A monoclonal antibody, UJ13A, used for radioimmunolocalisation of neuroblastoma in an animal model and patients

New concepts in the treatment of genitourinary cancer in childhood

The treatment of Wilms' tumor is based on initial surgical removal followed by clinical and histologic staging. Chemotherapy provides the major adjunctive therapy in virtually all Wilms' tumors, radiotherapy being used in some situations. Exceptions to this are the treatment of bilateral Wilms' tumors and large intracaval extension. Bilateral Wilms' tumor is treated with initial biopsy and staging, adjunctive chemotherapy, and/or radiation therapy and bilateral partial nephrectomy after there is maximum resolution of tumor. Similarly, extensive caval extension of tumor may be treated preoperatively with chemotherapy and radiotherapy followed by resection. Nephroblastomatosis, a precursor of Wilms' tumor, is a common associated finding at exploration. It requires alteration in management and may change the prognosis. Sarcomas of the kidney and congenital mesoblastic nephroma represent the spectrum of severity of solid renal masses in children. Neuroblastoma is the most common solid tumor in children, and its prognosis is largely dependent on the age of the patient and the stage of disease. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy is adjunctive treatments have been disappointing. Immunotherapy holds some promise for the future. Testicular tumors are unusual in children. Those that occur in infancy are most often benign teratomas that require orchiectomy alone. Malignant germ cell tumors in children are most often yolk sac tumors and respond to surgery and chemotherapy. Lymph node dissection is indicated only in paratesticular rhabdomyasarcoma. Other genitourinary rhabdomyasarcomas occur in the bladder, prostate, vagina, and uterus. After maximum decrease in tumor volume with chemotherapy and radiotherapy, surgical exploration and resection of remaining tumor probably represent the best form of treatment. Organ-sparing procedures should be carefully selected in that they may worsen the prognosis.

Present concepts in the treatment of neuroblastoma

The outlook for the child with neuroblastoma remains dismal. The tumor has been known to undergo spontaneous resolution, and this phenomenon has led to increased interest and research in possible immune mechanisms that may be involved. Treatment often involves the use of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, frequently producing a short-term response, but a cure of the disease in an advanced stage can rarely be attributed to any of these treatment modalities. The present staging and treatment method used by the authors is that of the Pediatric Oncology Group (POG) #8104. As far as the immunological therapeutic approach is concerned, promising results have been obtained in animal studies with monoclonal antibodies and immunocellular components. Cumulative data from various pediatric centers have showed that the patient's age strongly influences the prognosis in all stages of the disease.