Pretreatment Extent Of Disease Research Articles

Elevated serum uric acid is associated with the risk of advanced staging and vascular involvement in patients with hepatoblastoma: a 14-year retrospective study.

Uric acid is the end product of the purine metabolism pathway, and has been linked to cancer risks and prognosis, but its relationship with hepatoblastoma (HB) remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the association between serum uric acid (SUA) and the advanced tumor staging and unfavorable extra-parenchymal tumor characteristics in patients with HB. This study enrolled pediatric patients from Xinhua Hospital between 2007 to 2021.A total of 101 participants with newly diagnosed HB were recruited in the study. PRETreatment EXTent of disease (PRETEXT)/PostTreatment Extent of disease (POSTTEXT) staging were evaluated at diagnosis and following neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). Adjusted smoothing spline plots, subgroup analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were conducted to estimate the association of different levels of SUA with the advanced tumor staging and present annotation factors. In accordance with SUA tertiles, those patients with higher pretreatment SUA levels showed increased percentages of PRETEXT group IV, vessel involvement and multifocality of tumors. After fully adjustment with the confounding factors, SUA was positively associated with advanced PRETEXT stage IV (OR: 1.72, 95%CI 1.15-2.57, p=0.0080), as well as vascular invasion (OR: 1.29, 95%CI 1.01-1.64, p=0.0396). Compared with the lowest SUA concentration tertile, the highest tertile were independently associated with vessel involvement of tumor in all of the adjusted models. Following NAC, SUA levels were significantly reduced in response to the downstaging of tumors. SUA remained positively associated with advanced POSTTEXT staging and vessel involvement in adjusted models. Patients with highest tertile of posttreatment SUA showed worse 5-year EFS and OS. Elevated SUA were associated with an increased occurrence of advanced PRETEXT/POSTTEXT staging and unfavorable vessel involvement at diagnosis and following NAC in patients with HB. High posttreatment SUA reflected poor tumor responses to NAC. This study linked SUA, a non-invasive laboratory test, with tumor staging and risk prediction for HB.

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio as predictive markers in hepatoblastoma.

The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) have been presented to be a prognostic indicator in several cancers. We were supposed to evaluate the prognostic role of such inflammatory markers in hepatoblastoma (HB). Total of 101 children, diagnosed with hepatoblastoma between January 2010 and January 2018, were enrolled before treatment in the study. The clinicopathological parameters, and outcomes were collected through laboratory analyses and patient follow-up. The association between NLR, PLR, and clinicopathological characters were analyzed with Wilcoxon test, Chi-Squared test, Kaplan-Meier, Log-rank and Cox regression analyses. NLR and PLR were significantly elevated in HB patients (P < 0.001), and related to age (P < 0.001), risk stratification system (P < 0.001), and pretreatment extent of disease (P < 0.0001). NLR was significantly related to alpha-fetoprotein (P = 0.034) and lactate dehydrogenase (P = 0.026). The 3-year overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) were poor in the high-NLR group (OS: 44.3% vs. 90.3%, P < 0.0001, EFS: 38.6% vs. 80.6%, P = 0.0001). The 3-year OS and EFS were poor in the high-PLR group (OS: 49.1% vs. 68.8%, P = 0.016, EFS: 39.6% vs. 64.6%, P = 0.0117). The multivariate analysis suggested that NLR (HR: 11.359, 95% CI: 1.218-105.947; P = 0.033) and risk stratification (HR: 44.905, 95% CI: 2.458-820.36; P = 0.01), were independent predictors of OS. Our research showed that elevated NLR and PLR were the poor prognostic factors in HB patients before treatment. The NLR was an independent prognostic factor for OS.

Histologic type predicts disparate outcomes in pediatric hepatocellular neoplasms: A Pediatric Surgical Oncology Research Collaborative study.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a rare cancer in children, with various histologic subtypes and a paucity of data to guide clinical management and predict prognosis. A multi-institutional review of children with hepatocellular neoplasms was performed, including demographic, staging, treatment, and outcomes data. Patients were categorized as having conventional HCC (cHCC) with or without underlying liver disease, fibrolamellar carcinoma (FLC), and hepatoblastoma with HCC features (HB-HCC). Univariate and multivariate analyses identified predictors of mortality and relapse. In total, 262 children were identified; and an institutional histologic review revealed 110 cHCCs (42%; 69 normal background liver, 34 inflammatory/cirrhotic, 7 unknown), 119 FLCs (45%), and 33 HB-HCCs (12%). The authors observed notable differences in presentation and behavior among tumor subtypes, including increased lymph node involvement in FLC and higher stage in cHCC. Factors associated with mortality included cHCC (hazard ratio [HR], 1.63; P = .038), elevated α-fetoprotein (HR, 3.1; P = .014), multifocality (HR, 2.4; P < .001), and PRETEXT (pretreatment extent of disease) stage IV (HR, 5.76; P < .001). Multivariate analysis identified increased mortality in cHCC versus FLC (HR, 2.2; P = .004) and in unresectable tumors (HR, 3.4; P < .001). Disease-free status at any point predicted survival. This multi-institutional, detailed data set allowed a comprehensive analysis of outcomes for children with these rare hepatocellular neoplasms. The current data demonstrated that pediatric HCC subtypes are not equivalent entities because FLC and cHCC have distinct anatomic patterns and outcomes in concert with their known molecular differences. This data set will be further used to elucidate the impact of histology on specific treatment responses, with the goal of designing risk-stratified algorithms for children with HCC. This is the largest reported granular data set on children with hepatocellular carcinoma. The study evaluates different subtypes of hepatocellular carcinoma and identifies key differences between subtypes. This information is pivotal in improving understanding of these rare cancers and may be used to improve clinical management and subsequent outcome in children with these rare malignancies.

