Retinoblastoma CSF metastasis cured by multimodality chemotherapy without radiation

Characterization of pediatric non-hematopoietic tumor metastases to the central nervous system: A single institution review

Central nervous system (CNS) metastases represent a small portion of pediatric CNS neoplasms and data surrounding this condition with high morbidity is scarce. Single institutional archival institutional pathology records between 1999 and 2022 were searched for patients over 21 years old and younger with CNS, dura, cranial nerve, CSF, or leptomeningeal metastases; 41 cases were identified. We documented primary tumor types and locations, metastasis locations, types of invasion (direct extension vs distant metastasis), times from imaging or pathologic diagnosis to CNS involvement, and outcomes. Distant metastasis was the most common mechanism of metastasis (n = 32, 78%). Interval times to CNS metastasis varied by both tumor type and primary tumor location. In this cohort, osteosarcoma portended the shortest survival following CNS metastasis. This study highlights the diverse mechanisms and locations of CNS involvement in pediatric CNS metastases and illuminates a need for varied monitoring strategies when considering primary tumor type and anatomic location.

Recent progress in retinoblastoma: Pathogenesis, presentation, diagnosis and management

Retinoblastoma, the primary ocular malignancy in pediatric patients, poses a substantial threat to mortality without prompt and effective management. The prognosis for survival and preservation of visual acuity hinges upon the disease severity at the time of initial diagnosis. Notably, retinoblastoma has played a crucial role in unraveling the genetic foundations of oncogenesis. The process of tumorigenesis commonly begins with the occurrence of biallelic mutation in the RB1 tumor suppressor gene, which is then followed by a cascade of genetic and epigenetic alterations that correspond to the clinical stage and pathological features of the tumor. The RB1 gene, recognized as a tumor suppressor, encodes the retinoblastoma protein, which plays a vital role in governing cellular replication through interactions with E2F transcription factors and chromatin remodeling proteins. The diagnosis and treatment of retinoblastoma necessitate consideration of numerous factors, including disease staging, germline mutation status, family psychosocial factors, and the resources available within the institution. This review has systematically compiled and categorized the latest developments in the diagnosis and treatment of retinoblastoma which enhanced the quality of care for this pediatric malignancy.

Immunotherapies of retinoblastoma: Effective methods for preserving vision in the future

Retinoblastoma is the most common intraocular tumor in children. Patients can be cured by enucleation, but it can lead to vision loss. Chemotherapy is the main method of treatment for RB currently. Unfortunately, chemoresistant and tumor metastasis often happen, resulting in a relatively poor prognosis. Therefore, immunotherapy becomes one of the optimal choices. Targeting not only tumor cells but also the active tumor microenvironment is a novel strategy for RB treatment. Here, we conclude several potential targets for RB immunotherapy, including gangliosides GD2, PD-1 and PD-L1, B7H3, EpCAM and SYK. We also review the techniques for CART, bispecific antibodies and genetically modified Dendritic cells according to the characteristics of different targets and discuss the feasibility of immunotherapy with different targets.

Treatment of Retinoblastoma: What Is the Latest and What Is the Future

The management of retinoblastoma, the most common intraocular malignancy in children, has changed drastically over the last decade. Landmark developments in local drug delivery, namely, safer techniques for intravitreal chemotherapy injection and ophthalmic artery chemosurgery, have resulted in eye globe salvages that were not previously attainable using systemic chemotherapy or external beam irradiation. Novel drugs, oncolytic viruses, and immunotherapy are promising approaches in the treatment of intraocular retinoblastoma. Importantly, emerging studies of the pattern of tumor dissemination and local drug delivery may provide the first steps toward new treatments for metastatic disease. Here, we review recent advances in retinoblastoma treatment, especially with regard to local drug delivery, that have enabled successful conservative management of intraocular retinoblastoma. We also review emerging data from preclinical and clinical studies on innovative approaches that promise to lead to further improvement in outcomes, namely, the mechanisms and potential uses of new and repurposed drugs and non-chemotherapy treatments, and discuss future directions for therapeutic development.

