The role of preoperative chemotherapy in the treatment of infantile fibrosarcoma

Limb salvage of an infant with infantile fibrosarcoma using TRK inhibitor larotrectinib

Infantile fibrosarcoma (IFS) is an extremely rare locally aggressive soft tissue tumour of childhood. Primary therapy involves complete surgical resection with or without chemotherapy. However complete surgical resection might not be feasible in all cases and so requires other modalities for further management. We report the case of a male infant from Bangladesh with a locally advanced IFS of the leg which was partially resected. The patient received adjuvant chemotherapy which was complicated by the development of chemotherapy-related veno-occlusive disease and had to be discontinued. Thereafter he was referred to our dedicated sarcoma oncology clinic in India for further management. The parents of the child refused amputation of the limb. The tumour tested positive for NTRK3-ETV6 gene fusion and after discussion in multidisciplinary clinic, targeted therapy using oral NTRK inhibitor larotrectinib was started. The patient had complete response at the end of 8 months of treatment with larotrectinib. This is the first report from the Indian subcontinent and we encourage that these children should be referred to specialist clinics for appropriate multidisciplinary management for best outcomes.

Case report: A rare case of congenital non-metastatic low-grade fibrosarcoma of the pleura in a 6-month-old infant manifested as pneumonia

Introduction and importance

Congenital Infantile fibrosarcoma is a rare tumor in children and accounts for only 10 % of various malignant tumors in this age group. Manifestations vary according to the site of occurrence. Symptoms of the tumor located in unusual places can be misleading and obscure the actual diagnosis, which in turn may waste precious effort and time until the correct diagnosis is established. Infant malignancies should be considered to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with this pathology.

Case presentation

We present the case of a 6-month-old infant, who was admitted to our hospital with a one-month history of high fever and dry cough, with no improvement in symptoms after treatment with antibiotics. Computed tomography showed a heterogeneous mass in the pleural cavity compressing the lung tissue, in addition to bilateral mild pleural effusion. Thoracotomy was indicated and the tumor was completely resected.

Clinical discussion

Histopathological and Immunohistochemical approach is crucial because this type of tumor can overlap with many soft tissue sarcomas. After searching in medical literature, no published evidence of a similar case was found, and thus we managed the patient empirically, depending on the usual approach for congenital fibrosarcoma. Complete surgical resection is the golden standard of treatment, followed by chemotherapy depending on pathological findings.

Conclusion

Clinical awareness is important in any unresponsive pneumonia and malignancies should be taken into consideration.

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Congenital infantile fibrosarcoma (CIFS) is a rare tumor and is often seen after birth and evolve during the early years of life.

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CIFS can manifest in several places in the body but rarely in chest cavity.

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Immunohistochemistry is a significant assistant in the diagnosis of soft tissue neoplasms.

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Complete surgical resection is the golden standard in treatment followed by chemotherapy depending on pathological findings.

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Local recurrence is a common phenomenon and occurs in 20–40 % of cases.

Radical Resection of Pediatric Fibrosarcoma Is Not Associated With Survival Benefit: A Nationwide Database Analysis

INTRODUCTION

Fibrosarcoma is one of the most common nonrhabdomyosarcoma soft tissue sarcomas in the pediatric population. Surgical resection is the cornerstone of treatment; however, optimal factors regarding the extent of fibrosarcoma resection in localized versus regional disease is poorly understood.

METHODS

The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database was queried for patients who are 19 y old or younger with a diagnosis of fibrosarcoma from 1975 to 2016. Kaplan-Meier analyses were performed for disease-specific survival on clinical and pathologic variables. Multivariate analysis was performed based on significant predictors of disease-specific survival.

RESULTS

There were 1290 patients (median age 13 [7-17] y) identified with fibrosarcoma. The overall survival rate at 20 y was 93%. Radical resection was performed on 22%, 40%, and 52% of patients with localized, regional, and distant Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results disease stage, respectively. Chemotherapy (P < 0.001), radiation (P < 0.001), histology (P < 0.001), and stage (P = 0.004) were significant predictors of increased mortality using univariate Kaplan-Meier analysis. Most patients (86%) with localized or regional stage who underwent radiation had fibrosarcomas of nondermatofibrosarcoma histology (P < 0.001). Dermatofibrosarcoma subtype comprised most radical resections (41%). Excluding distant stage, nondermatofibroma histology (hazard ratio 16.94, 95% confidence interval 3.77-76.01) and regional stage (hazard ratio 8.15, 95% confidence interval 2.93-22.69) were independent prognostic factors of mortality (both P < 0.001). Radical resection was not a significant independent prognostic indicator of survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Nondermatofibrosarcoma subtype is independently associated with increased mortality. Although surgery remains the mainstay of treatment, the extent of resection is not a predictor of survival for patients with the localized and regional stage of disease.

