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Biomedical subjects

D Frappaz

Publications and source records attributed to D Frappaz.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

[CD44 expression: a new prognostic factor in neuroblastoma].

CD44 gene products are potential markers of aggressiveness in different tumor models, a result which prompted us to study clinical neuroblastoma (NB) specimens. CD44 expression was determined by immunostaining of 52 NB with a monoclonal antibody (J173) directed against an epitope common to all CD44 isoforms. All tumors were from patients (pts) with newly diagnosed NB treated with standardized protocols. They were classified according to international criteria [11]. CD44 immunoreactivity was detected in 37 tumors (71%). CD44 was expressed in 100% of favorable NB stages (1, 2 or 4S), but only 50% of advanced NB (stages 3 and 4) (p = 0.0001), suggesting that the absence rather that the overexpression of CD44 is a signal of tumor aggressiveness. The cumulative event-free survival was significantly longer in pts with CD44-positive tumors as compared to pts with CD44-negative tumors (p < 10(-5)). More importantly, progression-free survival was also significantly higher in CD44-positive pts within the high-risk group (p < 0.01). In univariate analyses, we tested the prognostic value of tumor expression of CD44 in comparison with tumor stage, age, tumor histology and presence or absence of N-myc proto-oncogene amplification. All five measures had significant prognostic value. The expression of CD44 and the absence of N-myc amplification were the most powerful predictors of a favorable clinical outcome. In a multivariate analysis of these measures, CD44 expression and tumor stage were the only independent prognostic factors for the prediction of patient survival. NB is the first clinical model described in which tumor aggressiveness correlates with a repression rather than a stimulation of CD44 expression. We recommend the use of CD44 as an additional biological marker in the initial staging of neuroblastoma.

Adolescent↗

Molecular study of Glanzmann thrombasthenia in 3 patients issued from 2 different families.

In an effort to further understand Glanzmann thrombasthenia (GT) 3 patients from 2 different families were studied. After biochemical and immunological analysis these patients were classified as type I. We observed in the first family a new restriction site for Stu I in exon II of the glycoprotein (GP) IIIa gene caused by a homozygous nonsense mutation: 62 Arg to stop codon. The parents were heterozygotes for this mutation. We found in the second family a previously described nonsense mutation: 584 Arg to stop codon in exon 17 of the GPIIb gene. The father and his two affected sons were heterozygous for this genetic defect. This mutation 62 Arg to stop codon is a new description of a genetic defect associated with GT. Furthermore, the discovery of the same mutation in 3 affected families from different ethnic groups raises the possibility of either a hot spot mutation in the CG dinucleotide region of GPIIb gene, or an ancient mutant allele present in diffuse populations at a relatively high frequency.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Desmoplastic small round cell tumors of the abdomen.

BACKGROUND: Desmoplastic small round cell tumors (DSRCT) have been only recently identified. METHODS: The authors report DSRCT in two pediatric patients (an 8-year-old boy and 12-year-old boy). In both patients, the initial diagnosis was rhabdomyosarcoma. The resistance to standard chemotherapy and radiation therapy prompted the authors to review the initial biopsy specimens and perform complementary immunophenotypic characterization. RESULTS: These analyses revealed that the tumor cells were strongly positive for keratin epithelial marker antigen, desmin, vimentin, neurospecific enolase, and S100 protein, corresponding to pleomorphic differentiation, characteristic of DSRCT: CONCLUSIONS: The authors suggest that extensive immunohistologic characterization be performed in all cases of small round cell tumors of the abdomen so that the diagnosis of DSRCT is not overlooked. These rare tumors are refractory to chemotherapy, and initial aggressive surgery is warranted.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗

The role of fast neutron therapy in unresectable pelvic osteosarcoma: preliminary report.

Primary osteosarcoma of the pelvic bones represents less than 10% of all osteosarcoma. Despite mutilating surgical procedures or high-dose radiotherapy and neoadjuvant chemotherapy, local failures and distant metastases remain common. The 2-year actuarial survival rate is less than 50% and the disease-free survival is under 20% at 2 years. We report 4 cases of pelvic osteosarcoma treated by a combination of chemotherapy, photon beam and neutron beam radiotherapy. After a median follow-up of 24 months, all 4 patients are alive and disease free.

Adolescent↗

High-dose VP16 cisplatinum in soft tissue sarcoma of children.

Nine children with soft tissue sarcomas, five of them rhabdomyosarcomas with initial metastatic disease, (one patient, partial response, one patient), refractory primary, (two patients, relapse, five patients) were treated with a combination of high-dose VP16 (100 mg/m2 daily for 5 days) and cisplatin (40 mg/m2 daily for 5 days). The response rate was five out of nine or 55% (+/- 32%) (two complete and three partial, responses). Three of the five responders had rhabdomyosarcomas. The duration of response was 4-58 months (median 11 months). The toxicity was mainly hematological. Thus, the high-dose VP16-cisplatin association warrants further evaluation in soft tissue sarcoma in children.

Adolescent↗

Therapy of Burkitt and other B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and lymphoma: experience with the LMB protocols of the SFOP (French Paediatric Oncology Society) in children and adults.