Clinical audit of retinoblastoma management: a retrospective single-institution study

OBJECTIVE

The primary aim of this study was to identify the frequency of death, metastasis, enucleation, and use of external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) among retinoblastoma patients. The secondary aim was to determine whether any events were associated with suboptimal clinical management to identify areas for clinical care improvement.

METHODS

Patients diagnosed with retinoblastoma between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2015, at The Hospital for Sick Children were included. Medical records of eligible patients underwent a comprehensive 2-part review. First, a chart review collected diagnostic details, treatment course, and occurrence of 4 events: death, metastasis, use of EBRT, and enucleation. Next, events were reviewed in detail, and a multidisciplinary committee reached consensus on cases managed suboptimally.

RESULTS

The study included 209 patients (292 eyes). There were 8 deaths, 11 metastases, 177 enucleations (143 primary, 34 secondary), and 8 uses of EBRT. Thirteen patients were reviewed by the multidisciplinary committee, which confirmed that 5 of these patients had events associated with suboptimal clinical management. Three patients developed metastases leading to death (misdiagnosis and mismanagement of trilateral retinoblastoma [1], parental refusal of enucleation [1], and inaccurate histopathology after primary enucleation [1]). One patient developed extraocular extension related to scleral invasion following aggressive focal therapy. One patient underwent secondary enucleation for a Group B eye related to mismanagement of a treatment complication.

DISCUSSION

Deaths, metastases, and enucleations with documented instances of suboptimal care highlighted a need to enhance medical team and patient communication, histopathology interpretation, laser treatment guidelines, and trilateral retinoblastoma management. Routine clinical audit of retinoblastoma management can identify areas for clinical practice change.

Stem-Cell Therapy Following High-Dose Chemotherapy in Advanced Retinoblastoma: A Systematic Review

PURPOSE

To analyze the risk and benefit of high-dose chemotherapy followed by stem cell transplantation (HDCT-SCT) treatment in patients with advanced retinoblastoma.

DESIGN

Systematic review.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search from 4 online databases, including PubMed, Scopus, EBSCO, and Cochrane was done for original studies evaluating the use of HDCT followed by SCT in the treatment of patients with advanced retinoblastoma. The last search was performed on April 15, 2020.

RESULTS

A total of 35 studies consisting of 160 patients were considered suitable for inclusion. After HDCT-SCT treatment, 108/160 (67.5%) patients were alive with no evidence of disease at the last follow-up. The incidence of secondary malignancy in our data was also relatively low, which was 16/160 (10%) patients. The side effects were mainly hematological and gastrointestinal toxicities. The prognosis for metastatic cases especially the one to the central nervous system (CNS) remains poor, as shown in our data that 22 of 44 (50%) patients died due to the evidence of disease, and 12 of 44 (27%) patients acquired CNS relapse and died.

CONCLUSIONS

HDCT-SCT is a promising treatment option in patients with advanced retinoblastoma. The use of HDCT-SCT in CNS metastases needs to be carefully considered, possibly by adding thiotepa or topotecan to improve tumor control. Further randomized clinical trials are needed to draw firm conclusion regarding its safety and efficacy.

