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© 2015 The Authors.Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor in childhood in high-income countries (HIC), where consistent treatment approaches based on clinical and tumor biological risk stratification have steadily improved outcomes. Howe

Copyright © 2014 Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved. BACKGROUND In previous clinical trials involving children with X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID-X1), a Moloney murine leukemia virus-based γ-retrovirus vector expressing interleukin-2 receptor γ-chain (γc) complementary DNA successfully restored immunity in most patients but resulted in vector-induced leukemia through enhancermediated mutagenesis in 25% of patients. We assessed the efficacy and safety of a self-inactivating retrovirus for the treatment of SCID-X1.METHODS We enrolled nine boys with SCID-X1 in parallel trials in Europe and the United States to evaluate treatment with a self-inactivating (SIN) γ-retrovirus vector containing deletions in viral enhancer sequences expressing γc (SIN-γc).RESULTS All patients received bone marrow-derived CD34+ cells transduced with the SIN-γc vector, without preparative conditioning. After 12.1 to 38.7 months of follow-up, eight of the nine children were still alive. One patient died from an overwhelming adenoviral infection before reconstitution with genetically modified T cells. Of the remaining eight patients, seven had recovery of peripheral-blood T cells that were functional and led to resolution of infections. The patients remained healthy thereafter. The kinetics of CD3+ T-cell recovery was not significantly different from that observed in previous trials. Assessment of insertion sites in peripheral blood from patients in the current trial as compared with those in previous trials revealed significantly less clustering of insertion sites within LMO2, MECOM, and other lymphoid proto-oncogenes in our patients.CONCLUSIONS This modified γ-retrovirus vector was found to retain efficacy in the treatment of SCID-X1. The long-term effect of this therapy on leukemogenesis remains unknown.

Background: In the INRG dataset, the hypothesis that any segmental chromosomal alteration might be of prognostic impact in neuroblastoma without MYCN amplification (MNA) was tested. Methods: The presence of any segmental chromosomal alteration (chromosome

Background: The current study was conducted to determine whether amifostine is effective in reducing the toxicities associated with the administration of platinum-containing regimens in children with hepatoblastoma (HB).Methods: Patients were enrolled on P9645 beginning in March of 1999. Patients who had stage I/II disease received treatment with 4 cycles of combined cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil, and vincristine (C5V) with or without amifostine. Patients who had stage III/IV disease were randomized to receive treatment with 6 cycles of either C5V with or without amifostine or carboplatin alternating with cisplatin (CC) with or without amifostine. Patients who were randomized to receive amifostine were given a dose of 740 mg/m2 intravenously over 15 minutes before each administration of a platinum agent.Results: Eighty-two patients were considered in a special interim analysis of the incidence of toxicity. The disease outcome for patients who received amifostine was similar to the outcome for patients who did not receive amifostine (P=.22). The incidence of significant hearing loss (>40 dB) was similar for patients who did or did not receive amifostine (38% [14 of 37 patients] vs 38% [17 of 45 patients], respectively; P=.68). There were no differences in the incidence of renal or bone marrow toxicities evaluated. Patients who received amifostine had a higher incidence of hypocalcemia (5% vs 0.5%; P=.00006).Conclusions: Amifostine in the doses and schedule used in this study failed to significantly reduce the incidence of platinum-induced toxicities in patients with HB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neuroblastoma is a childhood cancer with considerable morbidity and mortality. Tumor-derived biomarkers may improve risk stratification. Methods: We screened 915 samples of neuroblastoma for loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at chromosome bands 1p36 and 11q23. Additional analyses identified a subgroup of cases of 11q23 LOH with unbalanced 11q LOH (unb11q LOH; defined as loss of 11q with retention of 11p). The associations of LOH with relapse and survival were determined. Results: LOH at 1p36 was identified in 209 of 898 tumors (23 percent) and LOH at 11q23 in 307 of 913 (34 percent). Unb11q LOH was found in 151 of 307 tumors with 11q23 LOH (17 percent of the total cohort). There was a strong association of 1p36 LOH, 11q23 LOH, and unb11q LOH with most high-risk disease features (P<0.001). LOH at 1p36 was associated with amplification of the MYCN oncogene (P<0.001), but 11q23 LOH and unb11q LOH were not (P<0.001 and P=0.002, respectively). Cases with unb11q LOH were associated with three-year event-free and overall survival rates (+/-SE) of 50+/-5 percent and 66+/-5 