Burkitt's lymphoma and L3-ALL are different forms of the same disease: B-cell disease. Therapeutic improvement has been considerable over the past 10 years. In France, four consecutive multicentre LMB studies of the SFOP greatly contributed to this improvement. An overall cure rate of 90% can now be achieved in children with a short intensive risk adapted polychemotherapy regimen based on high-dose fractionated CPM, HD MTX (3 g/m2), Ara-C in continuous infusion. For patients with ALL or with CNS involvement, the addition of CNS-directed therapy with a higher dose of MTX (8 g/m2), HD Ara-C (3 g/m2 x 4), VP 16, triple intrathecal injections and cranial irradiation greatly improved survival: 87% for ALL and 73% for patients with CNS involvement. In adults, the application of the paediatric protocol is possible with acceptable toxicity and a retrospective study of 41 cases treated according to a LMB protocol showed a cure rate of 71%. Such a regimen should now be proposed to adults and studied prospectively.

Abdominal Neoplasms↗

Once daily antibiotic regimen in paediatric oncology.

The feasibility and efficacy of a once daily antibiotic regimen were assessed in children with malignant tumours. Over a 44 month period, 296 febrile episodes were treated with a regimen of once daily ceftriaxone-amikacin (and teicoplanin or vancomycin if the patient had a central line). The treatment was successful in 272 (92%) episodes without modification of the antibiotic regimen, and only one patient died of uncontrolled sepsis. A once daily antibiotic regimen is therefore feasible and worthwhile in the treatment of febrile episodes in children with cancer.

Adolescent↗

[Constitutional translocation t(1;6) and Burkitt's lymphoma].

BACKGROUND: The relationship between constitutional chromosome aberrations and a predisposition to malignancy has already been established. CASE REPORT: A 4 year-old boy was admitted suffering from abdominal mass. Biopsies of the tumor and bone marrow showed a stage IV Burkitt's lymphoma. Karyotype showed a constitutional t(1;6)(p36;q22) in initial bone marrow samples and peripheral lymphocytes. No classic Burkitt's type translocation was demonstrated in the malignant bone marrow cells. CONCLUSION: Our case is similar to four other reported cases. The break-points 1p36 and 6q22 seem to be involved in several malignant tumors, especially lymphomas.

Burkitt Lymphoma↗

Two germ-line mutations affecting the same nucleotide at codon 257 of p53 gene, a rare site for mutations.

Codon 257 of the p53 gene is an extremely rare target for somatic mutations (accounting for only two of 1600 published mutations). We report here two constitutional mutations both affecting the second nucleotide of codon 257. A thymine to adenine transversion resulting in an amino acid change from leucine to glutamine was found in one proband who developed multiple independent malignant tumors (osteosarcoma, phyllodes tumor, soft-tissue sarcoma). Her mother died of early-onset breast cancer. In the other case, a deletion resulting in a frameshift in the C-terminal coding region of p53 was found in a woman who was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 34. This woman belongs to a family with features of Li-Fraumeni syndrome. In both cases, the p53 mutations identified in the proband was found in other members of the family. Codon 257, even if rarely mutated in somatic cells, may thus be an important target for germ-line mutations.

Adult↗

[Malignant lymphoma in children].

Malignant lymphomas of children are among the pathologies which have benefited the most of the improvements of therapy since twenty years. Classically, the therapy of Hodgkin lymphoma included radiotherapy; nowadays, the role of chemotherapy becomes more important. For non-Hodgkin lymphomas, the role of surgery and radiotherapy has quite completely disappeared, and the tumors are cured by chemotherapy. This review will focus on Hodgkin lymphoma, and two of the most frequent non-Hodgkin lymphomas, namely Burkitt lymphoma and lymphoblastic lymphoma. Most recent advances in treatment and management of sequelae are presented.

Adolescent↗

[Role of surgery in pediatric oncology].

In paediatric oncology, the surgeon working in a multidisciplinary team can be called upon to intervene at all stages of the disease. At the time of diagnosis, he performs the biopsy, with or without excision of the tumour. He can also intervene for removal of a residual lesion or to evaluate the response after initial chemotherapy. He occasionally is required for metastatic surgery, or more rarely, for palliative surgery.

Age Factors↗

[Management, quality of life and social rehabilitation of the child with cancer].

The aim of the treatment of a child with cancer is to reach cure without physical and/or psychological sequelae. The quality of life should be preserved by a global approach of the child and his family from the diagnosis until completion of treatment and follow-up periods. The specialist and the general practitioner should inform the child and his family on a regular basis, and check prospectively the tolerance of the siblings. The role of physicians also includes a fight for better information of public, economical and political powers, so that a cured child may become an happy, well integrated adult.

Age Factors↗

[Desmoplastic tumors with multiple differentiation. A new entity. Six cases].