A decision process for drug discovery in retinoblastoma

Intraocular retinoblastoma treatment has changed radically over the last decade, leading to a notable improvement in ocular survival. However, eyes that relapse remain difficult to treat, as few alternative active drugs are available. More challenging is the scenario of central nervous system (CNS) metastasis, in which almost no advancements have been made. Both clinical scenarios represent an urgent need for new drugs. Using an integrated multidisciplinary approach, we developed a decision process for prioritizing drug selection for local (intravitreal [IVi], intrathecal/intraventricular [IT/IVt]), systemic, or intra-arterial chemotherapy (IAC) treatment by means of high-throughput pharmacological screening of primary cells from two patients with intraocular tumor and CNS metastasis and a thorough database search to identify clinical and biopharmaceutical data. This process identified 169 compounds to be cytotoxic; only 8 are FDA-approved, lack serious toxicities and available for IVi administration. Four of these agents could also be delivered by IT/IVt. Twelve FDA-approved drugs were identified for systemic delivery as they are able to cross the blood-brain barrier and lack serious adverse events; four drugs are of oral usage and six compounds that lack vesicant or neurotoxicity could be delivered by IAC. We also identified promising compounds in preliminary phases of drug development including inhibitors of survivin, antiapoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins, methyltransferase, and kinesin proteins. This systematic approach may be applied more broadly to prioritize drugs to be repurposed or to identify novel hits for use in retinoblastoma treatment.

Clinical relevance of B7H3 expression in retinoblastoma

Retinoblastoma (RB) is the most common paediatric intraocular tumour. Currently, chemotherapy is widely used to reduce the chance of metastasis as well as for vision salvage. The limitations of chemotherapy for RB include chemoresistance and cytotoxicity. Recently, immunotherapy is considered for treating chemoresistant cancers. Although, several molecular targets are available for immunotherapy in different cancers, we were interested in B7H3, as it was differentially expressed between retinoblastoma and retina in our earlier proteomics study. Hence, in this study we validated the previous finding by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry on primary RB tumor samples. The results suggest significantly increased expression of B7H3 in RB tumor samples compared to retina by western blotting. Immunohistochemistry revealed spatial, inter and intratumoral heterogeneity in the primary RB tumor sections. Correlation of the B7H3 expression with clinical and histopathological data revealed significantly increased expression of B7H3 in poorly differentiated, non-neural invasive tumors and lower expression in neural invasion and severe anaplastic areas of the tumors. B7H3 expression did not significantly vary between low-risk and high-risk tumors. The study also revealed considerably reduced infiltration of T lymphocytes in RB. We conclude that B7H3 is prominently expressed in primary RB tumors and could be used for targeted therapy.

Full-width postlaminar optic nerve tumor invasion of retinoblastoma as risk-factor for leptomeningeal spread of retinoblastoma. A case report and review of the literature

We present a 6-year-old boy with unilateral retinoblastoma of the left eye. MRI showed an intraocular tumor that extended into the optic nerve beyond the lamina cribrosa. The affected eye was enucleated and the optic nerve resection margin proved to be free. Following protocol, this patient received six courses of adjuvant systemic chemotherapy. Unfortunately, after 5 months this patient returned with the leptomeningeal spread of the tumor and died quickly thereafter.Histopathologic analysis of the enucleated eye and distal optic nerve revealed that the postlaminar tumor cells occupied the entire width of the optic nerve, extending all the way up to the pia mater, whereas, more often the tumor invasion is restricted to the center of the optic nerve. This was also visible on the MR images where contrast enhancement occupied the entire nerve width. A resection margin with tumor cells is recognized as a risk factor for metastasis, but perhaps the proximity of tumor cells to the leptomeninges should also be judged with caution as a potential increased risk for metastatic spread.

Combined high-dose intra-arterial and intrathecal chemotherapy for the treatment of a case of extraocular retinoblastoma

Patients with retinoblastoma and central nervous system (CNS) involvement are rarely curable with available treatments. We designed a high-dose intra-arterial regimen targeting the ophthalmic artery and chiasm combined with intrathecal chemotherapy to treat a 4-year-old patient with retinoblastoma metastasized to the CNS. After three cycles of this regimen, including carboplatin, melphalan, and intrathecal topotecan, a partial response of the orbital tumor mass and chiasmatic lesion, and complete response in the cerebrospinal fluid and bone marrow were achieved. This new treatment strategy may be explored as a treatment component for patients with overt extraocular retinoblastoma and CNS dissemination.

