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Biomedical subjects

J Lemerle

Publications and source records attributed to J Lemerle.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

Epidemiological evidence for a common mechanism for neuroblastoma and differentiated thyroid tumour.

Because genetic predisposition probably plays an important role in the aetiology of most of childhood cancers, studies of second primaries occurring after these cancers may be particularly informative about possible common genetic mechanisms in both of these cancers. We have studied the incidence of thyroid tumours occurring after cancer in childhood in a cohort of 592 children treated before 1970. Among these children, six later developed a thyroid carcinoma, and 18 developed a thyroid adenoma. Radiation doses received to the thyroid by each of the irradiated children have been estimated using individual radiotherapeutic technical records. Thyroid carcinomas and thyroid adenomas were five times more frequent after irradiation for neuroblastoma than after irradiation for any other first cancer. This ratio did not depend on sex, nor on time elapsed since irradiation, nor on dose of radiation received for the thyroid gland. This result suggests that there is a common mechanism for the occurrence of neuroblastoma and of differentiated thyroid tumour.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1992

[Diagnostic and therapeutic problems posed by malignant non Hodgkin lymphoma of renal origin in children. Apropos of 7 cases].

BACKGROUND: The kidneys of non Hodgkin lymphoma patients frequently contain lymphoma cells, but these tumors rarely arise in the renal tissue and are rarely located there. PATIENTS: A diagnosis of non Hodgkin lymphoma of renal origin or predominantly located in kidneys was made in 7 patients aged 2-14 years old. These patients formed part of a total of 450 patients with non Hodgkin lymphomas seen from 1974 to 1987. The first manifestation in these 7 children was an abdominal mass associated with hypertension in 3 cases; 2 of whom presented with acute kidney failure. Ultrasonography showed hypoechogenous masses in one (2 cases) or both kidneys (5 cases). The diagnosis of malignant lymphoma was made directly in only one patient who also presented with mediastinal and abdominal lymph node enlargement. In the others, the first diagnosis was Wilms tumor (5 cases) and polycystic disease of the kidney (1 case); the correct diagnosis of malignant lymphoma was later made from biopsies of renal (4 patients) or extrarenal involved tissue (2 patients). Six of the 7 cases were Burkitt lymphomas, and all 7 were in stage III (3 patients) and IV (4 patients). 6 patients (3 stage III and 3 stage IV) were successfully treated by chemotherapy with a median follow-up of 9 years. CONCLUSIONS: Differential diagnosis between non Hodgkin lymphomas of renal origin and a Wilms tumor may be difficult even though kidney failure is more frequent in lymphoma. Sonography is the best method for diagnosis showing typical hypoechogenous masses and diffuse homogeneous infiltration of the kidneys. In the absence of extrarenal (meningeal, testis, bone marrow) dissemination, definite evidence of lymphoma depends on the histological examination of tumoral tissue obtained by surgical biopsy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Risk factors for hepatic veno-occlusive disease after high-dose busulfan-containing regimens followed by autologous bone marrow transplantation: a study in 136 children.

Risk factors for hepatic veno-occlusive disease (HVOD) were analysed in a population of 136 autografted children who received high-dose busulfan (BU) as part of a conditioning regimen. HVOD was diagnosed according to McDonald's clinical criteria. The incidence of HVOD was particularly high in this series (22%) compared with series with other conditioning regimens but the outcome was favorable in 26 patients (87%). Four deaths occurred (13%), one of which was HVOD related. The clinical presentation of HVOD was similar to that described in previous reports. Although statistical analysis failed to demonstrate any factors predictive of outcome, it did identify risk factors for the occurrence of HVOD: these were (1) a total dose of BU exceeding the standard 16 mg/kg dose; (2) the use of three as opposed to two alkylating agents; (3) the sequence of BU administration when given in the conditioning regimen containing three alkylating agents; and (4) concomitant ketoconazole therapy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

High-dose busulfan and thiotepa with autologous bone marrow transplantation in childhood malignant brain tumors: a phase II study.

