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Biomedical subjects

A T Meadows

Publications and source records attributed to A T Meadows.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Predicting posttraumatic stress symptoms in mothers and fathers of survivors of childhood cancers.

OBJECTIVE: To predict posttraumatic stress symptoms in parents of survivors of childhood cancer, using as predictors the following: personality (trait anxiety); current family and individual variables (perceived life threat, perceived treatment intensity, life events, family functioning, and social support); posttreatment variables (time since treatment ended, child anxiety, medical sequelae); and treatment events (age at diagnosis, radiation therapy, intensity of treatment). METHOD: Mothers and fathers of 6- to 20-year-old survivors of childhood cancer (n = 331 families) completed a questionnaire battery in this two-site study. The outcome variable was the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Reaction Index. Multiple regressions and path analyses were used to test the model. RESULTS: For both mothers and fathers, anxiety was the strongest predictor of posttraumatic stress symptoms. The current family and individual variables also contributed significantly, particularly with respect to the individual contributions of perceived life threat, perceived treatment intensity, and social support. Objective medical data did not contribute to posttraumatic stress symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Parental anxiety warrants attention throughout the course of treatment for childhood cancer and after treatment ends. Beliefs about past and present life threats associated with cancer treatment and family and social support are other important targets for intervention.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Familial neuroblastoma: a three-generation pedigree and a further association with Hirschsprung disease.

Like the other embryonal cancers of childhood, neuroblastoma occasionally occurs within families. We now provide an update on a nuclear family in which seven individuals are affected with neuroblastoma, inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion over three generations. In addition, two of these individuals are also affected with Hirschsprung disease. This family may lend insight into the molecular pathogenesis of familial neuroblastoma.

Child↗
PubMed1997

Combined chemoreduction and adjuvant treatment for intraocular retinoblastoma.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study is to investigate chemoreduction and adjuvant treatment (AT) for retinoblastoma and its effect on complete retinal tumor control, vitreous seed control, and subretinal seed control. DESIGN: The study design was a prospective, nonrandomized clinical trial. PARTICIPANTS: There were 130 intraocular retinoblastomas in 52 eyes of 32 consecutive patients observed for at least 1 year after initiation of treatment. INTERVENTION: Treatment with chemoreduction using vincristine, etoposide, and carboplatin (VEC) and adjuvant treatment (+ AT) (cryotherapy, laser photocoagulation, thermotherapy, chemothermotherapy, plaque radiation therapy, or external beam radiation therapy) were assessed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The effect of chemoreduction for 6 cycles (VEC x 6) versus fewer than 6 cycles (VEC x <6) on retinoblastoma control was analyzed. Furthermore, the impact of adjuvant treatment (+ AT) versus no adjuvant treatment (no AT) on retinoblastoma control was analyzed. RESULTS: Retinal tumors showed favorable initial regression with chemoreduction. Adjuvant treatment was applied to 93% of the retinal tumors after chemoreduction and only 2% recurred over the mean follow-up of 17 months (range 13-27 months). Vitreous seeds and subretinal seeds showed initial regression and often complete disappearance with chemoreduction. In those eyes with seeds before treatment, the addition of AT to VEC for 6 cycles decreased the vitreous seed recurrence from 75% to 0% (P = 0.04) and also decreased the subretinal seed recurrence from 67% to 0% (P = 0.003). More important, when considering that enucleation or external beam radiation therapy was the only other treatment option for these 52 eyes, the authors were successful in avoiding these methods in 42% of cases. Of the 36 eyes classified as Reese-Ellsworth group 5, there was 78% ocular salvage, and external beam radiation therapy was avoided in 25% of these eyes. There was a 100% ocular salvage in the group 5 eyes that received VEC for 6 cycles + AT to retinal tumors and seeds. CONCLUSIONS: Chemoreduction and AT to intraocular retinoblastoma and its seeds provides good retinal tumor control, even in eyes with advanced disease. Chemoreduction alone generally is not adequate to achieve complete tumor seed control. Cautious follow-up of affected patients is recommended because the risk for recurrent vitreous and subretinal seeds is substantial and proper treatment is critical for salvaging the eye.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
PubMed1997

Posttraumatic stress, family functioning, and social support in survivors of childhood leukemia and their mothers and fathers.