Treatment of infantile fibrosarcoma associated to an abdominal aortic aneurysm with larotrectinib: a case report

Infantile fibrosarcoma (IFS) is a rare pediatric tumor which often presents the ETV6-NTRK3 gene fusion. NTRK3 encodes the neurotrophin-3 growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase, a druggable therapeutic target. Selective tropomyosin receptor kinase (TRK) inhibitors, such as larotrectinib, have shown efficacy and safety in the treatment of IFS. We report a case of an abdominal IFS diagnosed in a newborn associated with an aortic aneurysm that was successfully treated with larotrectinib without relevant adverse effects.

Systemic therapy in pediatric-type soft-tissue sarcoma

Soft-tissue sarcoma (sts) is rare and represents approximately 7% of cancers in children and in adolescents less than 20 years of age. Rhabdomyosarcoma (rms) is most prevalent in children less than 10 years of age and peaks again during adolescence (16-19 years of age). Multi-agent chemotherapy constitutes the mainstay of treatment for rms. In other non-rhabdomyosarcoma soft-tissue tumours, such as synovial sarcoma, evidence for routine use of chemotherapy is less robust, and alternative treatment options, including targeted agents and immunotherapy, are being explored. In this review, we focus on chemotherapy for pediatric-type rms and discuss the advances and challenges in systemic treatment for select non-rhabdomyosarcoma soft-tissue tumours in children and adolescents. We support an increasingly cooperative approach for treating pediatric and adult sts.

Congenital Infantile Fibrosarcoma of the Thigh in a Newborn

Congenital/infantile fibrosarcoma occurs frequently in the first year of life and differs from fibrosarcoma in adulthood. The clinical course of congenital/infantile fibrosarcoma is more favorable and metastatic spread is rare. While adult fibrosarcomas are common in the thigh, congenital/infantile fibrosarcomas affect chiefly the distal portions of the extremities. Standard treatment is primarily wide surgical excision. Chemotherapy may be given as neoadjuvant or adjuvant treatment in order to avoid the morbidity associated with wide excision. In this case report we present our experience of a newborn affected by congenital/infantile fibrosarcoma of the left thigh.

Neonatal solid tumors

BACKGROUND

Neonatal tumors are different from tumors of the older children and knowledge gained from treating older children can not be extrapolated to neonates. Neonates have immature physiology and their haematopoietic and immune systems are not fully developed and the response to therapy is unpredictable. Hence it is imperative to study these tumors as separate entity. The aim of this study is to analyse this rare set of tumors in terms of their incidence, clinical features and management.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All babies admitted in our hospital with tumors from January, 2011 to January 2016 were studied. Tumor-like conditions like haemangioma, lymphangioma and hamartomas were included. The age, sex distribution, type of tumor and management were studied.

RESULTS

A total of 51 cases were registered out of which, 29 cases were haemangiomas and lymphangiomas. Of remaining 20 cases, 5 were benign ovarian cysts, 3 were neuroblastomas, 3 were congenital fibrosarcomas, 3 were sacrococcygeal teratomas. Wilm's tumor, congenital mesoblastic nephroma, haemangioendothelioma of liver and others formed the remaining six cases.

CONCLUSION

Our study insists that the neonatal tumors are distinct subset of pediatric tumors, requiring careful selection of treatment modalities and most of the solid tumors can be successfully managed if diagnosed and treated early. Neonatal tumors are defined as tumors which are diagnosed before the first month of life. Some of them can be congenital (present at birth). Neonatal tumors are different from tumors in older children in terms of etiopathogenesis, behavior and response to therapy as well as long-term outcomes.

