Oncology Commons^™

Genetic And Epigenetic Features Of Bilateral Wilms Tumor Predisposition In Patients From The Children’S Oncology Group Aren18b5-Q, Andrew J Murphy, Changde Cheng, Justin Williams, Timothy I Shaw, Emilia M Pinto, Karissa Dieseldorff-Jones, Jack Brzezinski, Lindsay A Renfro, Brett Tornwall, Vicki Huff, Andrew L Hong, Elizabeth A Mullen, Brian Crompton, Jeffrey S Dome, Conrad V Fernandez, James I Geller, Peter F Ehrlich, Heather Mulder, Ninad Oak, Jamie Maciezsek, Carolyn M Jablonowski, Andrew M Fleming, Prahalathan Pichavaram, Christopher L Morton, John Easton, Kim E Nichols, Michael R Clay, Teresa Santiago, Jinghui Zhang, Jun Yang, Gerard P Zambetti, Zhaoming Wang, Andrew M Davidoff, Xiang Chen

Student and Faculty Publications

Developing synchronous bilateral Wilms tumor suggests an underlying (epi)genetic predisposition. Here, we evaluate this predisposition in 68 patients using whole exome or genome sequencing (n = 85 tumors from 61 patients with matched germline blood DNA), RNA-seq (n = 99 tumors), and DNA methylation analysis (n = 61 peripheral blood, n = 29 non-diseased kidney, n = 99 tumors). We determine the predominant events for bilateral Wilms tumor predisposition: 1)pre-zygotic germline genetic variants readily detectable in blood DNA [WT1 (14.8%), NYNRIN (6.6%), TRIM28 (5%), and BRCA-related genes (5%)] or 2)post-zygotic epigenetic hypermethylation at 11p15.5 H19/ICR1 that may require analysis of …

Lessons Learnt In The First Year Of An Australian Pediatric Cardio Oncology Clinic., Claudia Toro, Ben Felmingham, Mangesh Jhadav, David S. Celermajer, Andre La Gerche, John O'Sullivan, Sanjeev Kumar, Marion K. Mateos, Joy M. Fulbright, Dinisha Govender, Lane Collier, Michael Cheung, David D. Eisenstat, Peter W. Lange, Julian Ayer, David A. Elliott, Rachel Conyers

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Modern oncological therapies together with chemotherapy and radiotherapy have broadened the agents that can cause cardiac sequelae, which can manifest for pediatric oncology patients while on active treatment. Recommendations for high-risk patients who should be monitored in a pediatric cardio-oncology clinic have previously been developed by expert Delphi consensus by our group. In 2022 we opened our first multidisciplinary pediatric cardio-oncology clinic adhering to these recommendations in surveillance and management.

OBJECTIVES: Our pediatric cardio-oncology clinic aimed to: (i) Document cardiovascular toxicities observed within a pediatric cardio-oncology clinic and. (ii) Evaluate the applicability of the Australian and New Zealand Pediatric …

Mediators And Moderators Of Active Music Engagement To Reduce Traumatic Stress Symptoms And Improve Well-Being In Parents Of Young Children With Cancer., Sheri L. Robb, Kristin Stegenga, Susan M. Perkins, Timothy E. Stump, Karen M. Moody, Amanda K. Henley, Jessica Maclean, Seethal A. Jacob, David Delgado, Paul R. Haut

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

OBJECTIVE: This trial examined the effects of proximal/distal mediators and moderators of an Active Music Engagement (AME) intervention on young child/parent distress, quality of life, and family function outcomes.