Psychological sequelae are examined in 130 former childhood leukemia patients and 155 comparison participants and their parents. The major dependent variables are symptoms of anxiety and posttraumatic stress, family functioning, and social support. Multivariate analyses of covariance indicated significantly more posttraumatic stress symptoms in mothers and fathers of childhood leukemia survivors (p < .001) and no differences between survivors and peers. There were no significant group differences for family functioning or social support, although they were associated with anxiety and posttraumatic stress outcomes. Current child age, age at diagnosis, and months off treatment were not significantly correlated with outcome. These findings document the long-term impact of childhood cancer treatment on parents. The lack of significant differences for survivors argues for further attention to the relevance of posttraumatic stress disorder for childhood cancer survivors. The clinical implications are that psychological interventions are needed during and after cancer treatment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Families surviving childhood cancer: a comparison of posttraumatic stress symptoms with families of healthy children.

Compared posttraumatic stress symptoms in 309 8- to 20-year-old survivors of childhood cancer and their parents with healthy children and their parents who responded to child-related stressors. The relationship of child demographic, cancer and treatment, and family and social support factors with posttraumatic stress symptoms was analyzed also. Results indicate that mothers and fathers of childhood cancer survivors showed significantly higher levels of posttraumatic stress symptoms than comparison parents. The survivors themselves did not differ from their healthy counterparts. Past perceived life threat and family and social support resources contributed to posttraumatic stress symptoms in survivors and their parents. Survivor mother and child and survivor father and child symptoms were associated. Implications for the long-term functioning of families of survivors and suggestions for preventive interventions are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Comparison of psychologic outcome in adult survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia versus sibling controls: a cooperative Children's Cancer Group and National Institutes of Health study.

PURPOSE: To determine psychologic outcome, with the focus on emotional or mood state, of young adult survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) compared with sibling controls and to identify vulnerable subgroups at highest risk for negative mood. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Adult survivors (n = 580), aged > or = 18 years, who were treated before age 20 years on Children's Cancer Group (CCG) protocols for ALL and 396 sibling controls were administered a structured telephone interview and the Profile of Moods State (POMS), a standardized measure of affective state. RESULTS: Survivors had higher total mood scores (which indicates greater negative mood) than sibling controls (P<.01) and reported more tension (P< .01), depression (P<.01), anger (P<.01), and confusion (P<.01), but not more fatigue or less vigor. Female, minority, and unemployed survivors reported the highest total mood disturbance. Overall, survivors were more likely to be unemployed (P<.05) or working less than half-time (P<.01) compared with controls. CONCLUSION: This large, sibling-controlled, multisite study of young adult survivors of childhood ALL treated on CCG protocols after 1970 found significant increased negative mood in survivors, not accounted for by reported energy level differences, which suggests that these emotional effects are not likely the result of current illness. Survivors are less likely to be fully employed. Female, minority, and unemployed survivors are at greatest risk for emotional sequelae, a finding that indicates the need for targeted, preventive intervention.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Birth defects in offspring of adult survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. A Childrens Cancer Group/National Institutes of Health Report.