percent, respectively, as compared with 74+/-2 percent and 83+/-2 percent among cases without unb11q LOH (P<0.001 for both comparisons). In a multivariate model, unb11q LOH was independently associated with decreased event-free survival (P=0.009) in the entire cohort, and both 1p36 LOH and unb11q LOH were independently associated with decreased progression-free survival in the subgroup of patients with features of low-risk and intermediate-risk disease (P=0.002 and P=0.02, respectively). Conclusions: Unb11q LOH and 1p36 LOH are independently associated with a worse outcome in patients with neuroblastoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate recent trends in the diagnosis of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and ischemic stroke (AIS), and examine the use of pharmacological thromboprophylaxis during the COVID-19 pandemic., Study Design: This retrospective-cohort study used the Pediatric Health Information Systems (PHIS) database to investigate patients admitted to a participating hospital between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2021. ICD-10 codes were used to identify VTE, AIS, and COVID-19. Pharmacy billing codes were used to investigate pharmacological thromboprophylaxis use., Results: 1,759,701 unique patients underwent 2,234,135 inpatient admissions. Rate of VTE increased from 84 cases per 10,000 admissions in 2018-2019 to 108 cases per 10,000 admissions in 2020-2021, representing a 28.6% increase (p<0.001). In contrast, the rate of AIS remained stable through the study period. When compared with 2018-2019, children diagnosed with VTE during 2020-2021 had longer hospitalizations and were more likely to be admitted to the intensive care unit. When analysis was limited to 2020-2021, a diagnosis code of COVID-19 was associated with a 1.35-fold (95%CI: 1.24-1.45) increase in the odds of VTE diagnosis, but not AIS. Use of pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis increased from 1.5% of hospitalizations in 2018-2019 to 3.0% of hospitalizations in 2020-2021 (p<0.001). When evaluating thromboprophylaxis during 2020-2021, a diagnosis code for COVID-19 was associated with an 11-fold (95% CI: 10.86-11.49; p<0.001) increase in the utilization of pharmacological thromboprophylaxis., Conclusions: This study found an increase in the rate of VTE among hospitalized children during the pandemic. A diagnosis of COVID-19 was associated with a modest increase in odds of VTE diagnosis, which occurred despite increased use of pharmacological thromboprophylaxis., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The International Neuroblastoma Risk Group (INRG) classifier utilizes a staging system based on pretreatment imaging criteria in which image-defined risk factors (IDRFs) are used to evaluate the extent of locoregional disease. Children's Oncology Group (COG) study ANBL0531 prospectively examined institutional determination of IDRF status and compared that to a standardized central review., Methods: Between 9/2009-6/2011, patients with intermediate-risk neuroblastoma were enrolled on ANBL0531 and had IDRF assessment at treating institutions. Paired COG pediatric surgeons and radiologists performed blinded central review of diagnostic imaging for the presence or absence of IDRFs. Second blinded review was performed in cases of discordance. Comparison of local and central review was performed using the Kappa coefficient to determine concordance in IDRF assessment., Results: 211 patients enrolled in ANBL0531 underwent IDRF assessment; 3 patients were excluded due to poor image quality. Central reviewer pairs agreed on the presence or absence of any IDRF in 170/208 (81.7%; κ = 0.48) cases. Thirteen (6.3%) cases could not be adjudicated after second blinded review. Radiologists were more likely to identify IRDFs as present than surgeons (p < 0.001). Local and central reviewers agreed on the presence or absence of any IDRF in only108/208 (51.9%; κ = 0.06) cases., Conclusions: Among experienced pediatric surgeons and radiologists participating in central review, concordance was moderate, with agreement in 81.7% of cases. On comparison of local and central assessment of IDRFs, concordance was poor. These data indicate that greater standardization, education, technology, and training are needed to improve the assessment of IDRFs in children with neuroblastoma., Level of Evidence: Treatment Study, Level III., Competing Interests: Conflict of interset Author AN serves on a data safety monitoring board for Novartis., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: We previously reported excellent three-year overall survival (OS) for patients with newly diagnosed intermediate-risk neuroblastoma treated with a biology- and response-based algorithm on the Children's Oncology Group study ANBL0531. We now present the long-term follow-up results., Methods: All patients who met the age, stage, and tumor biology criteria for intermediate-risk neuroblastoma were eligible. Treatment was based on prognostic biomarkers and overall response. Event-free survival (EFS) and OS were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method., Results: The 10-year EFS and OS for