METHODS: Child/parent dyads (n = 125) were randomized to AME or Audio-storybooks attention control condition. Each group received 3 sessions with a credentialed music therapist for 3 consecutive days with data collection at baseline, post-intervention (T2), and 30-days later (T3). Potential proximal mediators included within session child and parent engagement. Potential distal mediators included changes in perceived family normalcy, parent self-efficacy, and independent use of play materials. Potential moderators included parent/child …

Rare Tumors: Opportunities And Challenges From The Children's Oncology Group Perspective., Kris Ann P. Schultz, Murali Chintagumpala, Jin Piao, Kenneth S. Chen, Rachana Shah, Robyn D. Gartrell, Emily Christison-Lagay, Farzana Pashnakar, Jesse L. Berry, Allison F. O'Neill, Lauren M. Vasta, Ashley Flynn, Sarah G. Mitchell, Brittani Kn Seynnaeve, Jeremy Rosenblum, Samara L. Potter, Junne Kamihara, Carlos Rodriguez-Galindo, Douglas S. Hawkins, Theodore W. Laetsch

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

While all childhood cancers are rare, tumors that are particularly infrequent or underrepresented within pediatrics are studied under the umbrella of the Children's Oncology Group Rare Tumor committee, divided into the Retinoblastoma and Infrequent Tumor subcommittees. The Infrequent Tumor subcommittee has traditionally included an emphasis on globally rare tumors such as adrenocortical carcinoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, or those tumors that are rare in young children, despite being common in adolescents and young adults, such as colorectal carcinoma, thyroid carcinoma, and melanoma. Pleuropulmonary blastoma, gonadal stromal tumors, pancreatic tumors including pancreatoblastoma, gastrointestinal stromal tumor, nonmelanoma skin cancers, neuroendocrine tumors, and desmoplastic small …

Understanding Macrophage Phagocytosis In Pediatric Leukemia, Molly Leyda, Jacqelyn Nemechek, John Szarejko, Fang Tao, Tykeem Manor, Douglas Myers, John M. Perry

Posters

Macrophages are a diverse and widespread type of innate immune cell which play an important role in homeostasis and defense. In a process called phagocytosis, macrophages engulf dying cells, foreign substances, and pathogens. Importantly, macrophages can present antigens from phagocytosed cells allowing them to initiate an adaptive immune response against remaining cells of the same type. Despite the immunosuppressive nature of the tumor microenvironment, macrophages often infiltrate tumors where they can either promote or inhibit cancer development, though the specific conditions influencing their pro- vs anti-cancer activity remain enigmatic. Recently, macrophages have been brought into the spotlight of immunotherapy research …

Early Skeletal Muscle Loss In Adolescent And Young Adult Cancer Patients Treated With Anthracycline Chemotherapy, Savannah V Wooten, Fei Wang, Michael E Roth, Guanshu Liu, J Andrew Livingston, Behrang Amini, Susan C Gilchrist, Michelle Hildebrandt, Eugenie S Kleinerman

Student and Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Early skeletal muscle loss has been observed in adolescent and young adult (AYA) sarcoma patients undergoing treatment. Identification of individuals within the AYA populace that are at greatest risk of anthracycline-induced skeletal muscle loss is unknown. Moreover, investigations which seek out underlying causes of skeletal muscle degradation during chemotherapy are critical for understanding, preventing, and reducing chronic health conditions associated with poor skeletal muscle status.

METHODS: Computed tomography (CT) scans were used to investigate changes in skeletal muscle of 153 AYA sarcoma and Hodgkin lymphoma patients at thoracic vertebra 4 after anthracycline treatment. Images were examined at three time …

Analyzing Prominent Genes In Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (All), Shima Z. Omar

Honors College Theses

Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is the most common type of childhood cancer. Leukemia is a type of cancer that involves the bone marrow and blood. This research study examined prominent genes in the disease. Two groups of genes, tumor suppressor and cell differentiation, were compared using statistical analysis to compare their binding potential and epigenetic potential. It is most likely that I failed to detect significant differences either because these genes’ function in the disease etiology is not strongly contexed to changes in expression, or that the magnitude of the differences were too slight to be detected with these methods. …

Clinical Characteristics And Treatment Outcome Of Paediatric Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma At A Tertiary Care Hospital In Pakistan, Juverya Naqvi, Mir Ibrahim Sajid, Saiqa Khan, Zaib Un Nisa Kamran, Zehra Fadoo