In order to evaluate the effect of intensive combined chemotherapy in pediatric brain tumors, we designed a phase II study of high-dose busulfan and thiotepa followed by bone marrow transplantation (BMT) in children with measurable recurrent brain tumors. As alkylating agents, busulfan and thiotepa were expected to exhibit a steep dose effect and no overlapping extramedullary toxicity. Moreover, both drugs have an excellent distribution into the central nervous system in humans. Since May 1988, 20 children (median age 6 years) have been treated. Busulfan (150 mg/m2/day x 4) given orally was followed by thiotepa (350 mg/m2/day x 3), given as a 1 h i.v. infusion. Cryopreserved bone marrow was reinfused 48 h after completion of chemotherapy. Tumor response was assessed by computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging 4 to 6 weeks after BMT. Five partial responses were observed (three of six medulloblastomas, one of five ependymomas, one of two primitive neuroectodermal tumors); two patients with medulloblastoma and one with brain stem tumor achieved an objective response. Ten patients had stable disease and one progressive disease. One patient is not evaluable because of early toxic death. Toxicity was high in terms of aplasia and cutaneous, hepatic and neurological complications. The overall response rate of 26% is encouraging since all patients had disease refractory to all conventional therapies.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

[Primary germinal tumors of the nervous system in children and adolescents. A retrospective study of 35 cases from 1975 to 1987].

Thirty-five cases of primary intracranial germ cell tumor treated at the Institut Gustave-Roussy between 1975 and 1987 were reviewed. There were 23 males and 12 females; the median age was 12 years (range: 3 months to 17 years). Tumors originated in the pineal region in 15 cases, in the suprasellar region in 15 cases, and in both region in 5 cases. The diagnosis was confirmed histologically in 20 cases (14 germinomas and 6 non germinomatous germ cell tumors), and cytologically in 5 cases. There were 11 secreting tumors (alpha-foetoprotein or chorionic gonadotrophin) without histological diagnosis in 6 cases. Four patients were treated with a presumptive diagnosis. Surgical resection was performed in 6 cases. Thirty-two patients were irradiated on the tumor site; 17 received a craniospinal irradiation and 7 a cranial irradiation. Six patients received chemotherapy. Twenty-five patients are alive with a median follow-up of 4 years. Prognosis is better in germinomas than in non germinomatous germ cell tumors (survival rates = 88 and 50% respectively). Chemotherapy is presently being evaluated in the treatment of germ cell tumors with the aim of using lower doses of radiotherapy and decreasing its late effects in germinomas and of improving the prognosis of other histological types.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

[Neonatal malignant tumors. Apropos of 75 cases].

From 1975 to 1986, 75 neonates were treated at the Institute Gustave-Roussy for a malignant solid tumor, comprising 1.7% of the overall oncopediatric population treated during the same period of time. Of these 75 patients, 47 (62%) presented with neuroblastomas, 15 (20%) with mesenchymal tumors, 9 (12%) with germ cell tumors and 4 with various other types of tumors. Treatment consisted of surgery in 63 patients, chemotherapy in 43 and radiotherapy in 18. The 5 year crude survival rate was 77%. Neuroblastomas did the best with a crude survival rate of 89%. The young age of the patients resulted in two types of problems: immediate tolerance and long term sequelae. The therapeutic regimen should take into account the good prognosis of the majority of these tumors in order to decrease delayed effects.

Abdominal Neoplasms↗
PubMed1991

Combined analysis of DNA ploidy index and N-myc genomic content in neuroblastoma.

