Pediatric oncology: 9 studies that may change your approach

At present, there are about approximately 12 million cancer survivors in the United States, many of whom were diagnosed before the age of 21. During the last 30 years, improved treatments and better supportive care have resulted in more children surviving and recovering from cancer.

However, recent studies have asked oncologists to consider not only the immediate ill effects the disease and treatment have on young individuals diagnosed with cancer, but also the ill effects that can occur decades after diagnosis and treatment. With more than 80% of children treated for cancer surviving for five years or more after treatment, preventing and recognizing physical and emotional late effects is an important part of cancer care.

HemOnc Today offers a brief review of the most recently published studies that could impact your approach to the treatment and management of pediatric cancer patients.

1. Pediatric head CT increased risk for benign brain tumor

Pediatric patients who underwent head CT demonstrated a significantly increased risk for benign brain tumors, according to results of a nationwide population-based cohort study. Read more.

2. Diagnostic delay worsened survival, disease progression in bilateral retinoblastoma

A longer diagnostic delay from initial symptom presentation to diagnosis was significantly associated with more advanced-stage disease and worse survival among pediatric patients with bilateral retinoblastoma. Read more.

3. MRI technique effectively staged young patients with lymphoma, sarcoma

Whole-body diffusion-weighted MRI scans effectively provided a radiation-free alternative from 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT scans for staging children and young adults with lymphomas and sarcomas. Read more.

4. Long-term survival rates high for pediatric low-grade gliomas

Adult survivors of pediatric low-grade glioma demonstrated excellent long-term disease-specific survival. Read more.

PAGE BREAK

5. Genetic mutations identified in rhabdomyosarcoma tumors

Newly discovered recurrent mutations in the genes FBXW7 and BCOR in rhabdomyosarcoma may offer new therapeutic options and improve outcomes for this type of pediatric cancer, according to results of a study conducted by NCI. Read more.

6. Prophylaxis reduced risk for chemotherapy-related infection in pediatric ALL, AML

Pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia or acute myeloid leukemia who underwent intensive chemotherapy demonstrated fewer occurrences of bloodstream and invasive fungal infections when they received prophylaxis with ciprofloxacin and voriconazole or micafungin. Read more.

7. Children with cancer exhibited no increased risk for PTSD

Children with cancer were no more likely to develop posttraumatic stress disorder or posttraumatic stress symptoms than their healthy counterparts. Read more.

8. Surgery, surveillance may obviate chemotherapy in 50% of stage I pediatric malignant ovarian germ cell tumors

A strategy of surgical resection followed by surveillance can eliminate the need for 50% of patients with stage I pediatric malignant ovarian germ cell tumor to undergo chemotherapy, according to findings from the Children’s Oncology Group. Read more.

9. Childhood cancer survivors have high frailty rates as young adults

Young adults who survived childhood cancer had frailty rates similar to those of individuals aged 65 years and older who never had cancer. Read more.