Adrenocortical tumours in children and adolescents: The EXPeRT/PARTNER diagnostic and therapeutic recommendations

Adrenocortical tumours (ACTs) are rare during childhood. A complete surgical resection provides the best chance of cure, but the role and efficacy of the adjuvant therapy are still controversial. Various histologic criteria of malignancy for ACTs adopted in children do not facilitate comparative studies and are not completely shared. Therefore, a sharp demarcation between benign and malignant lesions has not been recognised, making it difficult to identify who potentially needs perioperative therapy. This manuscript presents the internationally harmonised recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of ACTs in children and adolescents, established by the European Cooperative Study Group for Paediatric Rare Tumours (EXPeRT) group within the EU-funded project PARTNER (Paediatric Rare Tumours Network - European Registry)

Mitotane (op’DDD) restores growth and puberty in nine children with Cushing’s disease

International audienceTo investigate whether low-dose mitotane (up to 2 g/day) could be a temporary therapeutic alternative to transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) in pediatric Cushing’s disease (CD). Twenty-eight patients with CD aged 12.2 years (± 2.2) were referred to our center. We compared nine patients treated with mitotane alone for at least 6 months to 13 patients cured after surgery. Primary outcomes were changes in growth velocity, BMI and pubertal development. The following results were obtained: (1) Mitotane improved growth velocity z-scores (−3.8 (±0.3) vs −0.2 (±0.6)), BMI z-scores (2.1 (±0.5) vs 1.2 (±0.5) s.d.) and pubertal development. After 1 year on mitotane, the mean BMI z-score was not significantly different in both groups of patients. (2) Control of cortisol secretion was delayed and inconsistent with mitotane used as monotherapy. (3) Side effects were similar to those previously reported, reversible and dose dependent: unspecific digestive symptoms, concentration or memory problems, physical exhaustion, adrenal insufficiency and hepatitis. (4) In one patient, progressive growth of a pituitary adenoma was observed over 40 months of mitotane treatment, allowing selective adenomectomy by TSS. In conclusions, low-dose mitotane can restore growth velocity and pubertal development and decrease BMI in children with CD, even without optimal control of cortisol secretion. It may promote pituitary tumor growth thus facilitating second-line TSS. However, given its possibly life-threatening side effects (transient adrenal insufficiency and hepatitis), and in the absence of any reliable follow-up procedures, this therapy may be difficult to manage and should always be initiated and monitored by specialized teams.</p

Dose–Effect Relationship of Alkylating Agents on Testicular Function in Male Survivors of Childhood Lymphoma

<div><p>The purpose of our study was to assess the gonadal function in male survivors of childhood lymphoma. We studied 171 male survivors of childhood lymphoma (83 with B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma [B-NHL], 32 with T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma [T-NHL], 50 with Hodgkin lymphoma [HL], and 6 with anaplastic large-cell lymphoma [ALCL]), measuring follicle-stimulating hormone [FSH] and luteinizing hormone [LH] levels at a median age of 21.1 (17–30.4) years after a median delay of 9.3 (2–22.4) years from treatment. FSH levels were above normal range (≥10 IU/L) in 42.1% and LH levels ≥8 IU/L in only 8.9% of survivors. In multivariate analysis, only the following chemotherapeutic agents were associated with higher FSH or LH levels: cyclophosphamide (<i>P</i> < .0001, .04), lomustine (CCNU; <i>P</i> = .002, 0.04), and procarbazine (<i>P</i> < .0001, .07). No significant correlation was found between FSH or LH levels and age or pubertal status at diagnosis. Mean FSH level was significantly lower in NHL survivors treated more recently: 6 ± 5.1 IU/L in B-NHL survivors treated since 1986 versus 12.3 ± 5.4 IU/L for those treated before 1981 (<i>P</i> = .0001), and 6.8 ± 9.6 IU/L in T-NHL survivors treated since 1989 versus 9.4 ± 5.7 IU/L for those treated before 1989 (<i>P</i> = .035). In HL, mean FSH level was 12.4 ± 9.9 IU/L following procarbazine containing chemotherapy versus 3.4 ± 1.9 IU/L in the absence of procarbazine and increased significantly with the number of MOPP/OPPA (mechlorethamine, Oncovin [vincristine], procarbazine, and prednisone/Oncovin, procarbazine, and prednisone, and Adriamycin [doxorubicin]) courses received, from 6.8 ± 5.7 IU/L for 1–2 MOPP/OPPA to 12.6 ± 7.5 for 3–4 MOPP/OPPA and 19.6 ± 13.3 for more than 4 MOPP/OPPA (<i>P</i> for trend = .006). Testicular toxicity of alkylating agents on childhood lymphoma survivors is dose dependent and not correlated to diagnosis, age, or pubertal status at diagnosis.</p></div

Influence of growth hormone therapy on the occurrence of a second neoplasm in survivors of childhood cancer

International audienceContext: Growth hormone (GH) deficiency is a common late effect of cranial irradiation. However, concerns have been raised that GH treatment might lead to an increased risk of a second neoplasm (SN). Objective: To study the impact of GH treatment on the risk of SN in a French cohort of survivors of childhood cancer (CCS) treated before 1986. Design and setting: Cohort study and nested case–control study. Participants: Of the 2852 survivors, with a median follow-up of 26 years, 196 had received GH therapy (median delay from cancer diagnosis: 5.5 years). Main outcome measures: Occurrence of SN Results: In total, 374 survivors developed a SN, including 40 who had received GH therapy. In a multivariate analysis, GH treatment did not increase the risk of secondary non-meningioma brain tumors (RR: 0.6, 95% CI: 0.2–1.5, P = 0.3), secondary non-brain cancer (RR: 0.7, 95% CI: 0.4–1.2, P = 0.2), or meningioma (RR: 1.9, 95% CI: 0.9–4, P = 0.09). Nevertheless, we observed a slight non-significant increase in the risk of meningioma with GH duration: 1.6-fold (95% CI: 1.2–3.0) after an exposure of less than 4 years vs 2.3-fold (95% CI: 0.9–5.6) after a longer exposure ( P for trend = 0.07) confirmed by the results of a case–control study. Conclusion: This study confirms the overall safety of GH use in survivors of childhood cancer, which does not increase the risk of a SN. The slight excess in the risk of meningioma in patients with long-term GH treatment is non-significant and could be due to difficulties in adjustment on cranial radiation volume/dose and/or undiagnosed meningioma predisposing conditions

Ovarian reserve after treatment with alkylating agents during childhood

International audienceWhat is the effect of different alkylating agents used without pelvic radiation to treat childhood cancer in girls on the ovarian reserve in survivors?La Ligue contre le Cancer (grant no., PRAYN7497). The authors have no competing interests to disclose