Clinical characteristics and prognosis of 83 children with newly treated hepatoblastoma

Objective: To investigate the clinical features, survival and prognostic risk factors of children with hepatoblastoma (HB). Methods: Clinical data of 83 children with newly treated HB at the Department of Hematology and Oncology, Children's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2012 to October 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. The sex, age, first clinical manifestations, pretreatment extent of disease (PRETEXT) stages, pathological types, initial alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), treatment methods and treatment outcome of all patients were summarized. The children diagnosed before 2018 were treated with "Wuhan Protocol", and those who diagnosed after 2018 were treated with the "Expert Consensus for Multidisciplinary Management of Hepatoblastoma"(CCCG-HB-2016) protocol. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to calculate the survival rate, Log-Rank test was used in univariate analysis, and the Cox regression model was used in multivariate prognosis analysis. Results: Among 83 cases, there were 51 males and 32 females. The age of onset was 25.2 (9.0, 34.0) months old, and 64 cases (77%) were under 3 years old. The most common first clinical manifestation was abdominal mass in 45 cases (54%). There were 8 cases of PRETEXT stage Ⅰ, 43 cases of stage Ⅱ, 20 cases of stage Ⅲ and 12 cases of stage Ⅳ. During the follow-up period of 40 (17, 63) months, the 1-year overall survival (OS) rate and event-free survival (EFS) rate were (84±4) % and (79±5) %, respectively, and 5-year OS rate and EFS rate were (78±5) % and (76±5) %, respectively. Fifty-five cases were treated with "Wuhan Protocol", and the 5-year OS and EFS rate were (73±6) % and (71±6) %, respectively. Twenty-eight cases were treated with CCCG-HB-2016 protocol, and the 5-year OS and EFS rate were (88±7) % and (82±9) %, respectively. Multivariate COX regression analysis showed that AFP did not turn negative after 3 courses of postoperative chemotherapy (HR=9.228, 95%CI 1.017-83.692) and PRETEXT stage Ⅳ (HR=6.587, 95%CI 1.687-25.723) were independent risk factors affecting the prognosis of children with HB. Conclusions: The "Wuhan Protocol" and CCCG-HB-2016 protocol were effective in the treatment of children with HB. AFP did not turn negative after 3 courses of postoperative chemotherapy and PRETEXT stage Ⅳ were independent risk factors affecting the prognosis of children with HB.

Feasibility of dose-dense cisplatin-based chemotherapy in Japanese children with high-risk hepatoblastoma: Analysis of the JPLT3-H pilot study.

The SIOPEL-4 study has demonstrated that dose-dense cisplatin-based chemotherapy dramatically improves outcome in children with high-risk hepatoblastoma in western countries. However, the feasibility and safety of this regimen have not been clarified in Japanese patients. A pilot study, JPLT3-H, was designed to evaluate the safety profile of the SIOPEL-4 regimen in Japanese children with newly diagnosed hepatoblastoma with either metastatic disease or low alpha-fetoprotein. A total of 15 patients (three female) were enrolled. Median age was 2 years (range, 0-14). Three patients were PRETEXT II (where PRETEXT is PRETreatment EXTent of disease), six PRETEXT III, and six PRETEXT IV. All patients had lung metastasis, none had low alpha-fetoprotein. Eight patients completed the prescribed treatment, and seven patients discontinued therapy prematurely, four due to progressive disease and three due to causes other than severe toxicity. Grade 4 neutropenia was documented in most patients in preoperative cycles A1-3 (11/15 in A1, 9/11 in A2, and 7/11 in A3) and in all considering all cycles. Grade 3-4 thrombocytopenia and grade 3 anemia were also frequently observed. Patients experienced several episodes of grade 3 febrile neutropenia, but none had grade 4 febrile neutropenia or severe infections. One patient had grade 3 heart failure only in the first cycle. Other grade 3 or 4 toxicities were hypomagnesemia, anorexia, nausea, mucositis, liver enzyme elevation, fever, infection, and fatigue. There were no unexpected severe toxicities. The toxicity profile of JPLT3-H was comparable to that of SIOPEL-4. Dose-dense cisplatin-based chemotherapy may be feasible among Japanese patients with high-risk hepatoblastoma.