BACKGROUND: It is not known if therapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) during childhood increases the risk of birth defects in the offspring of adult survivors. The Childrens Cancer Group (CCG), in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), conducted a retrospective cohort study of adults successfully treated for childhood ALL to determine if their offspring had an increased incidence of birth defects compared with the offspring of their sibling controls. METHODS: Study subjects were patients who had been enrolled on CCG ALL protocols, who were treated for ALL prior to age 20, who survived at least 2 years, and who were at least age 18. Survivors (N=593) and sibling controls (N=409) were interviewed by telephone. RESULTS: The mean age of survivors was 22.6 years; the mean age of controls was 25.2 years. Among survivors, 93 (15.7%) had given birth to or fathered a total of 140 live-born offspring, (mean age, 3.4 years), and 122 (29.8%) sibling controls had given birth to or fathered a total of 228 live-born offspring (mean age, 5.9 years). There was no difference in the rate of birth defects between offspring of survivors and offspring of controls (3.6% [5 of 140] vs. 3.5% [8 of 228]; relative risk, 1.02; 95% confidence interval, 0.34, 3.05). No specific ALL therapy was associated with an increased rate of birth defects. Only female survivors reported offspring with birth defects (P=0.0735). CONCLUSIONS: Adult survivors of childhood ALL in our study were not at greater risk for having offspring with birth defects compared with sibling controls. Although this is the largest group of ALL survivors studied to date, the number of offspring is still not large enough to detect small but significant differences in rare events such as birth defects. Studies following this cohort into later adulthood and studies of additional ALL survivors are necessary to adequately quantify the risks.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Breast cancer and other second neoplasms after childhood Hodgkin's disease.

BACKGROUND: Patients who survive Hodgkin's disease are at increased risk for second neoplasms. As survival times increase, solid tumors are emerging as a serious long-term complication. METHODS: The Late Effects Study Group followed a cohort of 1380 children with Hodgkin's disease to determine the incidence of second neoplasms and the risk factors associated with them. RESULTS: In this cohort, there were 88 second neoplasms as compared with 4.4 expected in the general population (standardized incidence ratio, 18.1; 95 percent confidence interval, 14.3 to 22.3). The estimated actuarial incidence of any second neoplasm 15 years after the diagnosis of Hodgkin's disease was 7.0 percent (95 percent confidence interval, 5.2 to 8.8 percent); the incidence of solid tumors was 3.9 percent (95 percent confidence interval, 2.3 to 5.5 percent). Breast cancer was the most common solid tumor (standardized incidence ratio 75.3; 95 percent confidence interval, 44.9 to 118.4), with an estimated actuarial incidence in women that approached 35 percent (95 percent confidence interval, 17.4 to 52.6 percent) by 40 years of age. Older age (10 to 16 vs. <10 years) at the time of radiation treatment (relative risk, 1.9) and a higher dose (2000 to 4000 vs. <2000 cGy) of radiation (relative risk, 5.9) were associated with significantly increased risk of breast cancer. The estimated actuarial incidence of leukemia reached a plateau of 2.8 percent (95 percent confidence interval, 0.8 to 4.8 percent) 14 years after diagnosis. Treatment with alkylating agents, older age at the diagnosis of Hodgkin's disease, recurrence of Hodgkin's disease, and a late stage of disease at diagnosis were risk factors for leukemia. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of solid tumors, especially breast cancer, is high among women who were treated with radiation for childhood Hodgkin's disease. Systematic screening for breast cancer could be important in the health care of such women.

Actuarial Analysis↗
PubMed1996

Chemoreduction in the initial management of intraocular retinoblastoma.