The aim of the study was to assess, in a group of nonselected patients with neuroblastoma, the prognostic value of both N-myc gene amplification and DNA ploidy index, taking into account potential confounding factors such as age and stage. Of 59 patients studied, 23 were younger than 1 year at diagnosis, 31 presented with stage IV, 10 with stage III, 5 with stage II, 8 with stage I, and 4 with stage IV-S. N-myc genomic content was analyzed by Southern blot hybridization technique and N-myc amplification (greater than or equal to 3 copies/haploid genome) was present in 6 stage IV, 2 stage III, and 1 stage IV-S. The DNA ploidy index was analyzed by flow cytometry. Of the 59 neuroblastomas, 26 were diploid (DNA index, 1) and 33 were aneuploid (DNA index, greater than 1). The majority of the aneuploid tumors (28 of 33) were near-triploid with DNA indexes between 1.25 and 1.68, 4 were near-diploid (DNA index up to 1.18), and 1 was hypotetraploid (DNA index, 1.85). The proportion of near-triploid tumors was significantly greater among patients under 1 year of age and among patients presenting with stages I, II, and IV-S. Interestingly, 0 of 28 near-triploid neuroblastomas exhibited N-myc gene amplification, compared to 9 of 31 in the group of diploid, near-diploid, and hypotetraploid tumors (Fisher's exact test, P less than 0.001). Four factors were significantly related to a high risk of relapse in univariate analysis, i.e., age, stage, DNA index, and N-myc amplification. In multivariate analysis, only N-myc amplification and the DNA index remained significantly associated with a high risk of relapse. The 2-year disease-free survival rate was 94% (95% confidence interval, 77-98%) for patients with near-triploid neuroblastoma, compared to 45 and 11% (95% confidence interval, 32-70 and 4-23%) for patients with diploid or near-diploid tumors, without and with N-myc amplification, respectively. We concluded that the combination of N-myc and DNA index should be included in routine management of neuroblastoma.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1991

Childhood malignant lymphoma of bone.

From 1974 to 1987, 450 children with non-Hodgkins' lymphoma (NHL) were seen at the Institut Gustave Roussy (IGR); 14 children had malignant lymphoma of bone (MLB). Eleven of the 14 were newly diagnosed, whereas three presented in relapse. Nine patients presented with multifocal bone involvement. The median age of these eight girls and six boys was 9.5 years (range 1.25-15 years). Bone pain was present in all patients as the initial symptom. Evaluation included physical examination, routine serum chemistries, complete blood count, chest roentgenography, skeletal survey, radionuclide bone scan, lumbar puncture, bone marrow aspiration, and intravenous pyelography, and/or abdominal ultrasonography. Hypercalcemia was found in six patients. Biopsy was performed in 12 patients, revealing high-grade lymphoblastic lymphomas in all. In two patients diagnosis was made on cytological examination of bone marrow aspirate. Immunophenotyping in four cases, demonstrated non-B, non-T cell origin in three and pre-B cell origin in one. Three patients were treated prior to 1982 with Cyclophosphamide/Oncovin/Prednisone/ADriamycin (COPAD) and seven patients, seen after 1982, were treated with a modified LSA2L2 protocol (LMT). None of the previously untreated patients received radiotherapy. All patients treated with COPAD have died, whereas four out of seven treated with LMT are alive with a median follow up of 51 months (range 36-82 months). One child treated on a pilot study died. One of the three children seen at relapse is disease-free with a follow-up of 98 months after high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT). Five out of six patients presenting with hypercalcemia have died. Results with LMT are encouraging and together with published results suggest that sufficiently intensive chemotherapy can result in complete remission and cure in MLB. Radiotherapy does not seem to be necessary, avoiding possible serious long-term effects. Hypercalcemia is a bad prognostic feature.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Rhabdomyosarcoma of the larynx in children: a series of five patients treated in the Institut Gustave Roussy (Villejuif, France).

Rhabdomyosarcoma of the larynx is a malignant disease rarely seen in children. We present five cases (3 males, 2 females) observed among 126 patients with rhabdomyosarcoma of the head and neck (excluding the orbit) treated in the Institut Gustave-Roussy between 1955 and 1981. The patients were aged between 5 1/2 years and 13 1/2 years at the time of diagnosis. The presenting symptoms were dysphonia and/or dyspnea; tracheotomy was required in two cases. All five patients received chemotherapy consisting of vincristine, cyclophosphamide, actinomycin D + procarbazine or doxorubicin. Four patients also received radiotherapy (45 Gy during 5 weeks). Laryngectomy was not performed. Treatment sequelae included regional hypoplasia, huskiness, and subclinical thyroid insufficiency; two patients developed a benign thyroid adenoma. One patient presented a bilateral carotid stenosis subsequent to radiotherapy performed on "wide fields" portal designed to provided prophylactic treatment on uninvolved lymph nodes. All the patients are alive and relapse-free with a follow-up of between 13 and 17 years. This small series of RMS of the larynx shows that patients can be cured without laryngectomy, although long-term sequelae associated with radiotherapy are observed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Pancreatoblastoma: response to chemotherapy.