Imaging and clinical features of pediatric hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is rare in children and there is limited data on its imaging features. To describe imaging features of pediatric HCC and correlate them with clinical and laboratory findings. We retrospectively reviewed imaging in all pediatric HCC cases seen between January 2000 and January 2019. Imaging features defined in LI-RADS (Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System) and tumor extent by PRETEXT (pretreatment extent of disease) criteria were noted by two radiologists. Patient charts were reviewed to collect clinical features, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level and pathology findings. Of the 15 children (7 boys, 8 girls; mean age: 11.8years, age range: 6-17years) included in the study, 12/15 had computed tomography, 9/15 had magnetic resonance imaging and 9/15 had ultrasound exams available for review. Pathological types of HCC included classic (11/15, 73%), fibrolamellar (3/15, 20%) and mixed cholangiocarcinoma-HCC (1/15, 7%). Eighty percent occurred de novo in normal liver and 67% showed elevated AFP levels. Arterial phase hyperenhancement was seen in 83% of cases, washout in 86%, capsule in 50% and tumor-in-vein in 33%. The mean tumor size was 9.8cm and 40% were multifocal on imaging. Staging revealed PRETEXT II tumors in 47%, III in 20% and IV in 33%. There were no PRETEXT I tumors. The two most common PRETEXT annotation factors were portal vein and caudate lobe involvement in 71% and 43% of cases, respectively. Fibrolamellar HCC demonstrated central scar, normal AFP levels and normal background liver. Pediatric HCC are large heterogeneous tumors, as reflected by high PRETEXT staging, and commonly include portal vein and caudate involvement. This affects resectability of these tumors at presentation. Central scar, normal AFP level and normal liver background may help differentiate fibrolamellar HCC from other types of HCC.

Hepatitis B Virus Seropositivity Is a Poor Prognostic Factor of Pediatric Hepatocellular Carcinoma: a Population-Based Study in Hong Kong and Singapore.

BackgroundHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a rare hepatic malignancy in children. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a key predisposing factor in endemic regions but its impact on outcome has not been studied. We aim to evaluate the prognostic implication of HBV seropositivity and role of cancer surveillance in children with HCC from East Asian populations with national HBV vaccination.MethodsReview of population-based databases for patients (< 18 years old) diagnosed with HCC from 1993 to 2017 in two Southeast Asian regions with universal HBV vaccination (instituted since 1988 and 1987 in Hong Kong and Singapore, respectively).ResultsThirty-nine patients were identified (Hong Kong, 28; Singapore, 11). Thirty were male; median age at diagnosis was 10.8 years (range, 0.98–16.6). Abdominal pain was the commonest presentation while five patients were diagnosed through surveillance for underlying condition. Alpha-fetoprotein was raised in 36 patients (mean, 500,598 ng/ml). Nineteen had bilobar involvement, among the patients in whom pretreatment extent of disease (PRETEXT) staging could retrospectively be assigned, 3 had stage I, 13 had stage II, 4 had stage III, and 11 had stage IV disease. Seventeen had distant metastasis. HBsAg was positive in 19 of 38 patients. Two patients had fibrolamellar HCC. Upfront management involved tumor resection in 16 (liver transplantation, 2), systemic chemotherapy in 21, interventional procedures in 6 [transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), 5, radiofrequency ablation (RFA), 1], and radiotherapy in 4 (selective internal radiation, 3, external beam radiation, 1). Five-year event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) were 15.4 ± 6.0 and 26.1 ± 7.2%, respectively. Patient’s HBsAg positivity, metastatic disease and inability to undergo definitive resection represent poor prognostic factors in univariate and multivariable analyses. Patients diagnosed by surveillance had significantly better outcome.ConclusionPediatric HCC has poor outcome. HBV status remains relevant in the era of universal HBV vaccination. HBV carrier has inferior outcome and use of surveillance may mitigate disease course.

