Improving the outcome for children with cancer: Development of targeted new agents

Drug development in dermatology: challenges in treating young patients

INTRODUCTION

Drug development for skin disorders is influenced by the concept of children as 'therapeutic orphans' and is subject to pediatric requirements of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The EMA requires a 'pediatric investigation plan' (PIP) early in development. Healthy newborns' skin is as thick as that of adults. For crisaborole for atopic dermatitis, the FDA accepted pivotal trials involving patients 2-79 years; the EMA accepted this as part of its PIP. In contrast, for psoriasis, PIPs require separate evidence of efficacy and safety in children aged 6-17 years.

AREAS COVERED

Adolescents' skin does not change overnight on their 18th birthday, only the legal status. Most FDA pediatric requirements are grounded in commonsense and reflect current scientific understanding. The EMA, however, continues to take rigid stance in its pediatric demands. PIP negotiations are often lengthy, complex, and frustrating.

EXPERT OPINION

Companies must possess a deep understanding of the clinical landscape, considerable patience, and sometimes seek external experts' support. A gap has become wider between US and EU, with the EU increasingly falling behind in drug development.

Middle-Out Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Modeling to Support Pediatric Dosing Recommendation for Alectinib

Adult patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase positive (ALK+) advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are treated with 600 mg alectinib twice daily (BID) as first-line treatment. ALK positive solid and central nervous system (CNS) tumors are described in the pediatric population, with limited clinical data due to the rarity of the disease and challenges to determine the right dosing. This study aims to inform pediatric dose recommendations for alectinib by performing a middle-out physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling approach, accounting for differences in absorption and enzyme maturation. The developed adult PBPK model is leveraging insights from two previously developed PBPK models (focusing on absorption and drug-drug interactions) and is complemented with newly generated data. The adult PBPK model is validated with pharmacokinetic data from two clinical studies in the adult population. The ratios between the predicted and observed steady-state AUC after 600 mg BID for 28 days are within the acceptable range in three different adult body weight categories (from 0.81 to 1.02). Initial pediatric dose recommendations are informed by population PK model predictions (assuming no maturation of enzymes) and aim to have similar exposure to the adult population. Intrinsic clearance values for all contributing CYP enzymes are included in the pediatric PBPK model to account for changes in enzyme maturation. The current PBPK model confirmed that the recommended alectinib doses by population PK predictions were accurate for the pediatric age range, with one exception: patients younger than 3.5 years are suggested to receive 100 mg BID, instead of 190 mg BID.

Making the Case for an International Childhood Cancer Data Partnership

Childhood cancers are a heterogeneous group of rare diseases, accounting for less than 2% of all cancers diagnosed worldwide. Most countries, therefore, do not have enough cases to provide robust information on epidemiology, treatment, and late effects, especially for rarer types of cancer. Thus, only through a concerted effort to share data internationally will we be able to answer research questions that could not otherwise be answered. With this goal in mind, the U.S. National Cancer Institute and the French National Cancer Institute co-sponsored the Paris Conference for an International Childhood Cancer Data Partnership in November 2023. This meeting convened more than 200 participants from 17 countries to address complex challenges in pediatric cancer research and data sharing. This Commentary delves into some key topics discussed during the Paris Conference and describes pilots that will help move this international effort forward. Main topics presented include: 1) the wide variation in interpreting the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation among Member States; 2) obstacles with transferring personal health data outside of the European Union; 3) standardization and harmonization, including common data models; and 4) novel approaches to data sharing such as federated querying and federated learning. We finally provide a brief description of three ongoing pilot projects. The International Childhood Cancer Data Partnership is the first step in developing a process to better support pediatric cancer research internationally through combining data from multiple countries.

Pharmacogenomics and pediatric drug development: science and political power. A narrative review

INTRODUCTION

Pharmacogenomics (PGx) investigates how genomes control enzyme expression. Developmental pharmacology (DP) describes the temporal sequence of enzymes impacting absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) of food and drugs.

AREAS COVERED

US and European Union (EU) legislation facilitate and/or enforce pediatric studies for all new drugs, called overall 'pediatric drug development' (PDD). DP and PDD look at patients' chronological age, but oscillate between legal and physiological meanings of the term 'child.' Children's bodies become mature with puberty.