BACKGROUND: Chemoreduction is a method of reducing tumor volume to allow for more focused, less damaging therapeutic measures. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether chemoreduction could be used to decrease the size of retinoblastoma so that enucleation or external beam radiotherapy could be avoided and more conservative modalities employed. METHODS: A prospective pilot study was performed to assess the effectiveness of a 2-month chemoreduction regimen of vincristine sulfate, etoposide, and carboplatin in patients with retinoblastoma. The study included 20 patients with 54 tumors in 31 eyes. RESULTS: At the initial examination, the mean tumor base was 12 mm and the thickness, 7 mm. Vitreous seeds were present in 14 eyes (45%). A secondary retinal detachment was present in 24 eyes (77%) and, when present, involved a mean of 71% of the retina. In 11 eyes (36%) the retina was totally detached with serous subretinal fluid. After 2 months of chemoreduction, all 54 tumors showed regression in size, and 48 (89%) showed evidence of calcification. The mean tumor base was 8 mm and the thickness, 4 mm. Overall, there was a mean 35% decrease in base and 49% decrease in thickness of the tumor at the end of the treatment period. A complete response was found in 25 tumors (46%) and a partial response in 29 (54%). The subretinal fluid had resolved completely in 50% of the cases (12/24 eyes), and, in the 11 eyes with total retinal detachment, the subretinal fluid had completely resolved, leaving flat retina, in 6 eyes (54%). The vitreous seeds demonstrated some degree of regression in all cases, and in 5 eyes there was 90% to 100% calcification of the seeds. Short-term systemic toxic effects were mild (transient bone marrow suppression). Enucleation was avoided in all cases; external beam radiotherapy was necessary in 9 eyes because of diffuse vitreous seeds. The remaining 22 eyes were treated with local methods after chemoreduction. CONCLUSION: Tumor shrinkage with chemoreduction may allow treatment with less invasive measures, such as cryotherapy, laser photocoagulation, thermotherapy, or plaque radiotherapy, thereby avoiding enucleation and external beam radiotherapy.

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic↗
PubMed1996

Randomized comparison of moderate-dose methotrexate infusions to oral methotrexate in children with intermediate risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a Childrens Cancer Group study.

Methotrexate (MTX) infusions of 500--1,000 mg/m2 over 24 hours may improve survival and prevent relapse in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Childrens Cancer Group (CCG) Study 139 compared weekly oral methotrexate 20 mg/m2/week (oral MTX) to MTX 500 mg/m2 infused over 24 hours (IV MTX) three times during consolidation and every 6 weeks during maintenance in 164 children with intermediate-risk ALL, i.e., those patients over age 1 year with white blood cell count 10,000 to 49,999/ml and no bulky extramedullary disease. Median follow-up for CCG-139 exceeded 75 months. Thirty-four events occurred among 80 patients receiving IV and oral MTX and 36 events among 84 patients receiving oral MTX. Two children died during induction and one did not enter remission. Remission induction rate is 98%. There have been 26 marrow relapses, 11 combined marrow and extramedullary relapses, 24 CNS relapses, and five testicular or other relapses. The frequency and distribution of relapses does not differ between the two regimens. For the entire group, overall event-free survival (EFS) at 6 years is 57.9% (standard deviation=4.0%) and actuarial survival is 80.0% (standard deviation =3.3%). Of the 29 patients with isolated extramedullary relapse, 18 survive free of a second event, a median of 42 months from relapse. In contrast to other trials, this trial does not show that IV MTX in this dose and schedule offers an advantage over standard therapy for this group of children.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1996

Increasing incidence of childhood cancer: report of 20 years experience from the greater Delaware Valley Pediatric Tumor Registry.

As little is known about the aetiology of cancer in children, analysis of time trends may be useful. Recent data on time trends for paediatric cancers are very limited. We report here on trends in the incidence of 15 categories of cancer in children under 15 years of age from 1970 to 1989, using data from the Greater Delaware Valley Pediatric Tumor Registry in the US. Total cancer incidence increased 1% per year (P < 0.001). Neither acute lymphocytic leukaemia, acute myelocytic leukaemia, nor total leukaemia incidence changed significantly. In contrast, the incidence of central nervous system (CNS) tumours rose 2.7% per year (P < 0.001). All three subgroups of this category, glioma, primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET)/medulloblastoma, and other CNS tumours, showed increases. For glioma and PNET/medulloblastoma, trends differed by age, race, and/or gender. Among the other childhood cancers, significant increases were observed for non-Hodgkin lymphoma and neuroblastoma. For osteosarcoma and retinoblastoma, no overall change in incidence was observed, although decreases were observed in some age and race subgroups. The rise in CNS tumour incidence confirms previous reports from the US and Great Britain. The lack of change for acute lymphocytic leukaemia conflicts with other data from the US, but diagnostic changes appear to explain at least part of the discrepancy. The increase in neuroblastoma has also been observed in Great Britain. In contrast to our finding, investigators in the US and Great Britain have reported no rise in non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Analyses for more of the childhood cancers from other registries would aid in detecting and interpreting incidence trends in recent years.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Non-islet-cell tumor associated with hypoglycemia in a child: successful long-term therapy with growth hormone.

