No abstract available.
Brain ; Brain Neoplasms ; Child ; Humans

Lymphadenopathy is a common problem in children and adolescents. A wide variety of diseases and conditions may present as lymphadenopathy and an understanding of these conditions is essential to determine the most appropriate diagnostic work-up for each patient. A detailed history and physical examination with careful attention to the anatomical regions drained by the involved lymph node or mass often leads to the appropriate diagnosis. A majority of these children will prove to have a benign disorder; however, it is important for the pediatrician to have an appreciation for the malignant diseases or serious systemic illnesses that may initially present with lymphadenopathy, to ensure the timely diagnosis of a serious disease.
Adolescent ; Child ; Dietary Sucrose ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Physical Examination

Inherited bone marrow failure syndrome (IBMFS) encompasses a heterogeneous and complex group of genetic disorders characterized by physical malformations, insufficient blood cell production, and increased risk of malignancies. They often have substantial phenotype overlap, and therefore, genotyping is often a critical means of establishing a diagnosis. Current advances in the field of IBMFSs have identified multiple genes associated with IBMFSs and their pathways: genes involved in ribosome biogenesis, such as those associated with Diamond-Blackfan anemia and Shwachman-Diamond syndrome; genes involved in telomere maintenance, such as dyskeratosis congenita genes; genes encoding neutrophil elastase or neutrophil adhesion and mobility associated with severe congenital neutropenia; and genes involved in DNA recombination repair, such as those associated with Fanconi anemia. Early and adequate genetic diagnosis is required for proper management and follow-up in clinical practice. Recent advances using new molecular technologies, including next generation sequencing (NGS), have helped identify new candidate genes associated with the development of bone marrow failure. Targeted NGS using panels of large numbers of genes is rapidly gaining potential for use as a cost-effective diagnostic tool for the identification of mutations in newly diagnosed patients. In this review, we have described recent insights into IBMFS and how they are advancing our understanding of the disease's pathophysiology; we have also discussed the possible implications they will have in clinical practice for Korean patients.
Anemia, Diamond-Blackfan ; Organelle Biogenesis ; Blood Cells ; Bone Marrow* ; Diagnosis ; DNA ; Dyskeratosis Congenita ; Fanconi Anemia ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Leukocyte Elastase ; Neutropenia ; Neutrophils ; Phenotype ; Recombinational DNA Repair ; Ribosomes ; Telomere

Childhood chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is a rare hematologic disease, with limited literature on the methods of treatment. Previously, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) was considered the only curative treatment for this disease. Treatment with imatinib, a selective inhibitor of the BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase (TKI), has resulted in prolonged molecular response with limited drug toxicity. Imatinib is now implemented in the primary treatment regimen for children, but the paucity of evidence on its ability to result in permanent cure and the potential complications that may arise from long-term treatment with TKIs have prevented imatinib from superseding HSCT as the primary means of curative treatment in children. The results of allogeneic HSCT in children with CML are similar to those observed in adults; HSCT-related complications such as transplant-related mortality and graft-versus-host disease remain significant challenges. An overall consensus has been formed with regards to the need for HSCT in patients with imatinib resistance or those with advanced-phase disease. However, issues such as when to undertake HSCT in chronic-phase CML patients or how best to treat patients who have relapsed after HSCT are still controversial. The imatinib era calls for a reevaluation of the role of HSCT in the treatment of CML. Specific guidelines for the treatment of pediatric CML have not yet been formulated, underscoring the importance of prospective studies on issues such as duration of imatinib treatment, optimal timing of HSCT and the type of conditioning utilized, possible treatment pre- and post-HSCT, and the role of second-generation TKIs.
Benzamides ; Child ; Consensus ; Drug Toxicity ; Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl ; Graft vs Host Disease ; Hematologic Diseases ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive ; Piperazines ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; Pyrimidines ; Imatinib Mesylate

The past 20 to 30 years have seen significant developments in the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric brain tumors, the most common solid organ tumor in children. Advances have been made in imaging methodologies, such as magnetic resonance imaging, surgical approaches to treatment, classification of brain tumors according to pathological and molecular features, and overall understanding of pertinent prognostic factors. Translation of our knowledge into appropriate therapy for each type of brain tumor has resulted in an overall improved survival. However, subtypes of brain tumor that have actually shown enhanced survival are few, and the overall prognosis for children with brain tumors remains poor compared to that of patients treated for other pediatric malignancies. Recent clinical trials aim to minimize treatment-related toxicity for brain tumors with superior survival, while attempting to improve the cure rate for those tumors with continued poor prognosis through intensified treatment, introduction of novel chemotherapeutic drugs, or targeted treatment based on identified molecular markers. This review outlines the overall role of chemotherapy in the treatment of childhood brain tumors, with an emphasis on recently identified molecular markers and current trends in treatment.
Brain ; Brain Neoplasms ; Central Nervous System ; Child ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Prognosis

Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) is an inherited X-linked disorder. The WAS gene is located on the X chromosome and undergoes mutations, which affect various domains of the WAS protein, resulting in recurrent infection, eczema, and thrombocytopenia. However, the clinical features and severity of the disease vary according to the type of mutations in the WAS gene. Here, we describe the case of a 4-year-old boy with a history of marked thrombocytopenia since birth, who presented with recurrent herpes simplex infection and late onset of eczema. Examination of his family history revealed that older brother, who died from intracranial hemorrhage, had chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenia. Therefore, we proceeded with genetic analysis and found a new deletion mutation in the WAS gene: c.858delC (p.ser287Leufs*21) as a hemizygous form.
Eczema ; Herpes Simplex ; Humans ; Intracranial Hemorrhages ; Methylmethacrylates ; Parturition ; Polystyrenes ; Sequence Deletion ; Siblings ; Thrombocytopenia ; Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome ; X Chromosome

Purpose: Approximately 30%-40% of pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients relapse. In this study, we analyzed the outcome and prognostic factors of relapsed AML patients who had previously received first-line therapy at our institution. Materials and Methods: The study group consisted of 50 patients who had been diagnosed with AML from April 2009 to December 2018, and then showed first relapse. Thirty-two of the patients (64%) had previously received allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in first complete remission (CR). Results: Forty-five of the patients (90%) received intensive chemotherapy upon diagnosis of relapse, and 76% (34/45) of these patients achieved a second CR. Estimated 5-year overall survival for these 45 patients was 44.9%±7.6%. Time from diagnosis to relapse, extramedullary involvement (EMI) at diagnosis, core binding factor AML, and complex karyotype were significant prognostic factors; in multivariate study, both time from diagnosis to relapse and EMI at diagnosis proved significant. There was no difference in 5-year disease-free survival between patients previously treated with chemotherapy only and those who received HSCT in first CR (52.4%±14.9% vs. 52.6%±11.5%). Of the 19 patients who achieved second CR after previous allogeneic HSCT in first CR and subsequent relapse, 11 were treated with chemotherapy only, and seven survive disease-free. Conclusion Intensive therapy allowed for long-term survival in 40%-50% of patients, and 50% of patients who achieved second CR, regardless of prior treatment modalities in first CR. Intensive treatment may allow for salvage of a significant portion of patients with relapsed pediatric AML.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis-like toxicity following chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy (carHLH) is a rare and fulminant complication. Currently, there are neither well-established diagnostic criteria nor optimal treatment option for carHLH. Given the similarities of hyperinflammatory process and cytokine profiles between cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and carHLH, tocilizumab and corticosteroids are the suggested front-line treatment options for both conditions. However, when carHLH is refractory to front-line treatment, alternative or adjunctive agents should be introduced to ameliorate ongoing hyperinflammation. Anakinra, a recombinant interleukin (IL)-1 receptor antagonist, has shown promising results in the management of carHLH. Although prospective trials are limited, the use of anakinra for severe CRS and carHLH has been increasing. In this case report, we present two cases of carHLH to discuss its characteristic clinical features, diagnostic criteria, and treatment option. In addition, we also highlight the clinical efficacy of anakinra for managing carHLH which was refractory to tocilizumab and dexamethasone.

Purpose: Recent cooperative trials in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) report long-term event-free survival (EFS) of greater than 80%. In this study, we analyzed the outcome and prognostic factors for patients with precursor B cell ALL (n=405) diagnosed during a 10-year period (2005-2015) at our institution. Materials and Methods: All patients were treated with a uniform institutional regimen based on four risk groups, except for steroid type; patients diagnosed up till 2008 receiving dexamethasone, while subsequent patients received prednisolone. None of the patients received cranial irradiation in first complete remission. Results: The 10-year EFS and overall survival was 76.3%±2.3% and 85.1%±1.9%. Ten-year cumulative incidence of relapse, any central nervous system (CNS) relapse and isolated CNS relapse was 20.8%±2.2%, 3.7%±1.1% and 2.5%±0.9% respectively. A comparison of established, good prognosis genetic abnormalities showed that patients with high hyperdiploidy had significantly better EFS than those with ETV6-RUNX1 rearrangement (10-year EFS of 91.2%±3.0% vs. 79.5%±4.4%, p=0.033). For the overall cohort, male sex, infant ALL, initial CNS involvement, and Philadelphia chromosome (+) ALL were significant factors for lower EFS in multivariate study, while high hyperdiploidy conferred favorable outcome. For high and very high risk patients (n=231), high hyperdiploidy was the only significant factor for EFS in multivariate study. Conclusion Regarding good prognosis genetic abnormalities, patients with high hyperdiploidy had significantly better outcome than ETV6-RUNX1 (+) patients. High hyperdiploidy was a major, favorable prognostic factor in the overall patient group, as well as the subgroup of patients with higher risk.