Medical College Documents

Objectives: To highlight the clinical characteristics of paediatric patients presenting with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, treatment toxicities, and outcome.
Methods: The retrospective study was conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, and comprised data of all paediatric patients aged 0-18 years diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma from 2010 to 2020. Demographic characteristics, presentation, treatment provided, complications, if any, and treatment outcome were recorded. Data was analysed using SPSS 21.
Results: Of the 92 patients, 69(75.0%) were males. The overall mean age was 14.35±5.80 years. The most common presenting complaint was pyrexia 42(45.7%), the most common diagnosis was Burkitt lymphoma 40(43.5%), the most …

Characteristics And Prognostic Impact Of Idh Mutations In Aml: A Cog, Swog, And Ecog Analysis., Sara Zarnegar-Lumley, Todd A. Alonzo, Robert B. Gerbing, Megan Othus, Zhuoxin Sun, Rhonda E. Ries, Jim Wang, Amanda Leonti, Matthew A. Kutny, Fabiana Ostronoff, Jerald P. Radich, Frederick R. Appelbaum, Era L. Pogosova-Agadjanyan, Kristen O'Dwyer, Martin S. Tallman, Mark Litzow, Ehab Atallah, Todd M. Cooper, Richard A. Aplenc, Omar Abdel-Wahab, Alan S. Gamis, Selina Luger, Harry Erba, Ross Levine, E Anders Kolb, Derek L. Stirewalt, Soheil Meshinchi, Katherine Tarlock

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Somatic mutations in isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) genes occur frequently in adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and less commonly in pediatric AML. The objective of this study was to describe the prevalence, mutational profile, and prognostic significance of IDH mutations in AML across age. Our cohort included 3141 patients aged betweenChildren's Cancer Group/Children's Oncology Group (n = 1872), Southwest Oncology Group (n = 359), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (n = 397) trials, and in Beat AML (n = 333) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (n = 180) genomic characterization cohorts. We retrospectively analyzed patients in 4 age groups (age range, n): …

Improving Pharmacist-Led Pediatric Patient Education On Oral Chemotherapy At Home, Anika Patel, Christopher M. Nguyen, Kristin Willins, Elsabella Y. Wang, Grace Magedman, Sun Yang

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Oral chemotherapy (OC) has been increasingly used in pediatric patients diagnosed with cancer, which is primarily managed in the outpatient setting. Different from adults, pediatric patients face unique challenges in administering these hazardous medications at home. Because of the complexity of pediatric pharmaceutical care and the hazardous nature of chemotherapy agents, comprehensive patient education is imperative to mitigate the potential safety risks associated with OC administration at home. Pharmacists play a vital role in patient education and medication consultations. However, the lack of practice guidelines and limited resources supporting OC counseling are noted. Additional barriers include insufficient knowledge and training …

Subsequent Female Breast Cancer Risk Associated With Anthracycline Chemotherapy For Childhood Cancer, Yuehan Wang, Cécile M Ronckers, Flora E Van Leeuwen, Chaya S Moskowitz, Wendy Leisenring, Gregory T Armstrong, Florent De Vathaire, Melissa M Hudson, Claudia E Kuehni, Michael A Arnold, Charlotte Demoor-Goldschmidt, Daniel M Green, Tara O Henderson, Rebecca M Howell, Matthew J Ehrhardt, Joseph P Neglia, Kevin C Oeffinger, Helena J H Van Der Pal, Leslie L Robison, Michael Schaapveld, Lucie M Turcotte, Nicolas Waespe, Leontien C M Kremer, Jop C Teepen

Student and Faculty Publications

Anthracycline-based chemotherapy is associated with increased subsequent breast cancer (SBC) risk in female childhood cancer survivors, but the current evidence is insufficient to support early breast cancer screening recommendations for survivors treated with anthracyclines. In this study, we pooled individual patient data of 17,903 survivors from six well-established studies, of whom 782 (4.4%) developed a SBC, and analyzed dose-dependent effects of individual anthracycline agents on developing SBC and interactions with chest radiotherapy. A dose-dependent increased SBC risk was seen for doxorubicin (hazard ratio (HR) per 100 mg m

The Effects Of Equine-Assisted Activities On Execution Function In Children Aged 7–8 Years: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Xiaodong Cheng, Kexin Zhen, Yongzhao Fan, Qian Tang, Hao Wu

Student and Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: This study examines the effects of equine-assisted activity (EAA) training on executive functioning (EF) (inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility) in children aged 7-8 years.