Minimal disseminated disease evaluation and outcome in trilateral retinoblastoma

Trilateral retinoblastoma (TRb) presents a management challenge, since intracranial tumours are seldom times resectable and quickly disseminate. However, there are no risk factors to predict the final outcome in each patient.

Objective

To evaluate minimal disseminated disease (MDD) in the bone marrow (BM) and the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) at diagnosis and during follow-up and reviewing its potential impact in the outcome of patients with TRb.

Methods and analysis

We evaluated MDD in five patients with TRb, detecting the mRNA of CRX and/or GD2, in samples from BM and CSF, obtained at diagnosis, follow-up and relapse.

Results

Treatment involved intensive systemic chemotherapy in four patients, one did not receive this treatment and died of progression of the disease. Two patients underwent stem cell rescue. Three patients had leptomeningeal relapse and died. One patient remains disease-free for 84 months. RB1 mutations were identified in the five patients, all of them were null mutations. At diagnosis, one patient had tumour cells in the CSF, and none had the BM involved. Only one case of four presented MDD during follow-up in the CSF, without concomitant detection in the BM. On leptomeningeal relapse, no case had MDD in the BM. In all these cases, cells in the CSF were positive for GD2 and/or CRX.

Conclusion

CSF dissemination always concluded in the death of the patient, without concomitant systemic dissemination denoting the importance of increasing treatment directed to the CSF compartment. The MDD presence could indicate a forthcoming relapse.

Risk of metastasis and orbital recurrence in advanced retinoblastoma eyes treated with systemic chemoreduction versus primary enucleation

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the risk of metastatic disease and orbital recurrence in advanced retinoblastoma treated with systemic chemoreduction versus primary enucleation.

METHODS

A retrospective review of patients with Group D/E retinoblastoma was conducted with data collection from 1995 to 2015. Overall, 345 eyes (294 patients) were included (165 Group D and 180 Group E). Primary outcome measures were orbital recurrence and metastatic disease.

RESULTS

Of the 345 eyes, 139 were treated with systemic chemoreduction (102 Group D, 37 Group E) and 206 with primary enucleation (63 Group D, 143 Group E). In the chemoreduction group, one patient developed metastasis (0.7%) and one an orbital recurrence (0.7%). In the primary enucleation group, two patients developed metastases (0.9%) and one an orbital recurrence (0.5%). After systemic chemoreduction, 58 of the 139 eyes (30 Group D, 28 Group E) were secondarily enucleated for treatment failure (41.7%). The median time to secondary enucleation from diagnosis was 8.1 months. None of the eyes in the systemic chemoreduction group had high-risk pathologic features. In the primary enucleation group, 56 eyes had high-risk pathology.

CONCLUSION

Over a 20-year period, 345 eyes were treated for advanced retinoblastoma at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. Incidence of orbital recurrence and metastatic disease was <1% and did not vary by treatment modality or group classification. None of the eyes enucleated for treatment failure had high-risk pathology, and none of these patients developed metastatic disease. Globe salvage therapy with systemic chemoreduction and subsequent enucleation for poor response does not increase the risk of metastatic disease or orbital recurrence.

Recurrent Retinoblastoma With Mandibular Metastasis: A Case Report

Retinoblastoma (RB) is an aggressive intraocular tumor arising from cells of the retina. Infrequently, distant metastasis occurs in advanced stages of the disease. This case report describes the metastasis of the tumor to the mandible, an extremely rare phenomenon. This condition was observed for a recurrent tumor in a patient who initially underwent chemotherapy, making this case report unique and providing new insights into the behavior of this tumor. An overview of the management of a metastatic RB also is discussed.