Abstract B76: Characterizing vascular invasion in hepatoblastoma

Abstract Hepatoblastoma (HB) is the most common pediatric liver malignancy, and patients with high-risk, metastatic disease have a five-year overall survival (OS) of only about 40%. Of note, HB patients with vascular invasion (VI) have a much worse OS. Our hypothesis is that HB tumors with VI possess unique clones that invade the vasculature, resulting in dissemination of disease. We injected the aggressive HepT1 cell line with confirmed CTNNB1 and NFE2L2 mutations in the livers of immunocompromised NSG mice to generate intrahepatic tumors. After 4 weeks, we had 100% take of tumors in animals. Serum human α-fetoprotein (AFP) increased with the growth of tumors. At time of death, we saw clear presence of intrahepatic VI, vena caval tumor thrombus, extrahepatic disease including within periportal lymph nodes, and lung metastasis in animals with tumors. We grew adherent and nonadherent cell lines from tumor samples, including one cell line from intrahepatic VI and one from vena caval tumor thrombus. Cells derived from VI areas had obvious differences in phenotype from cells from the primary tumor (PT). To further pursue these provocative changes between PT and VI areas, we generated two unique patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models of HB with intrahepatic implantation of PT and VI tumor samples from a nonmetastatic pretreatment extent of disease (PRETEXT) stage 4 patient. Mice harboring the VI PDX showed serum elevation of human AFP and obvious tumor with MRI. PT and VI PDX tissues expressed established HB markers nuclear Beta-catenin, Glypican-3, and AFP, resembling the primary patient sample. We also developed a novel cell line with growth of cells from a VI tumor in vitro. With both the HepT1 and PDX models, gene set enrichment transcriptomic analyses of RNA sequencing data showed clear changes in expression in aggressive tissues that invaded vessels, including significant (p&amp;lt;0.05) changes in pathways associated with liver damage, inflammation, and metabolism. Further exploration of these pathways and agents that target these pathways could improve outcomes for HB patients with invasive disease. Citation Format: Sarah E. Woodfield, Roma H. Patel, Aryana M. Ibarra, Barry Zorman, Andrew Badachhape, Ketan B. Ghaghada, Dolores Lopez-Terrada, Pavel Sumazin, Sanjeev A. Vasudevan. Characterizing vascular invasion in hepatoblastoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on the Advances in Pediatric Cancer Research; 2019 Sep 17-20; Montreal, QC, Canada. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(14 Suppl):Abstract nr B76.

Treatment of children with very low-risk hepatoblastoma according to the Children’s Hepatic tumors International Collaboration classification: a series of clinical observations

Relevance. The success of treatment of children with hepatoblastoma (HB) is associated primarily with the optimization of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. The introduction of a system of therapeutic definition of a risk group developed by the International Society for the Study of Liver Tumors in Children’s Hepatic tumors International Collaboration (CHIC) in patients with HB allows for effective risk stratification. Patients of the very low-risk group have a favorable prognosis and, unlike patients of other groups, they can perform surgery at the 1st stage, and children from the very low-risk group with a “pure” fetal version of the morphological structure of the tumor can be cured without chemotherapy – only by surgical method. This article presents an analysis of a series of observations of children with HB very low-risk.Methods and patients. A retrospective analysis of the data of 138 patients who received treatment at the Research Institute of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology of N.N. Blokhin National Medical Research Centre of Oncology of the Ministry of Health of Russia from January 2006 to February 2018, all patients underwent examination in the following volume: computed tomography (CT) of the chest, ultrasound of the abdominal cavity and retroperitoneal space, CT and/or magnetic resonance imaging of the abdominal cavity with contrast enhancement. Serum levels of human chorionic gonadotropin and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) were measured. The prevalence of tumor lesions was retrospectively evaluated using the PRETEXT system (Pre-Treatment Extent of Disease, assessment of the prevalence of the tumor process before treatment, 2017 version). Based on the data obtained, 18 (13 %) patients with hypertension were identified in the very low-risk group using the CHIC stratification system. Of 18 (100 %) patients of the very low-risk group, 8 (44.4 %) received therapy in the interval from January 2006 to October 2010 according to the treatment protocols of the SIOPEL group. The treatment included a combination of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with delayed surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy. Since November 2010, the Research Institute of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology adopted a protocol for the treatment of children with hypertension, suggesting the possibility of performing surgical treatment at the 1 st stage in patients with a localized stage of the disease with the spread of PRETEXT I/II. From December 2010 to November 2018, 10 (55.6 %) patients from the very low-risk group were operated on at the 1 st stage. A tumor biopsy was not performed before the intervention. After a histological examination, 4 (22.2 %) patients had an epithelial variant of the structure of HB that did not meet the criteria of a “pure” fetal variant. He was given adjuvant chemotherapy according to the SIOPEL protocol. And in 6 (33.3 %) patients, according to the results of a morphological study, the HB structure variant was interpreted as a “pure” fetal variant. Further therapy in this group of patients was not performed. The analysis of the results of treatment of these 6 patients without the use of chemotherapy is presented in our article.Results. The average age of patients is 3.7 (1–6) years, the median is 3.7 ± 2.0. Boys/girls – 4:2. In all cases, there was an asymptomatic course of the disease, a neoplasm was detected by chance during an ultrasound scan. All children had an elevated AFP level in the range of 95.2–695 (286.0 ± 116.8) IU/ml. Distribution according to PRETEXT I/II – 2 (33.3 %) and 4 (66.7 %) patients, respectively. Patients did not have additional PRETEXT criteria and metastases. Surgical treatment was performed by the laparoscopic method in 2 of 6 patients. Scope of operation: right-sided hemihepatectomy – 3, left-sided – 1, bisegmentectomy – 1, atypical resection – 1. Lymphatic dissection in the area of the hepatoduodenal ligament was not performed. There were no complications of treatment and repeated surgical interventions. The radicalness of the intervention in the volume of R0 was confirmed by histological examination in all patients. Morphological examination in all cases revealed a “pure” fetal version of the structure of the tumor. All patients are alive without signs of relapse at follow-up periods of 14.7 to 59.2 (32.0 ± 18.7) months.Conclusion. Using the system of therapeutic stratification into risk groups CHIC allows you to effectively distinguish patients with very low-risk groups, and for some children with a “pure” fetal version of the histological structure of the tumor, only the surgical approach can be used for treatment. At the same time, the short observation period for the patients and their small number do not allow us to draw final conclusions and dictate the need for a multicenter study. It should be noted that this cohort of patients requires careful observance of the post-therapeutic observation algorithm.