METHODS: Twenty-Four healthy children aged 7-8 years with a 1:1 ratio of boys to girls were randomly divided into EAA group (EAAG) or control group (CG). The subjects in EAAG were trained for 12 weeks, and CG participated in normal daily activities. All subjects conducted the Flanker, 1-Back, and More-odd shifting tasks at rest and recorded the average reaction times (RTs) and accuracy data of each task.

RESULTS: After 12 weeks of EAA …

A Genomics Driven Pluripotent Stem Cell Model Of Infant Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Meagan Vacek, Jacqelyn Nemechek, Julia Draper, Irina Pushel, Bradley Thornton, Molly Leyda, Priyanka Prem Kumar, Midhat S. Farooqi, Jay L. Vivian, Erin M. Guest, John M. Perry

Posters

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia in infants (iALL) is a high-risk subtype of childhood leukemia, with poor survival outcomes despite intensive therapies. Rearrangement of KMT2A (KMT2A-r) on chromosome 11q23 is the most frequent cytogenetic abnormality in iALL, occurring in 70% of cases. KMT2A-r is associated with chemotherapy resistance, early relapse, and rapid leukemic progression, all of which contribute to poor survival outcomes. The most common KMT2A-r in iALL is KMT2A::AFF1 (MLL::AF4), derived from t(4;11)(q21;23) and arises in utero as shown in multiple clinical studies. Infant ALL’s cell of origin is thought to be a very early hematopoietic precursor, with transcriptomic studies of …

Risk And Risk Factors For Colorectal Subsequent Malignancies In Survivors Of Childhood Cancer: A Report From The Childhood Cancer Survivor Study, Constance A. Owens

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Survivors of childhood cancer are at risk for colorectal subsequent malignant neoplasms (SMNs); notably, these cancers are amenable to screening. To identify at-risk survivors that may benefit from early screening, descriptive and risk factor analyses were performed to ascertain risk factors for colorectal SMN in childhood cancer survivors. In particular, we explored detailed radiation therapy (RT) data – colorectal and substructure dose-volume metrics – as risk factors for colorectal SMN risk; metrics that have yet to be thoroughly investigated. We developed a novel population-based anatomical colorectal model with substructures for RT dosimetry in late effects studies of childhood cancer survivors; …

Comprehensive Molecular And Clinical Characterization Of Nup98 Fusions In Pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Eline J M Bertrums, Jenny L. Smith, Lauren Harmon, Rhonda E. Ries, Yi-Cheng J. Wang, Todd A. Alonzo, Andrew J. Menssen, Karen M. Chisholm, Amanda R. Leonti, Katherine Tarlock, Fabiana Ostronoff, Era L. Pogosova-Agadjanyan, Gertjan J L Kaspers, Henrik Hasle, Michael Dworzak, Christiane Walter, Nora Muhlegger, Cristina Morerio, Laura Pardo, Betsy Hirsch, Susana Raimondi, Todd M. Cooper, Richard Aplenc, Alan S. Gamis, Edward A. Kolb, Jason E. Farrar, Derek Stirewalt, Xiaotu Ma, Tim I. Shaw, Scott N. Furlan, Lisa Eidenschink Brodersen, Michael R. Loken, Marry M. Van Den Heuvel-Eibrink, C Michel Zwaan, Timothy J. Triche, Bianca F. Goemans, Soheil Meshinchi

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

NUP98 fusions comprise a family of rare recurrent alterations in AML, associated with adverse outcomes. In order to define the underlying biology and clinical implications of this family of fusions, we performed comprehensive transcriptome, epigenome, and immunophenotypic profiling of 2,235 children and young adults with AML and identified 160 NUP98 rearrangements (7.2%), including 108 NUP98-NSD1 (4.8%), 32 NUP98-KDM5A (1.4%) and 20 NUP98-X cases (0.9%) with 13 different fusion partners. Fusion partners defined disease characteristics and biology; patients with NUP98-NSD1 or NUP98-KDM5A had distinct immunophenotypic, transcriptomic, and epigenomic profiles. Unlike the two most prevalent NUP98 fusions, NUP98-X variants are typically not …