the entire study cohort (n = 404) were 82.0% (95% confidence interval (CI), 77.2%-86.9%) and 94.7% (95% CI, 91.8%-97.5%), respectively. International Neuroblastoma Staging System stage 4 patients (n = 133) had inferior OS compared with non-stage 4 patients (n = 271; 10-year OS: 90.8% [95% CI, 84.5%-97.0%] vs 96.6% [95% CI, 93.9%-99.4%], p = .02). Infants with stage 4 tumors with ≥1 unfavorable biological feature (n = 47) had inferior EFS compared with those with favorable biology (n = 61; 10-year EFS: 66.8% [95% CI, 50.4%-83.3%] vs 86.9% [95% CI, 76.0%-97.8%], p = .02); OS did not differ (10-year OS: 84.4% [95% CI, 71.8%-97.0%] vs 95.0% [95% CI, 87.7%-100.0%], p = .08). Inferior EFS but not OS was observed among patients with tumors with (n = 26) versus without (n = 314) 11q loss of heterozygosity (10-year EFS: 68.4% [95% CI, 44.5%-92.2%] vs 83.9% [95% CI, 78.7%-89.2%], p = .03; 10-year OS: 88.0% [95% CI, 72.0%-100.0%] vs 95.7% [95% CI, 92.8%-98.6%], p = .09)., Conclusions: The ANBL0531 trial treatment algorithm resulted in excellent long-term survival. More effective treatments are needed for subsets of patients with unfavorable biology tumors., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: The frequency and significance of IDH mutations in glioma across age groups is incompletely understood. We performed a multi-center retrospective age-stratified comparison of patients with IDH-mutant gliomas to identify age-specific differences in clinico-genomic features, treatments, and outcomes., Methods: Clinical, histologic, and sequencing data from patients with IDH-mutant, grade 2-4 gliomas, were collected from collaborating institutions between 2013-2019. Patients were categorized as pediatric (<19y), YA (19-39y) or older adult (≥40y). Clinical presentation, treatment, histologic, and molecular features were compared across age categories using Fisher's exact test or analysis-of-variance. Cox proportional-hazards regression was used to determine association of age and other covariates with overall (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS)., Results: We identified a cohort of 379 patients (204 YA) with IDH-mutant glioma with clinical data. There were 155 (41%) oligodendrogliomas and 224 (59%) astrocytomas. YA showed significantly shorter PFS and shorter median time-to-malignant transformation (MT) compared to pediatric and adult groups, but no significant OS difference. Adjusting for pathology type, extent of resection, and upfront therapy in multivariable analysis, the YA group was independently prognostic of shorter PFS than pediatric and adult groups. Among astrocytomas, CDK4/6 copy number amplifications were associated with both shorter PFS and shorter OS. Among oligodendrogliomas, PIK3CA and CDKN2A/2B alterations were associated with shorter OS., Conclusions: IDH-mutant glioma YA patients had significantly shorter PFS and time to MT but did not differ in OS compared to pediatric and adult groups. Treatment approach varied significantly by patient age and warrant further study as addressable age-associated outcome drivers., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Neuro-Oncology. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

To inform clinical trial design and real-world precision pediatric oncology practice, we classified diagnoses, assessed the landscape of mutations, and identified genomic variants matching trials in a large unselected institutional cohort of solid tumors patients sequenced at Dana-Farber / Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. Tumors were sequenced with OncoPanel, a targeted next-generation DNA sequencing panel. Diagnoses were classified according to the International Classification of Diseases for Oncology (ICD-O-3.2). Over 6.5 years, 888 pediatric cancer patients with 95 distinct diagnoses had successful tumor sequencing. Overall, 33% (n = 289/888) of patients had at least 1 variant matching a precision oncology trial protocol, and 14% (41/289) were treated with molecularly targeted therapy. This study highlights opportunities to use genomic data from hospital-based sequencing performed either for research or clinical care to inform ongoing and future precision oncology clinical trials. Furthermore, the study results emphasize the importance of data sharing to define the genomic landscape and targeted treatment opportunities for the large group of rare pediatric cancers we encounter in clinical practice., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Pediatric melanoma presents with distinct clinical features compared to adult disease., Objective: Characterize risk factors and negative outcomes in pediatric melanoma., Methods: Multicenter retrospective study of patients under 20 years diagnosed with melanoma between January 1, 1995 and June 30, 2015 from 11 academic medical centers., Results: Melanoma was diagnosed in 317 patients, 73% of whom were diagnosed in adolescence (age ≥11). Spitzoid (31%) and superficial spreading (26%) subtypes were most common and 11% of cases arose from congenital nevi. Sentinel lymph node biopsy was performed in 68% of cases and positive in 46%. Fatality was observed in 7% of cases. Adolescent