EXPERT OPINION

Decades after first DP observations in babies, PGx offers a better understanding of the variability of safety and efficacy of drugs, of the process of aging, and of shifting enzyme patterns across aging. We should rethink and revise outdated interpretations of ADME changes in minors. The Declaration of Helsinki forbids pointless studies that some pediatric researchers and regulatory agencies, more so the EMA than the FDA, demand pointless pediatric studies is regrettable. Medicine needs to differentiate between legal and physiological meanings of the term 'child' and should use objective measures of maturity.

Quality of Life of Adolescents and Young Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancer: A Qualitative Study

AIMS

To analyse how adolescents and young adults who survived childhood cancer experience their quality of life and to explore their meanings and conceptualisations of quality of life.

DESIGN

Narrative design following Squire's method.

METHODS

In-person and virtual recruitment, due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, was carried out in Brazil between May and November 2021. Eighteen semi-structured virtual interviews were conducted with childhood cancer survivors. These data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis and employing a triangulation of investigators.

RESULTS

Four subthemes were identified, encompassing participants' perceptions and meanings of quality of life. Through the reflection and synthesis of these subthemes, a central theme emerged entitled 'New self', capturing the profound impact of the cancer and survival experience on every aspect of the self, along with participants' sense of having gained 'a new life' and a 'second chance'.

CONCLUSION

The study provides a rich and nuanced understanding of quality of life for childhood cancer survivors. The results highlight that after all the changes in life due to cancer, integrating the new self becomes a central aspect of quality of life for survivors.

IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE

Recognising the profound shifts in self-perception that survivors of childhood cancer undergo, nurses should engage early in empowering patients and families, offering education, space and support to help adolescents and young adults grow throughout their journey.

IMPACT

The richness and depth inherent in qualitative data on quality of life can inform the development of care standards and health policies for survivors, guide the allocation of strategic resources and shape the development of plans and interventions focusing on childhood cancer survivors.

REPORTING METHOD

The COREQ checklist was used.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC

No patient or public contribution.

The burden of pediatric critical illness among pediatric oncology patients in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Pediatric oncology patients have increased risk for critical illness; outcomes are well described in high-income countries (HICs); however, data is limited for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

METHODS

We systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, CINAHL and Global Health databases for articles in 6 languages describing mortality in children with cancer admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) in LMICs. Two investigators independently assessed eligibility, data quality, and extracted data. We pooled ICU mortality estimates using random effect models.

RESULTS

Of 3641 studies identified, 22 studies were included, covering 4803 ICU admissions. Overall pooled mortality was 30.3 % [95 % Confidence-interval (CI) 21.7-40.6 %]. Mechanical ventilation [odds ratio (OR) 12.2, 95 %CI:6.2-24.0, p-value<0.001] and vasoactive infusions [OR 6.3 95 %CI:3.3-11.9, p-value<0.001] were associated with ICU mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

ICU mortality among pediatric oncology patients in LMICs is similar to that in HICs, however, this review likely underestimates true mortality due to underrepresentation of studies from low-income countries.

Screening potential antileukemia agents from duckweed: Integration of chemical profiling, network pharmacology, and experimental validation

INTRODUCTION

The identification of active dietary flavonoids in food is promising for novel drug discovery. The active ingredients of duckweed (a widely recognized food and herb with abundant flavonoids) that are associated with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have yet to be identified, and their underlying mechanisms have not been elucidated.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to identify novel constituents exhibiting antileukemia activity in duckweed through the integration of chemical profiling, network pharmacology, and experimental validation.

METHODS

First, high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) was used to characterize the primary constituents of duckweed. Subsequently, AML cell-xenograft tumor models were used to validate the anticancer effect of duckweed extract. Furthermore, network pharmacology analysis was conducted to predict the potential active compounds and drug targets against AML. Lastly, based on these findings, two monomers (apiin and luteoloside) were selected for experimental validation.

RESULTS

A total of 17 compounds, all of which are apigenin and luteolin derivatives, were identified in duckweed. The duckweed extract significantly inhibited AML cell growth in vivo. Furthermore, a total of 88 targets for duckweed against AML were predicted, with key targets including PTGS2, MYC, MDM2, VEGFA, CTNNB1, CASP3, EGFR, TP53, HSP90AA1, CCND1, MMP9, TNF, and MAPK1. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses indicated that these targets were primarily involved in the apoptotic signaling pathway. Lastly, both apiin and luteoloside effectively induced apoptosis through CASP3 activation, and this effect could be partially reversed by a caspase inhibitor (Z-VAD).