Sars-Cov-2 Infections In Patients Enrolled On The Children's Oncology Group Standard-Risk B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Trial, Aall1731., Caitlin W. Elgarten, John A. Kairalla, Joel Thompson, Tamara P. Miller, Cindy Wang, Susan Conway, Mignon L. Loh, Elizabeth A. Raetz, Sumit Gupta, Rachel E. Rau, Anne Angiolillo, Karen R. Rabin, Sarah Alexander

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Hematologic malignancy is a risk factor for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in adults; however, data specific to children with leukemia are limited. High-quality infectious adverse event data from the ongoing Children's Oncology Group (COG) standard-risk B acute lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma (ALL/LLy) trial, AALL1731, were analyzed to provide a disease-specific estimate of SARS-CoV-2 infection outcomes in pediatric ALL. Of 253 patients with reported infections, the majority (77.1%) were asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic (CTCAE grade 1/2) and there was a single COVID-19-related death. These data suggest SARS-CoV-2 infection does not confer substantial morbidity among young patients with B-lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma (B-ALL/LLy).

Hlh-Like Toxicities Predict Poor Survival After The Use Of Tisagenlecleucel In Children And Young Adults With B-All., Kevin O. Mcnerney, Stephanie J. Si Lim, Kyle Ishikawa, Alexandra Dreyzin, Anant Vatsayan, John J. Chen, Christina Baggott, Snehit Prabhu, Holly L. Pacenta, Christine Philips, Jenna Rossoff, Heather E. Stefanski, Julie-An Talano, Amy Moskop, Michael Verneris, Douglas Myers, Nicole A. Karras, Patrick Brown, Challice L. Bonifant, Muna Qayed, Michelle Hermiston, Prakash Satwani, Christa Krupski, Amy K. Keating, Susanne H C Baumeister, Vanessa A. Fabrizio, Vasant Chinnabhandar, Emily Egeler, Sharon Mavroukakis, Kevin J. Curran, Crystal L. Mackall, Theodore W. Laetsch, Liora M. Schultz

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Chimeric antigen receptor-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH)-like toxicities (LTs) involving hyperferritinemia, multiorgan dysfunction, coagulopathy, and/or hemophagocytosis are described as occurring in a subset of patients with cytokine release syndrome (CRS). Case series report poor outcomes for those with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) who develop HLH-LTs, although larger outcomes analyses of children and young adults (CAYAs) with B-ALL who develop these toxicities after the administration of commercially available tisagenlecleucel are not described. Using a multi-institutional database of 185 CAYAs with B-ALL, we conducted a retrospective cohort study including groups that developed HLH-LTs, high-grade (HG) CRS without HLH-LTs, or no to low-grade …

Measurable Residual Disease And Fusion Partner Independently Predict Survival And Relapse Risk In Childhood Kmt2a-Rearranged Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A Study By The International Berlin-Frankfurt-Münster Study Group, Romy E. Van Weelderen, Kim Klein, Christine J. Harrison, Yilin Jiang, Jonas Abrahamsson, Nira Arad-Cohen, Emmanuelle Bart-Delabesse, Barbara Buldini, Barbara De Moerloose, Michael N. Dworzak, Sarah Elitzur, José M. Fernández Navarro, Robert B. Gerbing, Bianca F. Goemans, Hester A. De Groot-Kruseman, Erin M. Guest, Shau-Yin Ha, Henrik Hasle, Charikleia Kelaidi, Hélène Lapillonne, Guy Leverger, Franco Locatelli, Riccardo Masetti, Takako Miyamura, Ulrika Norén-Nyström, Sophia Polychronopoulou, Mareike Rasche, Jeffrey E. Rubnitz, Jan Stary, Anne Tierens, Daisuke Tomizawa, C Michel Zwaan, Gertjan J L Kaspers

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Purpose: A previous study by the International Berlin-Frankfurt-Münster Study Group (I-BFM-SG) on childhood KMT2A-rearranged (KMT2A-r) AML demonstrated the prognostic value of the fusion partner. This I-BFM-SG study investigated the value of flow cytometry-based measurable residual disease (flow-MRD) and evaluated the benefit of allogeneic stem-cell transplantation (allo-SCT) in first complete remission (CR1) in this disease.