patients with melanoma were more likely to have family history of melanoma (P = .046) compared to controls., Limitations: Retrospective nature, cohort size, control selection, and potential referral bias., Conclusion: Pediatric melanoma has diverse clinical presentations. Better understanding of these cases and outcomes may facilitate improved risk stratification of pediatric melanoma., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest SH reports honorarium from Elsevier and past consulting for Novan Pharmaceuticals., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Abstract: The health care use (HCU) burden of transplant-associated thrombotic microangiopathy (TA-TMA) and its treatments are unknown. The objective of this study was to investigate inpatient costs associated with meeting criteria for TA-TMA in the first year after hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT). This institutional review board-approved retrospective multicenter study included serial children who underwent HCT from 1 January 2015 to 1 July 2019. A standardized unit cost (adjusted for geographic location, differences in cost of living, and inflation) for inpatient hospitalization was extracted from the Pediatric Health Information System data and linked to clinical data. Both total cost and cost per day from 15 days before stem cell infusion to 1-year after HCT were calculated. Among allogeneic (allo) transplant recipients, after adjusting for severe grade 3/4 acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), infections, and HLA mismatch, costs were not different in TA-TMA (n = 137) vs no TA-TMA (n = 238). Severe GVHD was significantly associated with increased costs. Among allo high-risk (HR) TMA-TMA, unadjusted costs were significantly higher in the eculizumab-treated cohort (n = 19) than in the supportive care group (n = 36). However, after adjusting for gastrointestinal bleeding that occurred disproportionately in the eculizumab (n = 6) vs supportive care (n = 0) cohort, eculizumab treatment was not associated with increased total costs. More studies are needed to determine the etiology of increased HCU costs in those with HR-TA-TMA and predict those more likely to benefit from eculizumab, reducing HCU and improving outcomes., (© 2024 by The American Society of Hematology. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), permitting only noncommercial, nonderivative use with attribution. All other rights reserved.)

Purpose: Phase 1 study assessing the safety and toxicity of cabozantinib in combination with topotecan and cyclophosphamide for relapsed osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma., Methods: Oral cabozantinib (25 mg/m 2 ) was administered daily for 21 (dose level 1) or 14 (dose level -1B) days. Topotecan (0.75 mg/m 2 ) and cyclophosphamide (250 mg/m 2 ) were administered intravenously (IV) on days 1-5. A modified 3+3 design based upon first cycle dose-limiting toxicities (DLT) was used for dose escalation., Results: Twelve patients with a median age of 15 (12.9-33.2) years were enrolled (seven with Ewing sarcoma; five with osteosarcoma); all were evaluable for toxicity. At dose level 1, three of six patients developed first cycle DLT: grade 3 epistaxis, grade 3 transaminitis, and prolonged grade 2 thrombocytopenia. Six patients were enrolled on dose level -1B (interrupted cabozantinib, given days 8-21), with one first cycle DLT (grade 3 pneumothorax) observed. Of the 10 response evaluable patients, one had partial response (Ewing sarcoma), seven had stable disease, and two had progressive disease., Conclusions: The recommended phase 2 doses and schedules for this combination are topotecan 0.75 mg/m 2 IV days 1-5, cyclophosphamide 250 mg/m 2 IV days 1-5, and cabozantinib 25 mg/m 2 days 8-21. Non-concomitant administration of cabozantinib with cytotoxic therapy in this population has acceptable toxicity, while allowing for potential disease control., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) is recommended for prevention and treatment of oral mucositis, a painful condition that occurs in cancer patients. Intraoral PBMT is limited to treating distal oral mucosa and oropharynx. Extraoral PBMT may provide a more efficient intervention. The goal of this study was to develop a clinically viable protocol for extraoral PBMT. Monte Carlo modeling was used to predict the distribution of 850 nm light for four treatment sites, using anatomical data obtained from MRI and optical properties from the literature. Simulated incident light power density was limited to 399 mW/cm 2 to ensure treatment safety and to prevent tissue temperature increase. The results reveal that total tissue thickness determines fluence rate at the oral mucosa, whereas the thickness of individual tissue layers and melanin content are of minor importance. Due to anatomical differences, the fluence rate varied greatly among patients. Despite these variations, a universal protocol was established using a median treatment time methodology. The determined median treatment times required to deliver efficacious dose between 1 and 6 J/cm 2 were within 15 min. The developed PBMT protocol can be further