CONCLUSION

Duckweed extract has an antileukemic effect, and apiin derived from duckweed shows potential as a treatment for AML.

pH-sensitive and redox-responsive poly(tetraethylene glycol) nanoparticle-based platform for cancer treatment

Effective drug delivery with precise tumour targeting is crucial for cancer treatment. To address the challenges posed by the specificity and complexity of the tumour microenvironment, we developed a poly(tetraethylene glycol)-based disulfide nanoparticle (NP) platform and explored its potential in cancer treatment, focusing on drug loading and controlled release performance. Poly(tetraethylene glycol) NPs were characterised using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. Additionally, we evaluated physicochemical properties, including dynamic light scattering, zeta potential analysis, drug loading capacity (DLC), and drug loading efficiency (DLE). The impact of NPs on the mouse colorectal cancer cell line (CT26) and NIH3T3 cells was assessed using a cytotoxicity assay, live/dead staining assay, flow cytometry, and confocal fluorescence microscopy. The experimental results align with the expected chemical structure and physicochemical properties of poly(tetraethylene glycol) NPs. These NPs exhibit high DLE (78.7%) and DLC (12%), with minimal changes in particle size over time in different media.In vitroexperiments revealed that the NPs can induce significant cytotoxicity and apoptosis in CT26 cells. Cellular uptake notably increases with increasing concentration and exposure time. The confocal microscopic analysis confirmed the effective distribution and accumulation of NPs within cells. In conclusion, poly(tetraethylene glycol) NPs hold promise for improving drug-delivery efficiency, offering potential advancements in cancer treatment.

Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin combined with cyclophosphamide and vincristine in pediatric patients with relapsed/refractory solid tumor: a single-arm, open-label, phase I study

Background

The combined vincristine, pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD), and cyclophosphamide (VPC) regimen has never been studied in pediatric patients.

Methods

This open-label, single-center, single-arm phase I study utilizing a "3 + 3" design enrolled children with relapsed/refractory (R/R) solid tumors. Three dose levels of PLD (Duomeisu®) were studied (30, 40, or 50 mg/m2) in combination with cyclophosphamide (1500 mg/m2), mesna (1500 mg/m2), and vincristine (1.5 mg/m2, maximum 2 mg) once every 3 weeks. The primary endpoints included safety, the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of PLD (Duomeisu®), and the recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) of PLD (Duomeisu®) for further phase 2 investigation. The secondary endpoints were objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR). This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04213612.

Findings

Between January 7, 2020, and November 18, 2021, 34 patients were eligible and evaluable for toxicity, while 26 patients were evaluable for response. The MTD of PLD (Duomeisu®) was 30 mg/m2. The most common adverse event (AE) was grade 3 or 4 neutropenia (61.8%). The most common grade 1 or 2 non-hematologic AE and cardiotoxicity effects were vomiting (35.3%) and abnormal electrocardiogram T waves (20.6%), respectively. ORR and DCR to VPC regimen after two cycles were 50.0% and 92.3%, respectively. Targeted gene panel sequencing revealed the activation of TP53 mutation may be an adverse prognostic factor.

Interpretation

The VPC regimen showed a promising safety profile and had preliminary efficacy in children with R/R solid tumors. The RP2D for PLD (Duomeisu®) combined with cyclophosphamide and vincristine is 30 mg/m2 once every 3 weeks.

Funding

CSPC Ouyi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Shijiazhuang, the National Key Research and Development Program of China [No. 2022YFC2705005], the National Natural Science Foundation of China [No. 82203303], and the Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation of Guangdong Province [No. 2021A1515110234].

Did pediatric drug development advance epilepsy treatment in young patients? It is time for new research goals

Modern drugs have changed epilepsy, which affects people of all ages. However, for young people with epilepsy, the framework of drug development has stalled. In the wake of the thalidomide catastrophe, the misconception emerged that for people < 18 years of age drugs, including antiseizure medications (ASMs), need separate proof of efficacy and safety, overall called "pediatric drug development". For ASMs, this has changed to some degree. Authorities now accept that ASMs are effective in < 18 years as well, but they still require "extrapolation of efficacy," as if minors were another species. As a result, some of the pediatric clinical epilepsy research over the past decades was unnecessary. Even more importantly, this has hampered research on meaningful research goals. We do not need to confirm that ASMs work before as they do after the 18th birthday. Instead, we need to learn how to prevent brain damage in young patients by preventing seizures and optimize ASMs' uses. Herein we discuss how to proceed in this endeavor.