Methods: A total of 1,130 children with KMT2A-r AML, diagnosed between January 2005 and December 2016, were assigned to high-risk (n = 402; 35.6%) or non-high-risk (n = 728; 64.4%) fusion partner-based groups. Flow-MRD levels at both end of induction 1 (EOI1) …

Long Noncoding Rna Expression Independently Predicts Outcome In Pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia., Jason E. Farrar, Jenny L. Smith, Megan Othus, Benjamin J. Huang, Yi-Cheng Wang, Rhonda Ries, Tiffany Hylkema, Era L. Pogosova-Agadjanyan, Sneha Challa, Amanda Leonti, Timothy I. Shaw, Timothy J. Triche, Alan S. Gamis, Richard Aplenc, E Anders Kolb, Xiaotu Ma, Derek L. Stirewalt, Todd A. Alonzo, Soheil Meshinchi

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Purpose: Optimized strategies for risk classification are essential to tailor therapy for patients with biologically distinctive disease. Risk classification in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (pAML) relies on detection of translocations and gene mutations. Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) transcripts have been shown to associate with and mediate malignant phenotypes in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) but have not been comprehensively evaluated in pAML.

Methods: To identify lncRNA transcripts associated with outcomes, we evaluated the annotated lncRNA landscape by transcript sequencing of 1,298 pediatric and 96 adult AML specimens. Upregulated lncRNAs identified in the pAML training set were used to establish a regularized …

A Novel Therapy For Refractory Cbfa2t3::Glis2-Associated Amkl Using Stro-002 And Plerixafor, Amy Johnson Md, Mba, Alan S. Gamis, Arturo Molina, Soheil Meshinchi, Karen Lewing

Research Days

Background: CBFA2T3::GLIS2-associated AML (CBF/GLIS AML) is an aggressive form of AML often associated with AMKL and recognized by its unique RAM phenotype by flow. It has a very poor prognosis, frequently refractory to standard of care regimens, with extreme marrow localization of leukemic blasts likely mediated by high CXCR4 (CD184) expression. The CBFA2T3::GLIS2 fusion gene is the most common oncogenic transcript in pediatric AMKL and universally results in high expression of FOLR1 surface antigen. STRO-002, an antibody drug conjugate targeting FOLR1, is currently in Phase I clinical trials for adults with refractory ovarian and endometrial malignancies A summary of 17 …

Bone Marrow Transplant For Macrophage Activation Syndrome In Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, Shailly Gaur, Michael J. Holland, J Allyson Hays, Ibrahim A. Ahmed

Research Days

Background

The recognition of macrophage-activation-syndrome (MAS) in the setting of systemic-juvenileidiopathic-arthritis (sJIA) is complex, but a necessary distinction given emerging treatment options. With overlapping clinical manifestations including fever, end-organ involvement and lymphadenopathy, there is a focus on laboratory values to differentiate MAS from a sJIA flare. Once parameters are met, multiple treatment modalities can be considered, as monotherapy or in combination, including steroids, immunosuppression, chemotherapy, intravenous immunoglobulin, and cytokine-directed biologics. Given the long-term morbidity and mortality associated with progressive inflammation and immune dysregulation due to MAS with sJIA, it is imperative to regain control over this complication. However, these treatments …

Automating The Radiation Therapy Treatment Planning Process For Pediatric Patients With Medulloblastoma, Soleil Hernandez

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Over the past 50 years, pediatric cancer 5-year survival rates increased from 20% to 80% in high-income countries, however, these trends have not been mirrored in low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs). This is due in part to delayed diagnosis, higher rates of advanced disease at presentation and a growing lack of access to high quality medical personnel and technology necessary to deliver complex treatments.