Neoadjuvant treatment strategies for resectable pancreas cancer: A propensity-matched analysis of the National Cancer Database

Background and purposeThe optimal neoadjuvant approach in patients with resectable pancreas cancer is unclear. We investigated outcomes after preoperative chemotherapy alone, chemotherapy with conventionally-fractionated radiation (CFRT), or chemotherapy with stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT). Materials and methodsThe NCDB was queried for patients with resectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma (pretreatment stage T1-3, N0-1, M0) who received preoperative, multiagent chemotherapy and definitive surgery from 2010 to 2015. CFRT was 40–60 Gy in 20–35 fractions. SBRT was 20–25 Gy in 1 fraction or 30–50 Gy using at least 5 Gy per fraction. Multivariable regression and propensity score matching were used to adjust for potential confounders, including age, comorbidity score, and pretreatment extent of disease. The primary outcome was overall survival measured from surgery. ResultsIn total, 1355 patients received preoperative chemotherapy alone, 552 patients received preoperative chemotherapy with CFRT, and 175 patients received preoperative chemotherapy with SBRT. Receipt of SBRT was associated with significantly improved overall survival compared to chemotherapy alone (median 30 vs 21 months, p = 0.02; adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.65, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.47–0.90, p = 0.01). Similarly, SBRT was associated with significantly improved overall survival compared to CFRT (median 29 vs 16 months, p = 0.002; adjusted HR 0.53, 95% CI 0.37–0.76, p = 0.001). Additionally, SBRT was associated with significantly increased rates of pathological complete response and margin-negative resection. Rates of postoperative readmissions and mortality were comparable. ConclusionsNeoadjuvant chemotherapy with SBRT is associated with favorable survival and pathological outcomes, warranting consideration for prospective validation.

Extensive Hepatectomy as an Alternative to Liver Transplant in Advanced Hepatoblastoma: A New Protocol Used in a Pediatric Liver Transplantation Center

BackgroundSurgery is a key factor in the treatment of hepatoblastoma, but choosing between an aggressive resection and liver transplant may be an extremely difficult task. The aim of this study was to describe the outcomes of patients with advanced hepatoblastoma: pretreatment extent of disease (PRETEXT)/post-treatment extent of disease (POST-TEXT) III and IV undergoing aggressive resections or living donor liver transplant in cases involving the entire liver. Based on this experience, a new protocol for the treatment of these patients was proposed. MethodsA retrospective study included patients with advanced hepatoblastoma (POST-TEXT III and IV) who were referred for a liver transplant from 2010 to 2017. ResultsA total of 24 children were included: 13 (54.2%) were male, with a median age at diagnosis of 42 months (range, 15–120 months), and a history of prematurity was identified in 20.8% of the patients. Ten cases (41.7%) were staged as PRETEXT/POST-TEXT III, and 12 cases (50.0%) were staged as PRETEXT/POST-TEXT IV. Two patients were referred after posthepatectomy recurrence. Five patients underwent a liver transplant, with recurrence and death in 2 patients (40.0%) within a mean period of 6 months. In the extensive hepatectomy group, there was recurrence in 6 patients (31.6%), with disease-free outcomes and overall survival in 63.2% and 94.7% of patients, respectively. ConclusionIn cases of advanced hepatoblastoma, an extensive surgical approach is a valuable option. The fact that the team was fully prepared to proceed with living donor liver transplant allowed the surgeon to be more aggressive and to switch to transplantation when resection was not possible.

Histological and immunohistochemical study of hepatoblastoma: correlation with tumour behaviour and survival.