Development of Orally Applicable, Combinatorial Drug-Loaded Nanoparticles for the Treatment of Fibrosarcoma

Nanoparticulate systems have been receiving a significant attention especially for the treatment of cancer but one of the main hurdles is to produce these developed and high-tech nanosystems in large quantities. Anticancer drug formulations are generally designed for parenteral administrations but oral administration is still the most convenient route. In this study, orally applicable nano-sized chitosan nanoparticles (NPs) were successfully prepared using Nano Spray Dryer. It is possible to produce these NPs in large quantities by simply increasing the processing time using the machine without changing any parameter. A chemotherapeutic agent (imatinib mesylate; IMA) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (dexketoprofen trometamol) were loaded together in these NPs. NPs were also functionalized with polyethylene glycol and folic acid to obtain long circulating NPs and tumor targeting. The antitumoral activities of formulations showed that these developed NPs can enhance the effectiveness. Animal experiments were performed on fibrosarcoma-bearing mice model, and the treatment with 0.8 mg/μL/kg IMA-loaded chitosan NPs was found to be successful to slow down the growth of tumors. The tumor tissues were removed from the animals and enzymatic activities were evaluated. The inhibitory effect of tyrosine kinase was found to be enhanced from 36.4% to 68.4% when IMA was used in combination with dexketoprofen trometamol. Furthermore, all dried NPs were found to be stable for more than a year at 25°C. Presented results show that these developed combinatorial drug-loaded NPs can be used for the treatment of fibrosarcoma, and these data can provide an insight, new strategies for productions or alternatives in cancer treatment.

Two cases of humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy complicating infantile fibrosarcoma

We report two infants with infantile fibrosarcoma (IFS) complicated by severe hypercalcemia. Assessment demonstrated suppressed parathyroid hormone and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D levels with elevated circulating levels of parathyroid hormone related protein, indicating the diagnosis of humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy (HHM). HHM is a paraneoplastic syndrome rarely associated with pediatric malignancies. Hypercalcemia manifested clinically with neurologic symptoms and soft tissue calcium deposition and required aggressive management with intravenous fluids, diuretics, and supplemental electrolytes. Following treatment with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, serum calcium levels precipitously declined requiring calcium repletion. These cases highlight the improvement of hypercalcemia secondary to HHM following chemotherapy.

Primary Pulmonary Fibrosarcoma With Bone Metastasis: a Successful Treatment With Post-Operation Adjuvant Chemotherapy

Introduction:

Pulmonary fibrosarcoma has been an extremely rare tumor in children. Wide surgical resection of infantile fibrosarcoma would be the treatment of choice.

Case Presentation:

Post-operative chemotherapy has shown the benefit in the cases of residual disease after initial surgery and metastatic disease in the literature. We have presented the case of a 70-days old male child with primary infantile fibrosarcoma of the left lung and distant metastasis of skull.

Conclusions:

The aim of this publication was to highlight the role of adjuvant chemotherapy to improve outcome of infantile fibrosarcoma with residual tumor and / or metastatic disease.

Infantile fibrosarcoma misdiagnosed as vascular tumors

Clinical as well as radiologic diagnosis of infantile fibrosarcoma (IFS) is often a challenging problem due to similarities with tumors of vascular origin. Consequently, in the majority of cases, histological and immunohistochemical studies are considered gold standards for the final diagnosis. The two case reports and the review of literature discussed should increase the important features in the history and the presentation that increase the index of suspicion for IFS, as well as it highlights the important characteristics of imaging and laboratory studies that confirm its diagnosis.

A young woman with a giant breast fibrosarcoma: a case report

We report a case of a 15-year-old female, no family history of huge fibrosarcoma. Computed tomography (CT) showed that there was no clearance between the lump and pectoralis major and that there were pathological fractures in the third and fourth ribs. Fine-needle aspiration result suggested that it might be a phyllodes tumor of the breast. According to the postoperative pathologic and immunohistochemical results, the final diagnosis was breast fibrosarcoma.

Congenital infantile fibrosarcoma: Association with bleeding diathesis

PATIENT

Male, 2 month

FINAL DIAGNOSIS

Congenital infantile fibrosarcoma Symptoms: Bleeding Medication: Vincristine • actinomycin • cyclophosphamide Clinical Procedure: Surgical resection Specialty: Pediatric Oncology.

OBJECTIVE

Diagnostic/therapeutic accidents.