The long-term goal of this study was to alleviate demanding workflows and increase global access to high-quality pediatric radiation therapy by harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to automate the radiation therapy treatment planning process for pediatric patients …

An Occupational Therapy Approach To Play For Pediatric Cancer Patients, Michelle Erika Dytan, Karen Park

Spring 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Play as an occupation has been long identified as a primary aspect of a child’s life (Moore & Lynch, 2017). Play provides children with ways to explore the world while learning skills to improve critical thinking, creativity, and positive self-esteem, and simply to have fun (Guirguis, 2018; Yanof, 2019). Children with cancer face barriers that limit their ability to engage in play, with negative consequences to their social, cognitive, and emotional development (Nijhof et al., 2018). There is an evident gap in a lack of play opportunities in community-based settings, which may limit a child’s personal development, social skills, and …

Symptom Management Care Pathway Adaptation Process And Specific Adaptation Decisions, Emily Vettese, Farha Sherani, Allison A. King, Lolie Yu, Catherine Aftandilian, Christina Baggott, Vibhuti Agarwal, Ramamoorthy Nagasubramanian, Kara M. Kelly, David R. Freyer, Etan Orgel, Scott M. Bradfield, Wade Kyono, Michael Roth, Lisa M. Klesges, Melissa Beauchemin, Allison Grimes, George Tomlinson, L. Lee Dupuis, Lillian Sung

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: There is substantial heterogeneity in symptom management provided to pediatric patients with cancer. The primary objective was to describe the adaptation process and specific adaptation decisions related to symptom management care pathways based on clinical practice guidelines. The secondary objective evaluated if institutional factors were associated with adaptation decisions. METHODS: Fourteen previously developed symptom management care pathway templates were reviewed by an institutional adaptation team composed of two clinicians at each of 10 institutions. They worked through each statement for all care pathway templates sequentially. The institutional adaptation team made the decision to adopt, adapt or reject each statement, …

Identification Of Small Extracellular Vesicle Protein Biomarkers For Pediatric Ewing Sarcoma., Soumya M. Turaga, Mihaela E. Sardiu, Vikalp Vishwakarma, Amrita Mitra, Leonidas E. Bantis, Rashna Madan, Michael L. Merchant, Jon B. Klein, Glenson Samuel, Andrew K. Godwin

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Ewing Sarcoma (EWS) is the second most common osseous malignancy in children and young adults after osteosarcoma, while it is the fifth common osseous malignancy within adult age population. The clinical presentation of EWS is quite often non-specific, with the most common symptoms at presentation consisting of pain, swelling or general discomfort. The dearth of clinically relevant diagnostic or predictive biomarkers continues to remain a pressing clinical challenge. Identification of tumor specific biomarkers can lend towards an early diagnosis, expedited initiation of therapy, monitoring of therapeutic response, and early detection of recurrence of disease. We carried-out a complex analysis of …

Perinucleolar Compartment (Pnc) Prevalence As An Independent Prognostic Factor In Pediatric Ewing Sarcoma: A Multi-Institutional Study., Elizabeth Gonzalez, Atif A. Ahmed, Laura Mccarthy, Katherine Chastain, Sahibu Sultan M Habeebu, Marta Zapata-Tarres, Rocio Cardenas-Cardos, Liliana Velasco-Hidalgo, Celso Corcuera-Delgado, Rodolfo Rodriguez-Jurado, Lilia García-Rodríguez, Alejandro Parrales, Tomoo Iwakuma, Midhat S. Farooqi, Brian R. Lee, Scott J. Weir, Terrie Flatt

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

The perinucleolar compartment (PNC) is a small nuclear body that plays important role in tumorigenesis. PNC prevalence correlates with poor prognosis and cancer metastasis. Its expression in pediatric Ewing sarcoma (EWS) has not previously been documented. In this study, we analyzed 40 EWS tumor cases from Caucasian and Hispanic patients for PNC prevalence by immunohistochemical detection of polypyrimidine tract binding protein and correlated the prevalence with dysregulated microRNA profiles. EWS cases showed staining ranging from 0 to 100%, which were categorized as diffuse (≥77%, n = 9, high PNC) or not diffuse (p= 0.017) and in patients who relapsed with …

Consensus-Based Evaluation Of Outcome Measures In Pediatric Stroke Care: A Toolkit., Samantha J Feldman, Lauren A Beslow, Ryan J Felling, Laura A Malone, Michaela Waak, Stuart Fraser, Nihal Bakeer, Jo Ellen M Lee, Victoria Sherman, Melissa M Howard, Beth Anne Cavanaugh, Robyn Westmacott, Lori C Jordan