Hypoglycemia occurred in a 2-year-old girl with neuroblastoma. Initially, growth hormone secretion was suppressed, and she had low levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I and IGF binding protein-3, but elevated levels of large molecular weight IGF-II. We postulated that the pathogenesis of her hypoglycemia involved production of IGF-II by her neuroblastoma, leading to GH suppression and an abnormally elevated ratio of IGF to IGF binding protein. She was successfully treated with growth hormone; treatment was associated with normalization of the growth hormone-dependent growth factor levels and with euglycemia.

Adenoma, Islet Cell↗
PubMed1995

Comparison of treatment regimens for pediatric lymphoblastic non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: a Childrens Cancer Group study.

PURPOSE: Patients with lymphoblastic non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (LB NHL) were randomized to treatment with either modified LSA2L2 or ADCOMP, which added daunorubicin (DAUN) and asparaginase (L-ASP) to the methotrexate (MTX), cyclophosphamide (CYT), vincristine (VCR), and prednisone (PRED) (COMP) regimen, in a clinical trial to determine the relative effectiveness and toxicity of the two regimens. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with LB NHL were eligible for this randomized study if they were less than 22 years of age at diagnosis and had < or = 25% blasts in the bone marrow. Of 307 patients registered, 281 were fully eligible and assessable. Patients were stratified by extent of disease at diagnosis. RESULTS: The 5-year event-free survival (EFS) rate for patients with localized disease was 84%, and for patients with disseminated disease, 67%. There were four relapses in 28 patients with localized disease. Two hundred six patients had mediastinal primary tumors and despite local radiation, 34 of 63 failures in these patients involved the primary tumor site with or without other involvement. After adjusting for extent of disease at diagnosis, the regimens did not differ significantly with respect to risk for adverse events. The acute toxicity was primarily neutropenia and thrombocytopenia, with greater initial toxicity in patients on the LSA2L2 regimen. Three patients developed acute myelogenous leukemia. CONCLUSION: Long-term EFS in children with LB NHL can be achieved in the majority of patients. Disease progression, which includes recurrence at the primary tumor site, is a major cause of treatment failure in patients with mediastinal presentations. Addition of DAUN and L-ASP to the COMP regimen does not produce a more effective treatment than LSA2L2.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Educational attainment in long-term survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of treatment on scholastic performance in the first cohort of survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia who are old enough to have completed their educational experience. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Twenty-three institutions in the Childrens Cancer Group. SUBJECTS: A total of 593 adult survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia and 409 sibling controls. OUTCOME MEASURES: Enrollment in special programs, grades during high school, graduation from high school, college admission, and college graduation. RESULTS: After diagnosis, survivors were more likely than their sibling controls to enter a special education (relative risk [RR] = 3.4; P < .01) or a learning disabled (RR = 3.6; P < .01) program, while just as likely to enter gifted and talented programs (RR = 1.0). The risk associated with special education and learning disabled programs increased with increasing dose of cranial radiotherapy. Despite these problems, survivors generally had the same probability as their siblings of finishing high school, entering college, and earning a bachelor's degree. However, survivors treated with 24 Gy and those diagnosed before 6 years of age were less likely to enter college (RR = 0.67 and 0.6, respectively; P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: This large study demonstrates that childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia survivors have a greater likelihood of being placed in special education or learning disabled programs than their siblings, but that most are able to overcome these problems. Dose of cranial radiotherapy and age at diagnosis are the most important education-related risk factors.

Adolescent↗