BACKGROUND

Congenital infantile fibrosarcoma (CIF) is a soft-tissue tumor occurring during the first 2 years of life, most commonly in the extremities. CIF is frequently initially misdiagnosed as a vascular tumor, but its association with bleeding and coagulopathy has not been well characterized.

CASE REPORTS

We describe 2 infants with CIF presenting with bleeding and coagulopathy, requiring urgent intervention. Both patients did well; one underwent partial resection followed by chemotherapy, and the other received 2 cycles of chemotherapy followed by gross total resection. We also provide a review of all reported cases of coagulopathy in the setting of CIF in the English literature, uncovering an association that seems to be more prevalent in patients diagnosed in the neonatal period, with associated anemia and thrombocytopenia, and a significant mortality rate.

CONCLUSIONS

CIF needs to be considered in the differential diagnosis of vascular congenital tumors, especially when there is evidence of bleeding, anemia, or thrombocytopenia.

Margin status and multimodal therapy in infantile fibrosarcoma

PURPOSE

The rarity of infantile fibrosarcoma (IF) has precluded comprehensive treatment evaluation. The purpose of this study was to better define the extent of surgical resection required and the role of chemotherapy.

METHODS

Patients (0-2 years) with IF were evaluated from the National Cancer Data Base (1985-2007). Survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method stratifying patients by margin status and treatment with or without chemotherapy.

RESULTS

Of the 224 patients, 171 (76.3 %) were <1 year of age. Of the 64 (28.6 %) with positive margins, 36 (56.3 %) had microscopic disease, 12 (18.8 %) had macroscopic disease, and 16 (25 %) had unknown margin status; none were found to have metastases. Most were managed with surgical resection (171, 76.4 %). The proportion treated with both surgery and chemotherapy increased over time (18-40 %, p = 0.025). Disease-free survival was 90.6 %. No significant survival difference was noted in this retrospective, non-randomized cohort based on margin status, nodal involvement, tumor size, or treatment modality.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of multimodal therapy has increased over time. There was a small increase in survival associated with negative margins and the use of multimodal therapy, however, neither result reached significance. Future studies investigating tumor biology and chemosensitivity will likely determine the optimal management of IF.

Clinical management of infantile fibrosarcoma: a retrospective single-institution review

BACKGROUND

Infantile fibrosarcoma (IFS) is an uncommon soft-tissue sarcoma. Here we review our experience treating this tumor.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed records of patients with IFS treated at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital between 1980 and 2009.

RESULTS

We identified 15 patients, 8 girls and 7 boys; 13 white and 2 black. Median age at diagnosis was 3 months. Primary sites included the leg (n = 3), chest wall (n = 2), foot (n = 2), and one each in the tongue, occipital region, axilla, parascapular region, arm, forearm, retroperitoneum, and thigh. All patients underwent resection; 11 upfront surgery, and 4 delayed. Complications included loss of the posterior tibial nerve and artery, axillary vein, biceps, pectoralis major, gallbladder, and transverse/sigmoid sinus. Eight received chemotherapy and three radiotherapy. Seven experienced local recurrence and three lung metastasis. Median follow-up was 65 months. At the time of the review, 12 patients were alive and 3 had died. All deaths were in patients older than 1 year at diagnosis with an axial primary site.

CONCLUSIONS

Non-mutilating surgery should be the primary treatment for IFS. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is indicated when upfront resection is unfeasible. Patients with positive surgical margins should receive adjuvant chemotherapy. Radiotherapy is indicated for axial primary sites where complete resection is impossible.

Cardiac metastasis and hypertrophic osteoarthropathy in recurrent infantile fibrosarcoma

Cardiac metastasis and hypertrophic osteoarthropathy are both quite rare. We describe a patient presenting with hypertrophic osteoarthropathy as the first symptom of recurrent infantile fibrosarcoma (IF). During surgical resection of lung metastasis, the patient suffered sudden cardiac arrest. Autopsy demonstrated a metastatic lesion in the intraventricular septum of the heart, which is previously undescribed in the literature. This case demonstrates that IF can be aggressive despite its more typical benign course.