Hepatoblastoma (HB) has different histological subtypes, with varying prognosis. Though the survival has drastically improved, subsets of patients are not responsive to therapy. Therefore, it becomes important to determine the factors which affect the behaviour of the tumour. This study was aimed to look at the histopathological subtypes and compare with immunohistochemical (IHC) expression of CK19, beta-catenin and EpCAM and survival. This study included 55 cases of HB. IHC expression of CK19, beta-catenin and EpCAM were correlated with histological subtypes, tumour behaviour, response to chemotherapy and survival. Most common epithelial subtype was fetal (43.2%) and mixed epithelial (54.8%) in pre- and post-chemotherapy groups respectively. Microvascular invasion (MVI) was present in 14/33 resected tumours. CK19 expression was seen in 54.2% and 72.2% of embryonal subtype, nuclear beta-catenin expression in 48.7% and 57.1% and EpCAM in 100% and 82.1% of tumours in pre- and post-chemotherapy groups, respectively. Fetal subtype had a lesser chance of MVI, recurrence, metastasis and death. Beta-catenin expression was associated with lower event free survival (EFS) and EpCAM with ≥50% viable tumour following chemotherapy (P=0.04). Age at diagnosis ≤2 years, male sex, alpha-fetoprotein <10,000 IU/mL following chemotherapy, solitary tumour (P=0.001), size ≤5 cm, pretreatment extent of disease (PRETEXT) I&II, mitosis ≤2/10 high power fields (hpf), viable tumour <50% (P=0.04) and absent nuclear expression of beta-catenin, predicted a higher EFS rate. Beta-catenin expression is associated with lower EFS and EpCAM expression with tumour viability. Multifocality and viable tumour ≥50% were significant factors predicting lower EFS. These factors should be included in the prognostication of HBs.

Hepatocellular malignant neoplasm, NOS: a clinicopathological study of 11 cases from a single institution.

The primary aim of this study is to characterize hepatocellular malignant neoplasm, NOS (HEMNOS), a new provisional entity describing a subset of paediatric hepatocellular tumours, which have histological features of neither typical hepatoblastoma (HB) nor hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The clinicopathological features of 11 patients with HEMNOS were analysed retrospectively. The median age and serum alpha-fetoprotein level at diagnosis was 7years and 182000ng/ml, respectively. Ten patients presented with pretreatment extent of disease (PRETEXT) stages III/IV multifocal tumours, eight with major vascular involvement, three with lung metastases and three with extrahepatic extension. The original pathology diagnoses were: HB in seven patients, HCC in two and HEMNOS in two. Our pathology review of pre-chemotherapy specimens showed that six tumours had equivocal/overlapping histological features of HB and HCC, four had predominant HB histology along with focal HCC-like histology and one had HB histology. Seven of nine post-chemotherapy resection specimens showed predominant HCC-like histology. Beta-catenin, glypican 3 and spalt-like transcription factor 4 immunostaining showed that all the tumours had a mixed HB/HCC immunophenotype. Telomerase reverse transcriptase immunostaining showed nuclear staining in nine of the 11 tumours. All patients received chemotherapy and achieved gross total primary tumour resection. Nine of the 11 patients were treated with established HB chemotherapy regimens. After a median follow-up of 6.1years (range: 1.2-11.8years), all patients were in remission. HEMNOS is a subtype of HB with focal HCC-like histology, a high-risk clinical profile but favourable outcome following chemotherapy and complete tumour resection.

Risk-stratified staging in paediatric hepatoblastoma: a unified analysis from the Children's Hepatic tumors International Collaboration

Comparative assessment of treatment results in paediatric hepatoblastoma trials has been hampered by small patient numbers and the use of multiple disparate staging systems by the four major trial groups. To address this challenge, we formed a global coalition, the Children's Hepatic tumors International Collaboration (CHIC), with the aim of creating a common approach to staging and risk stratification in this rare cancer. The CHIC steering committee-consisting of leadership from the four major cooperative trial groups (the International Childhood Liver Tumours Strategy Group, Children's Oncology Group, the German Society for Paediatric Oncology and Haematology, and the Japanese Study Group for Paediatric Liver Tumours)-created a shared international database that includes comprehensive data from 1605 children treated in eight multicentre hepatoblastoma trials over 25 years. Diagnostic factors found to be most prognostic on initial analysis were PRETreatment EXTent of disease (PRETEXT) group; age younger than 3 years, 3-7 years, and 8 years or older; α fetoprotein (AFP) concentration of 100 ng/mL or lower and 101-1000 ng/mL; and the PRETEXT annotation factors metastatic disease (M), macrovascular involvement of all hepatic veins (V) or portal bifurcation (P), contiguous extrahepatic tumour (E), multifocal tumour (F), and spontaneous rupture (R). We defined five clinically relevant backbone groups on the basis of established prognostic factors: PRETEXT I/II, PRETEXT III, PRETEXT IV, metastatic disease, and AFP concentration of 100 ng/mL or lower at diagnosis. We then carried the additional factors into a hierarchical backwards elimination multivariable analysis and used the results to create a new international staging system. Within each backbone group, we identified constellations of factors that were most predictive of outcome in that group. The robustness of candidate models was then interrogated using the bootstrapping procedure. Using the clinically established PRETEXT groups I, II, III, and IV as our stems, we created risk stratification trees based on 5 year event-free survival and clinical applicability. We defined and adopted four risk groups: very low, low, intermediate, and high. We have created a unified global approach to risk stratification in children with hepatoblastoma on the basis of rigorous statistical interrogation of what is, to the best of our knowledge, the largest dataset ever assembled for this rare paediatric tumour. This achievement provides the structural framework for further collaboration and prospective international cooperative study, such as the Paediatric Hepatic International Tumour Trial (PHITT). European Network for Cancer Research in Children and Adolescents, funded through the Framework Program 7 of the European Commission (grant number 261474); Children's Oncology Group CureSearch grant contributed by the Hepatoblastoma Foundation; Practical Research for Innovative Cancer Control and Project Promoting Clinical Trials for Development of New Drugs and Medical Devices, Japan Agency for Medical Research; and Swiss Cancer Research grant.