refined using the combination of pretreatment imaging and the Monte Carlo simulation approach implemented in this study., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) is a rare X-linked disorder characterized by combined immunodeficiency, eczema, microthrombocytopenia, autoimmunity, and lymphoid malignancies. Gene therapy (GT) to modify autologous CD34+ cells is an emerging alternative treatment with advantages over standard allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for patients who lack well-matched donors, avoiding graft-versus-host-disease. We report the outcomes of a phase 1/2 clinical trial in which 5 patients with severe WAS underwent GT using a self-inactivating lentiviral vector expressing the human WAS complementary DNA under the control of a 1.6-kB fragment of the autologous promoter after busulfan and fludarabine conditioning. All patients were alive and well with sustained multilineage vector gene marking (median follow-up: 7.6 years). Clinical improvement of eczema, infections, and bleeding diathesis was universal. Immune function was consistently improved despite subphysiologic levels of transgenic WAS protein expression. Improvements in platelet count and cytoskeletal function in myeloid cells were most prominent in patients with high vector copy number in the transduced product. Two patients with a history of autoimmunity had flares of autoimmunity after GT, despite similar percentages of WAS protein-expressing cells and gene marking to those without autoimmunity. Patients with flares of autoimmunity demonstrated poor numerical recovery of T cells and regulatory T cells (Tregs), interleukin-10-producing regulatory B cells (Bregs), and transitional B cells. Thus, recovery of the Breg compartment, along with Tregs appears to be protective against development of autoimmunity after GT. These results indicate that clinical and laboratory manifestations of WAS are improved with GT with an acceptable safety profile. This trial is registered at clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT01410825.

Background: Diagnostic mIBG (meta-iodobenzylguanidine) scans are an integral component of response assessment in children with high-risk neuroblastoma. The role of end-of-induction (EOI) Curie scores (CS) was previously described in patients undergoing a single course of high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) and autologous hematopoietic cell transplant (AHCT) as consolidation therapy., Objective: We now examine the prognostic significance of CS in patients randomized to tandem HDC and AHCT on the Children's Oncology Group (COG) trial ANBL0532., Study Design: A retrospective analysis of mIBG scans obtained from patients enrolled in COG ANBL0532 was performed. Evaluable patients had mIBG-avid, International Neuroblastoma Staging System (INSS) stage 4 disease, did not progress during induction therapy, consented to consolidation randomization, and received either single or tandem HDC (n = 80). Optimal CS cut points maximized the outcome difference (≤CS vs. >CS cut-off) according to the Youden index., Results: For recipients of tandem HDC, the optimal cut point at diagnosis was CS = 12, with superior event-free survival (EFS) from study enrollment for patients with CS ≤ 12 (3-year EFS 74.2% ± 7.9%) versus CS > 12 (59.2% ± 7.1%) (p = .002). At EOI, the optimal cut point was CS = 0, with superior EOI EFS for patients with CS = 0 (72.9% ± 6.4%) versus CS > 0 (46.5% ± 9.1%) (p = .002)., Conclusion: In the setting of tandem transplantation for children with high-risk neuroblastoma, CS at diagnosis and EOI may identify a more favorable patient group. Patients treated with tandem HDC who exhibited a CS ≤ 12 at diagnosis or CS = 0 at EOI had superior EFS compared to those with CS above these cut points., (© 2023 The Authors. Pediatric Blood & Cancer published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Ewing sarcoma (EWS) is an aggressive sarcoma with few treatment options for patients with relapsed disease. Cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) is a genomic vulnerability in EWS that is synergistic with IGF-1R inhibition in preclinical studies. We present the results of a phase 2 study combining palbociclib (CDK4/6 inhibitor) with ganitumab (IGF-1R monoclonal antibody) for patients with relapsed EWS., Patients and Methods: This open-label, non-randomized, phase 2 trial enrolled patients ≥12 years with relapsed EWS. All patients had molecular confirmation of EWS and RECIST measurable disease. Patients initially received palbociclib 125 mg orally on Days 1-21 and ganitumab 18 mg/kg intravenously on Days 1 and 15 of a 28-day cycle. The primary endpoints were objective response (complete or partial) per RECIST and toxicity by CTCAE. An exact one-stage design required ≥4 responders out of 15 to evaluate an alternative hypothesis of 40% response rate against a null of 10%. The study was closed following enrollment of the 10th patient due to discontinuation of ganitumab supply., Results: Ten evaluable patients enrolled [median age 25.7 years (range 12.3-40.1)]. The median duration of therapy was 2.5 months (range 0.9-10.8). There were no complete