[Fibrosarcoma in children and adolescents: different entities for the same name]

Fibrosarcomas (FS) are rare malignant tumors in pediatrics, classified in the heterogeneous non-rhabdomyosarcomas group of malignant mesenchymal tumors. Infantile FS are found typically in children less than 2 years of age, and include congenital FS usually occurring in infants in the first 3 months of life. Histological diagnosis can be difficult; and confirmed with detection by molecular biology of the ETV6-NTRK3 fusion protein. FS is most often a localized disease at diagnosis, with involvement of an extremity. The management of these patients must be multidisciplinary, to define the different phases of treatment and avoid mutilating surgery. Cellular or atypical mesoblastic nephroma (MN) is a subtype of malignant pediatric renal tumors, most often present in children of less than 3 months. Histopathological characteristics of the cellular MN are very close to the congenital FS due to a fusion transcript common to both diseases. Treatment schedule is defined by initial local stage of the disease. FS called "adult-type" found exceptionally in childhood occur most often after 10 years old. Adult FS differ from infantile FS in their clinical presentation because of a strong local aggressiveness and problematic appearance of metastasis in 50% of cases, sometimes late. These three diseases present therefore histological similarities. Both have a common name but different clinical presentation and outcome: infantile FS and adult FS. Two have different names and initial location but similar histology, chromosomal rearrangement, sensitivity to chemotherapy and outcome: the congenital FS and cellular mesoblatic nephroma. Authors present a review of the literature of these entities.

Congenital fibrosarcoma of the chest wall: report of a case

Congenital fibrosarcoma (CFS) is a rare soft tissue tumour that usually occurs before the age of 1, and involves the distal extremities. The literature regarding the precise diagnosis and treatment of these tumours is limited. We present and discuss a case of CFS which ended fatally due to lung metastasis after 2 years.

[Recurrent and metastatic infantile fibrosarcoma: a case report]

Infantile fibrosarcoma is a rare malignant tumor that usually occurs during the 1st year of life. It accounts for approximately 5-10% of all sarcomas in infants younger than 1 year of age. It usually has indolent progression and metastatic spread is rare. We report the case of a patient who had infantile fibrosarcoma of the trunk. At birth, the baby presented a soft tissue mass of the scapulothoracic region. Histopathological examination after complete surgical resection at first suggested an angioma. Reanalysis of the histology after a metastatic relapse resulted in the diagnosis of infantile fibrosarcoma, which was confirmed by the presence of the specific translocation seen in infantile fibrosarcoma (ETV6/NTRK3). This patient's progression was uncommon because he developed 3 metastatic relapses. The treatment consisted of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. The patient is alive with persistent complete remission. We discuss the diagnostic and therapeutic issues of infantile fibrosarcoma. There is a risk of erroneous diagnosis in newborn infants between benign angiomatous tumor and infantile fibrosarcoma. The fusion transcript ETV6-NTRK3 resulting from the specific chromosomal translocation t(12;15)(p13;q25) is now a useful diagnostic tool for infantile fibrosarcoma. Surgery with wide resection is the mainstay of treatment. However, infantile fibrosarcoma is a chemosensitive tumor. If initial surgery cannot be done without mutilation or is impossible, preoperative chemotherapy should be given. The role of radiation therapy is still debated.

Right foot congenital infantile fibrosarcoma treated only with chemotherapy

Congenital infantile fibrosarcoma (CIF) is a rare tumor in childhood. The 5-year survival rate for CIFs is high and has been reported between 84% and 93%, but limb-amputation/disarticulation is still a major problem. We report the case of a male newborn with a mass in his right foot. X-ray and MRI revealed a mass destroying all tarsal, metatarsal, and phalangeal bones. The patient was treated only with VAC chemotherapy and is able to walk normally.

A newborn with infantile fibrosarcoma of foot: treatment with chemotherapy and extremity-sparing surgery

Infantile fibrosarcoma represents less than 1% of all childhood cancers, but it is the most common soft-tissue sarcoma in those under 1 year of age. We report an infant with congenital infantile fibrosarcoma diagnosed as hemangiopericytoma. He was treated with chemotherapy and extremity-sparing surgery. Amputation was avoided.