Desmoplastic tumours with divergent differentiation are principally located in the abdomen and develop locally or regionally. They occur in adolescents or young adults and are characterized at histology by a proliferation of undifferentiated small cells surrounded by a dense stroma. Only immuno-histo-chemistry provides the diagnosis. Since their chemosensitivity is rare and often partial the outcome is usually lethal. Six new cases of this recently described entity are presented here. The authors are in favour of a multidisciplinary and aggressive management, combining intensive polychemotherapy, extensive surgical exerisis and total abdominal radiotherapy.

Abdominal Neoplasms↗

Successful treatment for a metastatic supratentorial malignant rhabdoid tumor.

The case of a boy with a familial history of Rendu-Osler disease, who successively developed a cerebellar pilocytic astrocytoma (at 3 years of age) and a metastatic supratentorial malignant rhabdoid tumor (at the age of 12 years) is reported. After a complete surgical removal, the CSF was cleared by 4 courses of chemotherapy, and the child received a craniospinal irradiation. He is currently alive and well 19 months after completion of the treatment. The authors discuss the ethiopathogeny of such intracranial tumors and argue for aggressive treatment.

Astrocytoma↗

Double megatherapy and autologous bone marrow transplantation for advanced neuroblastoma: the LMCE2 study.

In the LMCE1 study using a single course of megatherapy most of the relapses occurred during the first 2 years after autologous bone marrow transplantation. A second pilot study (LMCE2) was therefore set up using a double harvest/double graft approach with two different megatherapy regimens. Objectives were to test the role of increased dose intensity on response status, relapse pattern and overall survival. Thirty-three patients (20 boys, 13 girls) with a median age of 53 months at first megatherapy (range, 17-202 months) entered this study. They were cases either with refractory disease in partial response after second line treatment for stage 4 neuroblastoma (n = 25) or after relapse from stage 4 (n = 5) or stage 3 disease (n = 3). All patients received Etoposid and/or Cisplatinum (or Carboplatin) containing treatments before megatherapy. The first megatherapy regimen was a combination of Tenoposid, Carmustine and Cisplatinum (or Carboplatin), the second applied Vincristin, Melphalan and Total Body Irradiation. The first harvest was scheduled 4 weeks after the last chemotherapy, the second 60 to 90 days after megatherapy. All marrows were purged in vitro by an immunomagnetic technique. Median follow up time since first megatherapy is 56 months. Response rates for evaluable patients were 65% (complete response rate: 16%) for megatherapy 1 and 60% (complete response rate: 25%) for megatherapy 2. Considering that only patients with delayed response or relapse were eligible for this pilot study the overall survival was encouraging with 36% at 2 years and still 32% at 5 years. The costs for these survival rates were high in terms of morbidity (four early and four late toxic deaths; toxic death rate: 24%). Double harvesting may have the disadvantage of delayed engraftments related in part to a disturbance of marrow microenvironment by megatherapy 1. This double megatherapy approach achieved a prolonged relapse free interval (median 11 months, range 2-31 months) in patients reaching megatherapy 2 and justifies further evaluation of concepts with consecutive dose-escalation.

Adolescent↗

Transient erythroblastopenia of childhood presenting with echovirus 11 infection.

We report a case of transient erythroblastopenia in a three-year-old girl presenting with echovirus 11 infection. Viral infection was demonstrated by isolation of echovirus 11 in stool cultures and the presence of echovirus 11-specific IgM antibody in serum. We suggest that echovirus may have played a role in the pathogenesis of transient erythroblastopenia of childhood in this patient.

Anemia↗

Impact of megatherapy on survival after relapse from stage 4 neuroblastoma in patients over 1 year of age at diagnosis: a report from the European Group for Bone Marrow Transplantation.

PURPOSE: Relapse from stage 4 neuroblastoma usually carries a poor prognosis. A retrospective study using the European Bone Marrow Transplant (EBMT) Solid Tumor Registry was undertaken to define the role of megatherapy (MGT) in relapsed patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: After relapse, 33 boys and 15 girls with previous stage 4 neuroblastoma received intensification by MGT followed by either autologous (n = 42) or allogeneic (n = 6) bone marrow rescue in 11 European institutions. The median age at diagnosis was 47 months (range, 14 to 134) and the median interval from diagnosis to relapse was 16 months (range, 4 to 94). Thirty patients had received only conventional-dose primary treatments (group A), whereas 18 patients had previously received intensification with MGT (group B). The median follow-up time of the total group is 95 months (range, 25 to 185). RESULTS: The actuarial overall survival rate at 2 years after MGT for relapse is 27% for group A and 0% for group B (P = .02). Three adverse, independent prognostic factors were confirmed by multivariate analysis using the Cox proportional hazards regression model: an interval of less than 12 months between diagnosis and relapse (P < .0001), nonresponding or untreated relapse (P = .0002), and previous MGT during primary treatments (P = .055). None of the other variables analyzed, such as sex, age, bone or bone marrow involvement at diagnosis or at relapse, and type of MGT at relapse, influenced outcome in this patient cohort. CONCLUSION: Responding patients who relapse more than 12 months from diagnosis who had not received previous MGT appear to benefit from consolidation MGT. Relapse patients who do not fulfill these criteria gain no advantage from this cost-intensive procedure and should be treated differently.

Actuarial Analysis↗