Retinoblastoma

Retinoblastoma is a rare cancer of the infant retina that is diagnosed in approximately 8,000 children each year worldwide. It forms when both retinoblastoma gene (RB1) alleles are mutated in a susceptible retinal cell, probably a cone photoreceptor precursor. Loss of the tumour-suppressive functions of the retinoblastoma protein (pRB) leads to uncontrolled cell division and recurrent genomic changes during tumour progression. Although pRB is expressed in almost all tissues, cone precursors have biochemical and molecular features that may sensitize them to RB1 loss and enable tumorigenesis. Patient survival is >95% in high-income countries but <30% globally. However, outcomes are improving owing to increased disease awareness for earlier diagnosis, application of new guidelines and sharing of expertise. Intra-arterial and intravitreal chemotherapy have emerged as promising methods to salvage eyes that with conventional treatment might have been lost. Ongoing international collaborations will replace the multiple different classifications of eye involvement with standardized definitions to consistently assess the eligibility, efficacy and safety of treatment options. Life-long follow-up is warranted, as survivors of heritable retinoblastoma are at risk for developing second cancers. Defining the molecular consequences of RB1 loss in diverse tissues may open new avenues for treatment and prevention of retinoblastoma, as well as second cancers, in patients with germline RB1 mutations.

Management of retinoblastoma in children: current status

In recent years, there have been dramatic changes in the management of intraocular retinoblastoma. Intraocular retinoblastoma is a highly curable malignancy and current treatments are aimed to preserve vision while reducing the late effects such as treatment-induced secondary malignancies. The advent of intra-arterial chemotherapy changed the treatment paradigm from systemic treatment with chemotherapy to local treatment, and new questions emerged. While intra-arterial chemotherapy achieved encouraging results, only experience from major referral centers is reported, so its indications, advantages and risks are still to be elucidated. Many factors should be considered when choosing the appropriate conservative therapy. When the disease has extended outside the eye, the chances of cure are significantly lower and treatment should be tailored by the presence of pathology risk factors such as invasion of the choroid, the optic nerve, and the sclera. Adjuvant therapy is decided upon this information. Children with overt extraocular disease are treated with higher dose neoadjuvant therapy followed by delayed enucleation and adjuvant therapy.

Retinoblastoma referral pattern in Kenya

Purpose:

Kenya is a large country with a widely dispersed population. As retinoblastoma requires specialized treatment, we determined the referral pattern for patients with retinoblastoma in Kenya to facilitate the formulation of a national policy.

Materials and Methods:

A retrospective study was performed for retinoblastoma patients who presented from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2007. Data were collected on the referral process from presenting health facility to the hospital where patient was treated. Data were also collected on the time interval when the first symptoms were noticed to the time of presentation at a health facility (lag time). For cases that could be traced to a referral hospital, the time delay due to referral (referral lag time) was recorded.

Results:

There were 206 patients diagnosed with retinoblastoma in 51 Kenyan and 2 foreign healthcare facilities, and they received final treatment at a Kenyan hospital. Mean lag time was 6.8 months (±6.45). Of all patients, 18% (38/206) were treated at the hospital where they first presented and 82% (168/206) were referred elsewhere. Of those referred, 35% (58/168) were lost to follow-up. The mean referral lag time was 1.7 months (±2.5).

Conclusions:

A significant proportion of cases presented late, and either delayed seeking further treatment or were lost after initial referral. We recommend the implementation of a national strategy that emphasizes early detection, documentation and follow up of retinoblastoma patients.

High-dose chemotherapy followed by stem cell transplantation in the management of retinoblastoma: a systematic review

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

In recent years, there has been an increasing role for stem cell transplantation in the management of retinoblastoma. The aim of this study was to systematically review the role high-dose chemotherapy followed by stem cell transplantation in the treatment of patients with metastatic or relapsed, trilateral or bilateral advanced retinoblastoma, and in patients with tumor at the surgical margin of the optic nerve and/or extrascleral extension.

DESIGN

Systematic literature review.