Long-term Follow Up of Patients with Hepatoblastoma

Malignant neoplasms of the liver comprise 1.3 % in the structure of malignant neoplasms of children at the age of 0 to 14 y. o. The most frequently met malignant neoplasms of the liver of children are hepatoblastomas. The morbidity rate of hepatoblastomas comprises 0.1 per 100 thousand of children's population at the age of 0 to 14 years old. The basis of therapeutic strategy of patients with hepatoblastomas is the riskadapted approach that includes the assessment of such factors, such as the stage of disease under the PRETEXT (Pre-Treatment Extent of Disease) system and the level of alpha-fenoprotein (AFP). We use protocols of the International Childhood Liver Tumors Strategy Group (SIOPEL) in our practice. In accordance with recommendations of the SIOPEL group, patients with hepatoblastomas are stratified into the low risk group and high risk group. Patients in the low risk group receive therapy with the use of cisplatin (totally, 6 injections). Patients with hepatoblastomas in the high risk group receive therapy with the use of cisplatin, carboplatin, and doxorubicin. It must be noted that hepatoblastomas, unlike many types of malignant neoplasms of children, produce AFP and is attributed to “secreting” tumors. Increasing of the AFP level with hepatoblastomas during the onset of the disease is marked in 90 % of cases. AFP is both a diagnostics marker with hepatoblastomas and a marker of response to the therapy performed. Assessment of the AFP level is used for revealing of disease recurrences with dynamic observation of the patients that have completed the specific therapy. The possibility of using AFP level for early revealing of disease recurrences allows significantly decreasing of the number of imaging studies used in programs of follow-up observation, unlike other, nonsecreting types of malignant neoplasms of childhood. A whole number of performed international studies demonstrated increasing of the risk of development of malignant neoplasms associated with the radiation received in the course of X-ray diagnostics and computed tomography. Thus, in the course of making up the protocols of observation (imaging) of the patients that have completed the treatment associated with malignant neoplasms, it is necessary to take into consideration all possible risks that include both risks of development of tumor recurrences and the risk of development of severe late consequences including those caused with excessive imaging studies. In our article, we have provided the protocol of observation of patients with hepatoblastomas that have completed the specific therapy including the patients that have undergone transplantation of the liver. This protocol is based upon recommendations of the SIOPEL group. Determination of the AFP level in blood of patients with hepatoblastomas, X-ray diagnostics of the chest organs, and ultrasonic study of the abdominal organs are the major imaging methods used for controlling of disease recurrences. Besides, monitoring and early revealing of late effects of treatment are important in the course of clinical examination of children and adolescents after malignant neoplasms. The article reviews the problems of organ toxicity caused with chemotherapy included into the schemes of treatment of patients with hepatoblastomas. Taking into consideration the specter of these chemical drugs, an important factor is monitoring of such side effects as nephrotoxicity, ototoxicity, and cardiac toxicity that require long-term observation. The volume of examination and resolution of examination is represented in the form of tables for patients of groups of low and high risk, and separately for the patients after the liver transplantation.

Pediatric hepatoblastoma: diagnosis and treatment.

Hepatoblastoma (HBL) is the most common primary liver tumor in children, and is usually diagnosed during the first 3 years of life. Collaborative multicenter studies have led to improved diagnostic and treatment strategies. The pretreatment extent of disease (PRETEXT) staging system has become a consensus classification, and an international pathological classification system has also been developed. Clinical trials examining multimodal therapy, which consists of complete surgical resection plus liver transplantation and chemotherapy, have led to improved outcomes for children with HBL. Recently, the Children's Hepatic Tumors International Collaboration (CHIC), which includes major multicenter study groups, created a shared database that merges data on all children underwent therapy in the clinical trials of these groups until 2008. CHIC has developed a global approach to risk stratification of pediatric HBL for use in future global clinical trials. The aim of this review is to report the recent developments on the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric HBL.