Two cases of pancreatoblastoma in children are reported here. Only biopsies were made at laparotomy as surgical resection by duodeno-pancreatectomy was not possible. In both children a dramatic response was observed with chemotherapy: doxorubicin plus cisplatin for one, cyclophosphamide, actinomycin D, bleomycin, vinblastine sulfate, and cisplatin for the other. After completion of the chemotherapy the first patient had a local resection; then he had radiotherapy. He is alive in first remission 40 months after the end of the treatment. In the second patient, regional recurrence occurred 8 months after chemotherapy was ended. A transient second remission was obtained with ifosfamide plus etoposide alternating with epirubicin plus vincristine. The patient died 36 months after the diagnosis. Therefore, these two cases suggest that chemotherapy may be proposed before any attempt at surgical excision. Nevertheless, early consolidation by radical resection or irradiation must be considered.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1991

Nonmetastatic thoracic neuroblastomas: a review of 40 cases.

From 1982 to 1987, 40 children with non-metastatic thoracic neuroblastoma were treated with the same therapeutic regimen. According to TNM staging, there were 11 CS I, 19 CS II, and 10 CS III. All patients underwent surgery; 30 had primary surgical excision; in 10 whose tumors were deemed unresectable, surgery was delayed until after a trial of chemotherapy. Operation was completed by several courses of chemotherapy in case of microscopic residual disease or regional lymph node involvement; radiotherapy was delivered in case of gross residual disease. Using this therapeutic approach, EFS is 92% with a median follow-up of 40 months. Severe complications were rare and sequellae appear to be related to the disease, i.e., neurologic consequences of cord compression.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
PubMed1991

Treatment of stage IV-S neuroblastoma: a study of 34 cases treated between 1982 and 1987.

Between January 1982 and December 1987, of 283 children with neuroblastoma treated in the Pediatric Department of Institut Gustave Roussy, 34 were stage IV-S. Two groups were distinguished according to the initial clinical presentation: 16/34 patients had life-threatening symptoms and needed immediate treatment, and 18/34 had no life-threatening symptoms. Hepatic irradiation was used in 12/16 patients of the first group with respiratory distress. Chemotherapy was used in three patients. Of these 16 patients, three patients died of progressive disease (one patient died of a reason not related to the tumor). Twelve are alive in first complete remission and one in second complete remission. Of the 18 patients of the second group, eight had spontaneous complete remission, and one of them relapsed thereafter and died despite treatment. Ten patients needed treatment, radiotherapy, and/or chemotherapy depending on the site of disease progression. Two of them died of the disease. The overall disease-free survival for these 34 patients is 75% at 90 months postdiagnosis. Using this therapeutic strategy, it was possible to avoid any treatment of metastases in 25% of the patients.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
PubMed1991

Efficacy and safety of granisetron in the prevention of chemotherapy-induced emesis in paediatric patients.

In an open ascending-dose study, granisetron, a specific 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, was administered to 24 paediatric patients (17 male, 7 female, mean age 6.2, range 3-15 years) who were receiving moderately or highly emetogenic chemotherapy for malignant disease. Single doses of 10, 20 and 40 micrograms/kg were administered by intravenous infusion 1 h before chemotherapy. Each dose level was studied in a group of 8 patients. With the 40 micrograms/kg dose, 5 of 8 patients experienced no nausea or vomiting in the 24 h after granisetron treatment. With 20 micrograms/kg, a similar response was seen, but with 10 micrograms/kg only 2 of 8 patients experienced complete antiemetic protection despite additional prophylactic chlorpromazine in this group. Granisetron was very well tolerated, and there were no clinically important changes in pulse rate, blood pressure or Holter electrocardiogram. It is concluded that granisetron was very well tolerated by paediatric patients. In addition, there was clear evidence of a major antiemetic effect for at least 24 h after a single intravenous dose of 20 or 40 micrograms/kg.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

N-myc genomic content and DNA ploidy in stage IVS neuroblastoma.

