therapy combined with recombinant human granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) and its efficacy for preventing infections in patients with severe aplastic anemia. The treatments included one course of antithymocyte globulin, cyclosporin A, methylprednisolone, danazole and rhG-CSF. Three patients had very severe aplastic anemia and two had moderate aplastic anemia. One patient relapsed 13 months following the first course of therapy and received a second course. Five patients received six courses of treatment and the response rate at 6 months was 83.3%. All patients achieved an absolute neutrophil count of greater than 1.0 x 10(9)/L within 40 days. All patients with a complete response are transfusion-free and doing well. All five patients are currently alive and have not had any episode of infection for 17-53 months. The results of the study indicate that this therapy may improve the poor prognosis of young patients with severe aplastic anemia. It has a good response rate and induces a rather rapid increase in the neutrophil count, which protects against life-threatening bacterial and fungal infections.

Encouraging results are reported with high-dose chemotherapy and total body irradiation followed by autologous bone marrow transplantation in the treatment of advanced neuroblastoma. However, relapse remains a significant problem. We used high-dose chemotherapy, surgery, intraoperative radiation and an autologous bone marrow transplant treated in vitro to remove tumor cells followed by 13-cis-retinoic acid to treat 36 children with advanced neuroblastoma. This comprehensive treatment appears to improve the survival rate of patients with advanced neuroblastoma, including those with N-myc amplification and bony involvement. The disease-free survival rate was 66% (95% confidence interval, 49-84%) at 3 years. All patients who received 13-cis-retinoic acid developed cheilitis, but no bone marrow depression occurred in these patients. Five patients developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) post-transplant. This may have been related to the procedure used for total body irradiation. Patients who had their kidneys shielded during this procedure did not develop this syndrome. Patients who received local irradiation at the primary site showed no evidence of relapse in this region, indicating that such therapy may help to prevent a relapse. These data suggest a high rate of 3 year disease-free survival with this treatment strategy. The nonrandomized nature of the study and use of multiple modalities precludes analysis of the specific contribution of each.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) during childhood is rare, and only been a few cases showed visual disturbances as an initial symptom. We report a pediatric CML case diagnosed by bilateral visual loss.An 11-year-old boy complained of visual loss in both eyes. His best corrected visual acuity was 0.5 in the right eye and 0.2 in the left. Fundus examination showed disc swelling, dilated and tortuous retinal veins and multiple elevated retinal lesions with hemorrhages of various size from one-forth to four disc diameters in both eyes. He was diagnosed as having CML by leucocytosis and systematic work-up including Philadelphia chromosome-positive, BCR-ABL kinase domain in peripheral blood and bone marrow. The ocular findings improved after treatment with hydroxyurea, leukocytaphresis and imatinib. His best corrected visual acuity improved to 0.7 in both eyes.Recent leukemia therapy including imatinib is effective not only for ocular lesions but also to induce hematological remission in childhood CML.

Neuroblastoma (NB), which is a malignant tumor of young children derived from neural crest cells that occurs in children, exhibits a wide range of clinical behaviors, from spontaneous regression to rapid progression. Advanced NB patients have a poor prognosis, and recently, autologous bone marrow transplantation (BMT) and autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) have been attempted to improve the prognosis of these patients. In this study, we attempted to detect the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), neuroendocrine protein gene product (PGP) 9.5, ELAVL-4 and GD2 synthetase (GALGT), all of which are highly expressed in NBs, by the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique in order to detect minimal residual disease (MRD) in the bone marrow (BM) and peripheral blood (PB). Analysis of various tumor cell lines (Ewing's sarcoma, hepatoma, leukemias, and breast cancer cell lines in addition to NBs), and human normal samples (BM and PB cells) revealed that TH was the most specific marker for the detection of NB. On the other hand, PGP9.5 was the most sensitive marker, and was detected even when there was only one positive cell per 10(7) negative cells. We concluded that TH is a better marker before the diagnosis of NB while PGP9.5 is a better marker to detect MRD after the diagnosis. Here, we describe our results on useful markers to detect MRD in patients with NB.