Association of trisomy 18 with hepatoblastoma and its implications

Hepatoblastoma is a highly malignant embryonal liver tumor that occurs almost exclusively in infants and toddlers. Trisomy 18 is the second most common autosomal trisomy after trisomy 21 and is generally considered a lethal disorder. Ten cases of hepatoblastoma in children with trisomy 18 have been published to date. Here, we report on two female patients with trisomy 18 and pretreatment extent of disease (PRETEXT) stage 1 hepatoblastoma, which support the presence of a nonrandom association between hepatoblastoma and trisomy 18. Both patients underwent primary surgical resection without any neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy. The histologies returned as pure fetal epithelial type, and combined fetal and embryonal epithelial type. There was no evidence of recurrence on serial abdominal ultrasound and serum alpha-fetoprotein levels on follow-up. Primary surgical resection is a treatment approach that can be considered in children with trisomy 18 and PRETEXT stage 1 tumor. However, in view of the overall prognosis for trisomy 18, the decision on the optimal treatment is a delicate one and has to be individualized in the context of the best interests of the child.

Pediatric Malignant Liver Tumors: Results of a Single Center

Primary malignant tumors of the liver are rare in childhood and comprise 1-2% of all childhood malignancies. In this retrospective study the characteristics, treatment and outcome of childhood malignant hepatic tumors diagnosed and treated in a single center between 1996 and 2010 were evaluated. The pretreatment extent of disease (PRETEXT) system was used for staging and the SI- OPEL-3 or modified protocol for treatment. 20 children (13 male, 7 female), diagnosed and treated with primary malignant tumors of the liver (11 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), 9 hepatoblastoma (HBS)) were evaluated. In our series the cases with HCC were more than the cases with HBS. In cases with HCC, 8 had chronic hepatitis B infection. Serum alpha-fetoprotein levels were eleva- ted in all cases with HBS and in six with HCC. According to the PRETEXT staging, 12 cases were stage (S) IV, 2 S III, 6 S II. Four had lung metastasis. Four cases with HBS, one patient with HCC are alive with no evidence of disease (19, 20, 21, 26, 102 months). The high incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in our series is thought to be due to the high incidence of hepatitis B infection in Tur- key. Children with chronic hepatitis B virus infection should be followed up keeping in mind the risk of HCC. Children with hemihy- pertrophia and other predisposing conditions should be followed up for the risk of liver tumors so that they can be diagnosed at early stages.

Prognostic implications of serum alpha‐fetoprotein response during treatment of hepatoblastoma

We evaluated the outcomes and prognostic factors, especially serum levels of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and their changes during the treatment of hepatoblastoma (HB). We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 43 consecutive children with HB treated at a single institution between 1991 and 2010. Of 43 patients, 5 (12%) underwent primary tumor resection at diagnosis and 38 (88%) received preoperative chemotherapy. Of those 38 patients, 7 (16%) died of progressive disease during preoperative chemotherapy, and 31 (72%) underwent curative operations, including 5 who underwent liver transplantation, after a median 4 cycles of chemotherapy (range, 3-14 cycles). The 5-year overall survival and disease-free survival rates were 62.1 ± 8.3% and 65.6 ± 7.6%, respectively. AFP >263,000 ng/mL at diagnosis, a decline of <1 log in AFP levels after the first cycle of chemotherapy, preoperative AFP levels in the highest tertile, and postoperative AFP levels in the highest tertiles were significantly associated with treatment failure. Age younger than 1 year at diagnosis, thrombocytosis at diagnosis, and early PRETEXT (pretreatment extent of disease) stage were significantly associated with better survival outcomes, whereas gender and metastasis were not. Multivariate analysis showed that high level of preoperative AFP was an independent predictor of treatment failure. Serial monitoring of changes in AFP levels during the treatment, especially perioperative changes, may help identify favorable and poor responders to chemotherapy. Alternative treatment, such as liver transplantation, should be considered for poor responders.

Malignant Liver Tumors in Children

Age at presentation is often the key to the differential diagnosis of a liver mass in children. Hepatoblastoma is the most common malignant liver tumor in infants and toddlers, whereas hepatocellular carcinoma is seen in older children and adolescents. Although symptoms are possible, these tumors most often present as an asymptomatic epigastric or right upper quadrant mass. Definitive diagnosis is made with percutaneous, laparoscopic or open biopsy, and biopsy is recommended in all patients unless radiographic imaging clearly demonstrates a benign hemangioma. The most common benign tumors are infantile hemangioma, focal nodular hyperplasia and mesenchymal hamartoma. Hepatoblastoma is often chemosensitive and, if resectable, may have a good prognosis. Conversely, hepatocellular carcinoma is often chemoresistant and is frequently diagnosed at an advanced stage making resection difficult. The pretreatment extent of disease is a stratification system developed by the Society of Pediatric Oncology Liver Tumor Study Group (SIOPEL) that is now used worldwide to stratify risk and predict surgical resectability. Treatment protocols recommended by Children's Oncology Group and SIOPEL are reviewed. Other malignant tumors discussed briefly include sarcomas (rhabdomyosarcoma, angiosarcoma and undifferentiated or embryonal sarcoma), rhabdoid tumors and metastatic disease.