Infantile fibrosarcoma: management based on the European experience

PURPOSE

To retrospectively analyze the clinical features and results of treatment in 56 infants with fibrosarcoma enrolled onto cooperative European protocols between 1979 and 2005 and treated with a combination of surgery and chemotherapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We performed a retrospective case review of infants under the age of 2 years with fibrosarcoma treated between 1979 and 2005 in six European studies. Patients were staged according to the Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Staging System international classification as a function of the type of initial surgery and the extent of disease and were treated with surgery and chemotherapy. Survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTS

Primary tumor site was the limbs in 66% of patients; median tumor diameter was more than 5 cm in 63% of patients; and postoperative staging was as follows: group I, 22%; group II, 27%; group III, 47%; and group IV, 4%. Response rate to chemotherapy was 75%, and the specific response rate to vincristine-dactinomycin was 71%. Local control was obtained in 84% of patients. At the end of follow-up, 45% of survivors had been treated by surgery alone, 6% by chemotherapy alone, 46% by surgery and chemotherapy, and 2% by surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 89%. The 5-year OS and event-free survival rates for localized patients were 89% and 81%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Although complete resection is rarely feasible at diagnosis, conservative surgery remains the mainstay treatment for infantile fibrosarcoma. An alkylating agent-free and anthracycline-free regimen is usually effective and should be chosen as first-line chemotherapy for inoperable tumors. Overall prognosis is good, but progression or relapse, mainly local, remains possible.

Current approach to pediatric soft tissue sarcomas

The development of a new soft tissue lesion in an otherwise healthy child, adolescent, or young adult can present many challenges for pediatric or medical oncology teams. Although uncommon, the diagnosis of a soft tissue malignancy should always be considered in the differential diagnosis of persistent pain, even if no mass is palpable. The definitive diagnosis and treatment of a soft tissue mass is aided by timely scans, appropriate biopsy for anatomic and molecular pathology, and a treatment approach guided by the specific diagnosis. Because pediatric soft tissue sarcomas are rare, cooperative groups play a crucial role in defining the standard of care through retrospective series and well-designed prospective clinical trials. Enrollment of newly diagnosed patients in clinical studies should be encouraged in order to continue to improve outcomes and understanding of these rare tumors. This review focuses on the current recommendations for management of sarcomas that typically occur in the soft tissues of pediatric and young adult patients.

Infantile fibrosarcoma successfully treated with chemotherapy, with occurrence of calcifying aponeurotic fibroma and pleomorphic/spindled celled lipoma at the site 12 years later

The treatment of infantile fibrosarcoma has traditionally been wide resection. Chemotherapy has been investigated as an adjuvant and primary treatment in cases in which surgery would cause unacceptable morbidity. Recurrences normally occur within a year of completion of the chemotherapy and display the same histology. We present a child with an infantile fibrosarcoma of the elbow, successfully treated with chemotherapy alone, who developed a calcifying aponeurotic fibroma and a spindle cell/pleomorphic lipoma at the tumor site 12 years later.

The role of radiology in paediatric soft tissue sarcomas

Paediatric soft tissue sarcomas (STS) are a group of malignant tumours that originate from primitive mesenchymal tissue and account for 7% of all childhood tumours. Rhabdomyosarcomas (RMS) and undifferentiated sarcomas account for approximately 50% of soft tissue sarcomas in children and non-rhabdomyomatous soft tissue sarcomas (NRSTS) the remainder. The prognosis and biology of STS tumours vary greatly depending on the age of the patient, the primary site, tumour size, tumour invasiveness, histologic grade, depth of invasion, and extent of disease at diagnosis. Over recent years, there has been a marked improvement in survival rates in children and adolescents with soft tissue sarcoma and ongoing international studies continue to aim to improve these survival rates whilst attempting to reduce the morbidity associated with treatment. Radiology plays a crucial role in the initial diagnosis and staging of STS, in the long term follow-up and in the assessment of many treatment related complications. We review the epidemiology, histology, clinical presentation, staging and prognosis of soft tissue sarcomas and discuss the role of radiology in their management.

Part II: Treatment of primary malignant non-Wilms' renal tumours in children

Renal-cell carcinoma, clear-cell sarcoma, (congenital) mesoblastic nephroma, rhabdoid tumour, and renal medullary carcinoma form a heterogeneous group of childhood renal malignancies known as non-Wilms' tumours. Progress has been slow in improving the management of these tumours to decrease morbidity and increase survival. However, greater cooperation between national and international centres should engender specialisation, and an increased knowledge of the molecular biology of these tumours will inevitably lead to substantial progress over the next decade. This review is the second of two parts: the first part provided an updated review of the clinical presentation, imaging, and pathology of non-Wilms' tumours and this second part provides an updated review of the treatment of these tumours.