or partial responders. Three of 10 patients had stable disease for >4 cycles and 2 had stable disease at completion of planned therapy or study closure. Six-month progression-free survival was 30% (95% CI 1.6%-58.4%). Two patients had cycle 1 hematologic dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) triggering palbociclib dose reduction to 100 mg daily for 21 days. Two subsequent patients had cycle 1 hematologic DLTs at the reduced dose. Eighty percent of patients had grade 3/4 AEs, including neutropenia (n = 8), white blood cell decreased (n = 7), and thrombocytopenia (n = 5). Serum total IGF-1 significantly increased (p = 0.013) and ctDNA decreased during the first cycle., Conclusions: This combination lacks adequate therapeutic activity for further study, though a subset of patients had prolonged stable disease., (© 2023 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background and Purpose: Molecular profiling is a crucial feature in the "integrated diagnosis" of CNS tumors. We aimed to determine whether radiomics could distinguish molecular types of pontine pediatric high-grade gliomas that have similar/overlapping phenotypes on conventional anatomic MR images., Materials and Methods: Baseline MR images from children with pontine pediatric high-grade gliomas were analyzed. Retrospective imaging studies included standard precontrast and postcontrast sequences and DTI. Imaging analyses included median, mean, mode, skewness, and kurtosis of the ADC histogram of the tumor volume based on T2 FLAIR and enhancement at baseline. Histone H3 mutations were identified through immunohistochemistry and/or Sanger or next-generation DNA sequencing. The log-rank test identified imaging factors prognostic of survival from the time of diagnosis. Wilcoxon rank-sum and Fisher exact tests compared imaging predictors among groups., Results: Eighty-three patients had pretreatment MR imaging and evaluable tissue sampling. The median age was 6 years (range, 0.7-17 years); 50 tumors had a K27M mutation in H3-3A, and 11, in H3C2/3 . Seven tumors had histone H3 K27 alteration, but the specific gene was unknown. Fifteen were H3 wild-type. Overall survival was significantly higher in H3C2/3- compared with H3-3A- mutant tumors ( P = .003) and in wild-type tumors compared with any histone mutation ( P = .001). Lower overall survival was observed in patients with enhancing tumors ( P = .02) compared with those without enhancement. H3C2/3 -mutant tumors showed higher mean, median, and mode ADC&#95;total values ( P  < .001) and ADC&#95;enhancement ( P  < .004), with lower ADC&#95;total skewness and kurtosis ( P  < .003) relative to H3-3A -mutant tumors., Conclusions: ADC histogram parameters are correlated with histone H3 mutation status in pontine pediatric high-grade glioma., (© 2023 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.)

Purpose: In 2006, Children's Oncology Group (COG) reclassified subgroups of toddlers diagnosed with neuroblastoma from high-risk to intermediate-risk, when the age cutoff for high-risk assignment was raised from 365 days (12 months) to 547 days (18 months). The primary aim of this retrospective study was to determine if excellent outcome was maintained after assigned reduction of therapy., Patients and Methods: Children <3 years old at diagnosis, enrolled on a COG biology study from 1990 to 2018, were eligible (n = 9,189). Assigned therapy was reduced for two cohorts of interest on the basis of the age cutoff change: 365-546 days old with International Neuroblastoma Staging System (INSS) stage 4, MYCN not amplified ( MYCN-NA ), favorable International Neuroblastoma Pathology Classification (INPC), hyperdiploid tumors (12-18mo/Stage4/FavBiology), and 365-546 days old with INSS stage 3, MYCN-NA, and unfavorable INPC tumors (12-18mo/Stage3/ MYCN-NA /Unfav). Log-rank tests compared event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) curves., Results: For 12-18mo/Stage4/FavBiology, 5-year EFS/OS (± SE) before (≤2006; n = 40) versus after (>2006; n = 55) assigned reduction in therapy was similar: 89% ± 5.1%/89% ± 5.1% versus 87% ± 4.6%/94% ± 3.2% ( P = .7; P = .4, respectively). For 12-18mo/Stage3/ MYCN-NA /Unfav, the 5-year EFS and OS were both 100%, before (n = 6) and after (n = 4) 2006. The 12-18mo/Stage4/FavBiology plus 12-18mo/Stage3/ MYCN-NA /Unfav classified as high-risk ≤2006 had an EFS/OS of 91% ± 4.4%/91% ± 4.5% versus 38% ± 1.3%/43% ± 1.3% for all other high-risk patients <3 years old ( P < .0001; P < .0001, respectively). The 12-18mo/Stage4/FavBiology plus 12-18mo/Stage3/ MYCN-NA /Unfav classified as intermediate-risk >2006 had an EFS/OS of 88% ± 4.3%/95% ± 2.9% versus 88% ± 0.9%/95% ± 0.6% for all other intermediate-risk patients <3 years old ( P = .87; P = .85, respectively)., Conclusion: Excellent outcome was maintained among subsets of toddlers with neuroblastoma assigned to reduced treatment after reclassification of risk group from high to intermediate on the basis of new age cutoffs. Importantly, as documented in prior trials, intermediate-risk therapy is not associated with the degree of acute toxicity and late effects commonly observed with high-risk regimens.