Student and Faculty Publications

Following a pediatric stroke, outcome measures selected for monitoring functional recovery and development vary widely. We sought to develop a toolkit of outcome measures that are currently available to clinicians, possess strong psychometric properties, and are feasible for use within clinical settings. A multidisciplinary group of clinicians and scientists from the International Pediatric Stroke Organization comprehensively reviewed the quality of measures in multiple domains described in pediatric stroke populations including global performance, motor and cognitive function, language, quality of life, and behavior and adaptive functioning. The quality of each measure was evaluated using guidelines focused on responsiveness and sensitivity, reliability, …

Protocol And Biomarker Strategy For A Multi-Site Randomized Controlled Trial Examining Biological Mechanisms And Dosing Of Active Music Engagement In Children With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia And Lymphoma And Parents., Sheri L. Robb, Kristen A. Russ, Steven J. Holochwost, Kristin Stegenga, Susan M. Perkins, Seethal A. Jacob, Amanda K. Henley, Jessica A. Maclean

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Music therapy is a standard palliative care service in many pediatric and adult hospitals; however, most research has focused on the use of music to improve psychosocial dimensions of health, without considering biological dimensions. This study builds on prior work examining psychosocial mechanisms of action underlying an Active Music Engagement (AME) intervention, designed to help manage emotional distress and improve positive health outcomes in young children with cancer and parents (caregivers), by examining its effects on biomarkers of stress and immune function.

METHODS: This two-group randomized controlled trial (R01NR019190) is designed to examine biological mechanisms of effect and dose-response …

Three-Year Update Of Tisagenlecleucel In Pediatric And Young Adult Patients With Relapsed/Refractory Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia In The Eliana Trial., Theodore W. Laetsch, Shannon L. Maude, Susana Rives, Hidefumi Hiramatsu, Henrique Bittencourt, Peter Bader, André Baruchel, Michael Boyer, Barbara De Moerloose, Muna Qayed, Jochen Buechner, Michael A. Pulsipher, Douglas Myers, Heather E. Stefanski, Paul L. Martin, Eneida Nemecek, Christina Peters, Gregory Yanik, Seong Lin Khaw, Kara L. Davis, Joerg Krueger, Adriana Balduzzi, Nicolas Boissel, Ranjan Tiwari, Darragh O'Donovan, Stephan A. Grupp

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

In the primary analysis of the global phase II ELIANA trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02435849), tisagenlecleucel provided an overall remission rate of 81% in pediatric and young adult patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (R/R B-ALL), with 59% of responders remaining relapse-free at 12 months. Here, we report an update on efficacy, safety, and patient-reported quality of life in 79 pediatric and young adult patients with R/R B-ALL following a median follow-up of 38.8 months. The overall remission rate was 82%. The median event-free survival was 24 months, and the median overall survival was not reached. Event-free …

Cognitive Sparing In Proton Versus Photon Radiotherapy For Pediatric Brain Tumor Is Associated With White Matter Integrity: An Exploratory Study, Lisa E Mash, Lisa S Kahalley, Kimberly P Raghubar, Naomi J Goodrich-Hunsaker, Tracy J Abildskov, Luz A De Leon, Marianne Macleod, Heather Stancel, Kelley Parsons, Brian Biekman, Nilesh K Desai, David R Grosshans, Arnold C Paulino, Zili D Chu, William E Whitehead, Mehmet Fatih Okcu, Murali Chintagumpala, Elisabeth A Wilde

Student and Faculty Publications

Radiotherapy for pediatric brain tumors is associated with reduced white matter structural integrity and neurocognitive decline. Superior cognitive outcomes have been reported following proton radiotherapy (PRT) compared to photon radiotherapy (XRT), presumably due to improved sparing of normal brain tissue. This exploratory study examined the relationship between white matter change and late cognitive effects in pediatric brain tumor survivors treated with XRT versus PRT. Pediatric brain tumor survivors treated with XRT (