Extremity salvage with a free musculocutaneous latissimus dorsi flap and free tendon transfer after resection of a large congenital fibro sarcoma in a 15-week-old infant. A case report

A case of complex microsurgical reconstruction of the dorsum of the foot, including tendon transfer following tumor resection, in a 15-week-old male infant is presented. After birth, a 5.5 x 4 cm large tumor was observed on the dorsum of the right foot. Biopsy showed a congenital malignant fibro sarcoma. After initial chemotherapy a radical excision of the tumor at the age of 14 weeks was followed. To cover the defect a musculocutaneous latissimus dorsi flap was taken, the cutaneous part being large enough to cover the defect. Extensor tendons were reconstructed with free tendon transplants. Amputation is usually indicated in these cases. To the best of our knowledge, microsurgical reconstruction in infants at this age with congenital malignant tumors has not yet been reported. The case shows that Plastic surgery can play an important role in pediatric oncology and should routinely be integrated into the multi-modal treatment concepts.

Treatment effects in pediatric soft tissue and bone tumors: practical considerations for the pathologist

Dramatic improvements in survival for children with cancer have led to increased numbers of posttreatment pathologic specimens, particularly in bone and soft tissue sarcomas. Current therapeutic protocols in North America require specific pathologic classification and stratify patients based on clinical, biologic, and pathologic features. For osteosarcoma, the pathologic response to therapy predicts prognosis and modifies the treatment regimen. Ongoing studies aim to assess the response to therapy and outcome in other types of soft tissue and bone tumors. The pathologic evaluation of pretreatment and posttreatment specimens is critical for therapeutic decisions and prognostic assessment. A standardized approach to posttherapy pathologic specimens, with attention to appropriate use of ancillary tests, and assessment of clinical and biologic significance of therapy-induced pathologic changes has significance for patient management and treatment protocols.

Proliférations fibroblastiques et myofibroblastiques de l’enfance et de l’adolescence

Fibroblastic-myofibroblastic proliferations of childhood and adolescents form a clinical and morphologic spectrum from benign reactive processes and pseudosarcomas, to fibromatoses, to various types of sarcoma. The diagnosis is challenging because of clinical and morphologic similarities, lack of specific immunohistochemical markers for different types of fibroblastic-myofibroblastic tumors, and limited molecular genetic information. Careful attention to clinical, macroscopic, and histopathologic features permits classification in most cases. This review focuses on the pathologic features of fibroblastic-myofibroblastic tumors with a predilection for children and adolescents.

Neonate with a fibrosarcoma and consumptive coagulopathy

We report a case of a neonate with a congenital tumor on the left palm. The patient had a grapefruit-sized tumor and coagulopathy at birth and was presumed to have a hemangioendothelioma with associated Kasabach-Merritt phenomenon. When the tumor failed to respond to systemic steroids, a biopsy specimen was taken, revealing a fibrosarcoma. We describe this case to highlight the importance of including rare tumors, such as fibrosarcomas, in the clinical differential when evaluating a congenital tumor with associated coagulopathy. We discuss subtle differences in clinical presentations that might aid in differentiating vascular tumors from fibrosarcomas.

Non-resectable congenital tumors with the ETV6-NTRK3 gene fusion are highly responsive to chemotherapy

BACKGROUND

Recently, the ETV6-NTRK3 gene fusion has been identified in both infantile fibrosarcoma and cellular mesoblastic nephroma. For both these tumors standard curative treatment has been primarily surgical with wide local excision. This has frequently involved radical and even mutilating surgery.

PROCEDURE

This report discusses three infants with congenital tumors, two congenital fibrosarcomas, and one atypical congenital mesoblastic nephroma, not easily amenable to surgical intervention.

RESULTS

All three were treated with pre-operative chemotherapy with excellent responses negating the need for amputation in two patients. In each patient, the ETV6-NTRK3 gene fusion was identified by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in the tumor specimens.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that the ETV6-NTRK3 gene fusion may underlie the distinctive biological properties of these tumors and may also indicate tumor chemosensitivity. In this group of patients pre-operative chemotherapy may abrogate the need for morbid surgical procedures.