Background: Pediatric interventional oncology (PIO) is a growing field intended to provide additional or alternative treatment options for pediatric patients with benign or malignant tumors. Large series of patients treated uniformly and subjected to rigorous endpoints for efficacy are not available., Methods: We designed a collaborative initiative to capture data from pediatric patients with benign and malignant tumors who underwent a therapeutic interventional radiology procedure. Modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (mRECIST) was utilized as a measure of radiologic response and data were collected regarding improvement in pain and functional endpoints. Cumulative incidence of progressive disease was calculated using both the treated site and the patient as the analytic unit., Findings: Forty patients, 16 with malignant tumors and 24 with benign tumors, underwent a total of 88 procedures. Cryo- and radiofrequency ablation were the most frequently utilized techniques for both cohorts of patients. A complete or partial response, or prolonged disease stability, were achieved in approximately 40% of patients with malignant tumors and 60% of patients with benign tumors. No patients had progressive disease as their best response. Resolution of pain and improved mobility with return-to-baseline activity were demonstrated across patients from both cohorts. Only minor complications were experienced., Interpretation: Interventional radiology-guided interventions can serve as an alternative or complementary approach to the treatment of benign and malignant tumors in pediatric patients. Prospective, multi-institutional trials are required to adequately study utility, treatment endpoints, and durability of response., (© 2023 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Purpose: To report the incidence and risk factors for secondary neoplasm after transplantation for sickle cell disease., Methods: Included are 1,096 transplants for sickle cell disease between 1991 and 2016. There were 22 secondary neoplasms. Types included leukemia/myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS; n = 15) and solid tumor (n = 7). Fine-Gray regression models examined for risk factors for leukemia/MDS and any secondary neoplasm., Results: The 10-year incidence of leukemia/MDS was 1.7% (95% CI, 0.90 to 2.9) and of any secondary neoplasm was 2.4% (95% CI, 1.4 to 3.8). After adjusting for other risk factors, risks for leukemia/MDS (hazard ratio, 22.69; 95% CI, 4.34 to 118.66; P = .0002) or any secondary neoplasm (hazard ratio, 7.78; 95% CI, 2.20 to 27.53; P = .0015) were higher with low-intensity (nonmyeloablative) regimens compared with more intense regimens. All low-intensity regimens included total-body irradiation (TBI 300 or 400 cGy with alemtuzumab, TBI 300 or 400 cGy with cyclophosphamide, TBI 200, 300, or 400 cGy with cyclophosphamide and fludarabine, or TBI 200 cGy with fludarabine). None of the patients receiving myeloablative and only 23% of those receiving reduced-intensity regimens received TBI., Conclusion: Low-intensity regimens rely on tolerance induction and establishment of mixed-donor chimerism. Persistence of host cells exposed to low-dose radiation triggering myeloid malignancy is one plausible etiology. Pre-existing myeloid mutations and prior inflammation may also contribute but could not be studied using our data source. Choosing conditioning regimens likely to result in full-donor chimerism may in part mitigate the higher risk for leukemia/MDS.