DNA ploidy and N-myc genomic content were analyzed in a series of stage IVS neuroblastomas by flow cytometry and Southern blot hybridization, respectively. Of the 12 stage IVS neuroblastomas studied, nine were aneuploid (DNA index [DI] greater than 1), two were diploid (DI = 1), and one was not assessable for DNA content due to insufficient tumor material. N-myc gene amplification was present in two of 12 tumors. None of the aneuploid tumors exhibited N-myc amplification. Among the aneuploid neuroblastomas, the DIs were between 1.27 and 1.60, ie, in the near-triploid range. The follow-up from diagnosis ranged from 1 to 41 months (mean, 20 months). The nine neuroblastomas with near-triploid DNA content were free of disease at the end of the follow-up period. In contrast, a rapid and fatal tumor progression was observed for the three neuroblastomas with N-myc amplification and/or diploidy. Although involving only a limited series, these results strongly suggest that the combined analysis of DNA ploidy and N-myc genomic content could predict clinical outcome in stage IVS neuroblastoma and should help to identify patients for whom a more aggressive therapy is required.

Aneuploidy↗
PubMed1991

[Dumbbell neuroblastoma. Experience at the Gustave Roussy Institute in 38 cases treated from 1982 to 1987].

Among the 282 neuroblastomas treated at the Institut Gustave-Roussy between 1982 and 1987, 38 dumbbell forms were observed. Therapeutic approaches included: 1) An initial laminectomy in forms with neurological deficit; 2) Surgical excision of the primary tumor; 3) Preoperative chemotherapy for metastatic forms and non-metastatic forms in which primary tumors considered unresectable at diagnosis; 4) Radiation therapy on macroscopic residual disease. Twenty three of 38 children presented with a neurological deficit. A laminectomy was performed in 21 cases. Neurological recovery was good in 8 cases, partial in 5 cases and absent in 5 cases. Three patients were aggravated after the procedure. The event free survival was 76%. This high survival rate is linked with: 1) The predominantly non metastatic stages (25/38); 2) A high proportion of children under 1 year of age (25/38); 3) A high proportion of thoracic locations. Out of the 29 survivors, there were 10 cases of major neurological sequelae (34%) and 9 cases of major orthopedic sequelae (31%). The coexistence of a serious functional prognosis and an excellent vital prognosis led us to analyse the therapeutic modalities and reevaluate the necessity of routine initial neurosurgical excision by laminectomy, and using a first line chemotherapy in selected indications.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

High-dose chemotherapy containing busulfan followed by bone marrow transplantation in 24 children with refractory or relapsed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Twenty-four children with relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin's lymphoma underwent high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) with bone marrow transplantation (BMT). HDC comprised in all cases busulfan (16 mg/kg or 600 mg/m2), with either cyclophosphamide (200 mg/kg or 4.4 g/m2) and/or melphalan (140 mg/m2). Twenty-three of these children had received second-line therapy before receiving HDC. There were 16 B cell and eight T cell lymphomas. Twenty-three patients were evaluable at day 30 post-BMT; 19 were in complete remission, four did not respond. Eight patients are long-term survivors between 62 and 296 weeks after BMT. Among the seven children with resistant disease before HDC, only one is a long-term survivor. No toxic deaths occurred. The main adverse side effect was hepatic veno-occlusive disease which occurred in four patients, but resolved completely in all cases. Comparisons with other classic HDC regimens in relapsed childhood lymphomas show that HDC containing busulfan with BMT appears reasonably safe and is effective in refractory or relapsed lymphomas, even in these highly previously treated patients.

Adolescent↗