Advances in the adjuvant treatment of infantile fibrosarcoma

Infantile fibrosarcoma is a rare soft tissue tumor, predominately affecting young infants. It grows rapidly and is locally infiltrative but rarely metastases. Complete surgical removal is usually curative but is impossible in some patients and would result in significant functional or cosmetic consequences in many others. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy will cause many tumors to shrink significantly, allowing less mutilating surgical resections to be performed--this is the current recommendation where immediate surgical removal cannot be accomplished without unacceptable morbidity. In contrast, there is no defined role for adjuvant chemotherapy or radiation following complete surgical resection. Although there is a significant risk of local recurrence, most of these can be successfully treated with further surgery and the overall survival rate exceeds 90%.

Pediatric soft tissue sarcomas

Many of the soft tissue sarcomas that occur in children are of the same histology as those in adults; however, the relative prevalence of these sarcomas is different between children and adults. In some cases, the biologic behavior of pediatric sarcomas is more benign than that in adults. Treatment for sarcomas in children is also different. Pediatric sarcomas are more commonly responsive to chemotherapy. Furthermore, in children who are still growing, surgery and radiation are associated with higher morbidity than in adults. This article discusses the diagnosis and treatment of rhabdomyosarcoma and undifferentiated sarcomas, with an emphasis on surgical considerations, and the diagnosis and treatment of nonrhabdomyosarcomatous soft tissue sarcomas in children.

Treatment of infantile fibrosarcoma with chemotherapy and surgery: results from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Children's Hospital, Boston

PURPOSE

To retrospectively evaluate the treatment and outcome of patients diagnosed with infantile fibrosarcoma at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Children's Hospital, Boston.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Between 1982 and 1998, a total of 11 infants were diagnosed pathologically with infantile fibrosarcoma. A retrospective chart review was conducted to determine the extent of surgical therapy and chemotherapy required for a favorable clinical outcome. Cytogenetic findings were reviewed and archived tumor specimens were analyzed, when available, for the presence of the TEL/TRKC fusion gene.

RESULTS

Three patients had primary surgical resection with negative pathologic margins and have been lost to follow-up. Two patients received chemotherapy only after limited biopsy or subtotal resection and are alive with no evidence of disease 8 and 18 years from diagnosis. Four patients had limited biopsies followed by chemotherapy with delayed resection. One of these four patients had negative margins and received no further chemotherapy. The other three of these patients had positive microscopic margins; two of them received postoperative chemotherapy while the third did not. All four are currently alive with no evidence of disease. Two patients had progressive disease within 7 and 10 months of diagnosis while on chemotherapy after subtotal resections. One of these two patients is dead of disease; the other is alive after palliative radiotherapy. Seven patients had archived or frozen tissue available for molecular analysis. All seven had evidence of TEL gene rearrangement; six exhibited the TEL/TRKC fusion. Six patients had characteristic trisomies previously reported to be associated with infantile fibrosarcoma.

CONCLUSIONS

Previously reported series of treatment outcomes in infantile fibrosarcoma have been limited to very few patients due to the rare occurrence of this tumor. In our experience, initial chemotherapy combined with surgery has been successful for most cases. When disease progression occurred, it was within one year of diagnosis. There was no development of distant metastases in the patients with progressive disease. The role of additional chemotherapy for microscopic margins after local control is not clear. We found a high incidence of the TEL/TRKC fusion gene, confirming its utility in diagnosis. We propose a uniform approach to treatment to gather clinical and biologic information about this rare and curable disease.

Complete response of recurrent cellular congenital mesoblastic nephroma to chemotherapy

Congenital mesoblastic nephroma (CMN) is usually cured by surgery. The sensitivity of this tumor to chemotherapy is unknown. The recent description of a t(12;15)(p13;q25) chromosomal translocation in both cellular CMN and congenital infantile fibrosarcoma suggests that these entities have a common pathogenesis, and that cellular CMN might respond to chemotherapy like congenital infantile fibrosarcoma does. The authors describe three patients with recurrent cellular CMN who showed a complete response to chemotherapy. Based on these patients and a review of the literature, the authors suggest that chemotherapy be considered as a part of the therapy for recurrent or unresectable cellular CMN.