Background: In the Children's Oncology Group ANBL1221 phase 2 trial for patients with first relapse/first declaration of refractory high-risk neuroblastoma, irinotecan and temozolomide (I/T) combined with either temsirolimus (TEMS) or immunotherapy (the anti-GD2 antibody dinutuximab (DIN) and granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factory (GM-CSF)) was administered. The response rate among patients treated with I/T/DIN/GM-CSF in the initial cohort (n=17) was 53%; additional patients were enrolled to permit further evaluation of this chemoimmunotherapy regimen. Potential associations between immune-related biomarkers and clinical outcomes including response and survival were evaluated., Methods: Patients were evaluated for specific immunogenotypes that influence natural killer (NK) cell activity, including killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) and their ligands, Fc gamma receptors, and NCR3. Total white cells and leucocyte subsets were assessed via complete blood counts, and flow cytometry of peripheral blood mononuclear cells was performed to assess the potential association between immune cell subpopulations and surface marker expression and clinical outcomes. Appropriate statistical tests of association were performed. The Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons was performed where indicated., Results: Of the immunogenotypes assessed, the presence or absence of certain KIR and their ligands was associated with clinical outcomes in patients treated with chemoimmunotherapy rather than I/T/TEMS. While median values of CD161, CD56, and KIR differed in responders and non-responders, statistical significance was not maintained in logistic regression models. White cell and neutrophil counts were associated with differences in survival outcomes, however, increases in risk of event in patients assigned to chemoimmunotherapy were not clinically significant., Conclusions: These findings are consistent with those of prior studies showing that KIR/KIR-ligand genotypes are associated with clinical outcomes following anti-GD2 immunotherapy in children with neuroblastoma. The current study confirms the importance of KIR/KIR-ligand genotype in the context of I/T/DIN/GM-CSF chemoimmunotherapy administered to patients with relapsed or refractory disease in a clinical trial. These results are important because this regimen is now widely used for treatment of patients at time of first relapse/first declaration of refractory disease. Efforts to assess the role of NK cells and genes that influence their function in response to immunotherapy are ongoing., Trial Registration Number: NCT01767194., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Outcomes for patients with INRGSS metastatic special (MS) metastatic pattern neuroblastoma at initial diagnosis are well described. Prognosis after an initial event (relapse, progression, secondary malignancy) is unclear., Methods: We investigated characteristics of MS pattern neuroblastoma patients in the International Neuroblastoma Risk Group database who subsequently experienced an event. Post-event overall survival (OS) ± standard error was calculated overall and by diagnosis era: before 2000 versus 2001 or after. Cox models were used to identify factors prognostic of post-event OS., Results: Among 209 patients with an event, 88% were less than 365 days old at diagnosis; tumors were MYCN amplified in 24% and diploid in 33%. The median (range) time from diagnosis to first event was 8.16 months (7 days to 11.24 years). Of 96 patients with known relapse/progression pattern, 75% were metastatic or primary plus metastatic. Five-year post-event OS was 53% ± 3.6% and was higher for 2001 and afterwards (62% ± 5.0%) compared to before 2001 (44% ± 4.9%; p = .0046). In patients diagnosed in 2001 and after, older age, Hispanic ethnicity, MYCN amplification, 1p LOH, diploidy, high Mitotic Karyorrhexis Index, high lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), unfavorable histology, and longer time to first event were prognostic of worse post-event OS. Independent adverse prognostic factors on multivariable testing were non-White race, MYCN amplification, and diploidy., Summary: Patients diagnosed in and after 2001 have substantially better post-event OS compared to before 2001. In those diagnosed in and after 2001, most well-accepted prognostic factors for OS at diagnosis are also prognostic of post-event OS. Future studies may evaluate strategies to improve outcomes in this rare population., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Purpose: Postconsolidation immunotherapy including dinutuximab, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and interleukin-2 improved outcomes for patients with high-risk neuroblastoma enrolled on the randomized portion of Children's Oncology Group study ANBL0032. After random assignment ended, all patients were assigned to immunotherapy. Survival and toxicities were assessed., Patients and Methods: Patients with a pre-autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) response (excluding bone marrow) of partial response or better were eligible. Demographics, stage, tumor biology, pre-ASCT response, and adverse events were summarized using descriptive statistics. Event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) from time of enrollment (up to day +200 from last ASCT) were evaluated., Results: From 2009 to 2015, 1,183 patients were treated. Five-year EFS and OS for the entire cohort were 61.1 ± 1.9% and 71.9 ± 1.7%, respectively. For patients ≥ 18 months old at diagnosis with International Neuroblastoma Staging System stage 4 disease (n = 662) 5-year EFS and OS were 57.0 ± 2.4% and 70.9 ± 2.2%, respectively. EFS was superior for patients with complete response/very good partial response pre-ASCT compared with those with PR (5-year EFS: 64.2 ± 2.2% v 55.4 ± 3.2%, P = .0133); however, OS was not significantly different. Allergic reactions, capillary leak, fever, and hypotension were more frequent during interleukin-2-containing cycles than granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor-containing cycles ( P < .0001). EFS was superior in patients with higher peak dinutuximab levels during cycle 1 ( P = .034) and those with a high affinity FCGR3A genotype ( P = .0418). Human antichimeric antibody status did not correlate with survival., Conclusion: Analysis of a cohort assigned to immunotherapy after cessation of random assignment on ANBL0032 confirmed previously described survival and toxicity outcomes. EFS was highest among patients with end-induction complete response/very good partial response. Among patients with available data, higher dinutuximab levels and FCGR3A genotype were associated with superior EFS. These may be predictive biomarkers for dinutuximab therapy.