METHODS

We performed an extensive PubMed database search on 25 February 2012 for studies describing the use of high-dose chemotherapy followed by stem cell transplantation in the management of patients with retinoblastoma.

RESULTS

We located 15 studies that met the inclusion criteria and that included 101 patients. Following treatment for metastatic and relapsed disease, 44 of 77 patients (57.1%) were alive with no evidence of disease at the time of follow-up. However, a higher rate of local relapse developed in patients with CNS metastases (73.1%), which dropped to 47.1% in patients who received thiotepa. In patients with trilateral or bilateral advanced retinoblastoma, 5 of 7 (71.4%) with reported outcome data were alive with no evidence of disease at the time of follow-up. In patients with tumor at the surgical margin of the optic nerve and/or extrascleral extension, 6 of 7 patients (85.7%) were alive with no evidence of disease at the time of follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Durable tumor control is possible in patients with non-CNS metastases, trilateral or bilateral advanced retinoblastoma, and in patients with tumor at the surgical margin of the optic nerve and/or extrascleral extension. Patients with CNS metastases require thiotepa to improve tumor control.

Retinoblastoma

Retinoblastoma is an aggressive eye cancer of infancy and childhood. Survival and the chance of saving vision depend on severity of disease at presentation. Retinoblastoma was the first tumour to draw attention to the genetic aetiology of cancer. Despite good understanding of its aetiology, mortality from retinoblastoma is about 70% in countries of low and middle income, where most affected children live. Poor public and medical awareness, and an absence of rigorous clinical trials to assess innovative treatments impede progress. Worldwide, most of the estimated 9000 newly diagnosed patients every year will die. However, global digital communications present opportunities to optimise standards of care for children and families affected by this rare and often devastating cancer. Parents are now leading the effort for widespread awareness of the danger of leucocoria. Genome-level technologies could make genetic testing a reality for every family affected by retinoblastoma. Best-practice guidelines, online sharing of pathological images, point-of-care data entry, multidisciplinary research, and clinical trials can reduce mortality. Most importantly, active participation of survivors and families will ensure that the whole wellbeing of the child is prioritised in any treatment plan.

Pre-Enucleation Chemotherapy for Eyes Severely Affected by Retinoblastoma Masks Risk of Tumor Extension and Increases Death From Metastasis

Purpose

Initial response of intraocular retinoblastoma to chemotherapy has encouraged primary chemotherapy instead of primary enucleation for eyes with clinical features suggesting high risk of extraocular extension or metastasis. Upfront enucleation of such high-risk eyes allows pathologic evaluation of extraocular extension, key to management with appropriate surveillance and adjuvant therapy. Does chemotherapy before enucleation mask histologic features of extraocular extension, potentially endangering the child's life by subsequent undertreatment?

Methods

We performed retrospective analysis of 100 eyes with advanced retinoblastoma enucleated with, or without, primary chemotherapy, in Beijing Tongren Hospital, retrospectively, from October 31, 2008. The extent of retinoblastoma invasion into optic nerve, uvea, and anterior chamber on histopathology was staged by pTNM classification. The treatment groups were compared for pathologic stage (Cochran-Armitage trend test) and disease-specific mortality (competing risks methods).

Results

Children who received chemotherapy before enucleation had lower pTNM stage than primarily enucleated children (P = .01). Five patients who received pre-enucleation chemotherapy died as a result of extension into brain or metastasis. No patients who had primary enucleation died. For children with group E eyes, disease-specific survival (DSS) was lower with pre-enucleation chemotherapy (n = 45) than with primary enucleation (n = 37; P = .01). Enucleation longer than 3 months after diagnosis was also associated with lower DSS (P < .001).

Conclusion

Chemotherapy before enucleation of group E eyes with advanced retinoblastoma downstaged pathologic evidence of extraocular extension, and increased the risk of metastatic death from reduced surveillance and inappropriate management of high-risk disease, if enucleation was performed longer than 3 months after diagnosis.