Pediatric Cancer Drug Development: Leveraging Insights in Cancer Biology and the Evolving Regulatory Landscape to Address Challenges and Guide Further Progress

The discovery and development of anticancer drugs for pediatric patients have historically languished when compared to both past and recent activity in drug development for adult patients, notably the dramatic spike of targeted and immune-oncology therapies. The reasons for this difference are multifactorial. Recent changes in the regulatory landscape surrounding pediatric cancer drug development and the understanding that some pediatric cancers are driven by genetic perturbations that also drive disparate adult cancers afford new opportunities. The unique cancer-initiating events and dependencies of many pediatric cancers, however, require additional pediatric-specific strategies. Research efforts to unravel the underlying biology of pediatric cancers, innovative clinical trial designs, model-informed drug development, extrapolation from adult data, addressing the unique considerations in pediatric patients, and use of pediatric appropriate formulations, should all be considered for efficient development and dosage optimization of anticancer drugs for pediatric patients.

Serum monocyte chemotactic protein 1 and soluble mannose receptor aid predictive diagnosis of pediatric sepsis

BACKGROUND

To investigate the value of serum monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) and soluble mannose receptor (sMR) for predictive diagnosis of pediatric sepsis.

METHODS

This study retrospectively analyzed the data of 82 children with acute and severe signs of inflammation. According to the diagnostic criteria of sepsis, these children were divided into a sepsis group (40 cases) and a non-sepsis group (42 cases). In addition, 50 children who received health examinations during the same time period in Cangzhou Central Hospital were selected as a control group. According to the prognosis of the children in the sepsis group, they were further divided into a survival group (33 cases) and a death group (7 cases). The levels of blood indicators, inflammatory markers, liver and kidney function indicators, MCP-1 level, and sMR were collected from the children. The efficacy of using sMR and MCP-1 levels in the predictive diagnosis of sepsis was analyzed by using the area under the ROC curve (AUC).

RESULTS

Serum levels of MCP-1 and sMR were (452.32±2.79) μg/ml and (97.23±.15) μg/ml, respectively, in the sepsis group, significantly higher than those in all controls (P<0.001). In the death group, the levels of white blood cells (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), sMR, and MCP-1 were significantly higher compared to the survival group (P<0.05). The AUC for CRP in predictive diagnosis of sepsis was 0.9075; the AUC for PCT was 0.8759; the AUC for sMR was 0.9244; and the AUC for MCP-1 was 0.9406.

CONCLUSIONS

Serum sMR and MCP-1 levels can help predict the diagnosis of pediatric sepsis.

Collaborative Innovations in Childhood Cancer Therapies

The outcome for children with cancer has improved significantly over the past 60 years, with more than 80% of patients today becoming 5-year survivors. Despite this progress, cancer remains the leading cause of death from disease in children in the United States and Europe, with significant short- and long-term toxicity of treatment continuing to impact most children. While the past 15 years have witnessed dramatic scientific innovation for certain cancers in adult patients, pediatric cancer treatment innovation lags increasingly behind. To help bridge the adult-pediatric therapeutic development gap, collaborative efforts are essential among stakeholders within and outside the pediatric oncology community. Prioritizing collaboration in areas such as cancer characterization, target identification and validation, drug discovery, and approaches to currently "undruggable" targets is imperative to improving the outcomes for children with cancer.

Physicians' attitudes and experiences about withholding/withdrawing life-sustaining treatments in pediatrics: a systematic review of quantitative evidence

BACKGROUND

One of the most important and ethically challenging decisions made for children with life-limiting conditions is withholding/withdrawing life-sustaining treatments (LST). As important (co-)decision-makers in this process, physicians are expected to have deeply and broadly developed views. However, their attitudes and experiences in this area remain difficult to understand because of the diversity of the studies. Hence, the aim of this paper is to describe physicians' attitudes and experiences about withholding/withdrawing LST in pediatrics and to identify the influencing factors.

METHODS

We systematically searched Pubmed, Cinahl®, Embase®, Scopus®, and Web of Science™ in early 2021 and updated the search results in late 2021. Eligible articles were published in English, reported on investigations of physicians' attitudes and experiences about withholding/withdrawing LST for children, and were quantitative.

RESULTS

In 23 included articles, overall, physicians stated that withholding/withdrawing LST can be ethically legitimate for children with life-limiting conditions. Physicians tended to follow parents' and parents-patient's wishes about withholding/withdrawing or continuing LST when they specified treatment preferences. Although most physicians agreed to share decision-making with parents and/or children, they nonetheless reported experiencing both negative and positive feelings during the decision-making process. Moderating factors were identified, including barriers to and facilitators of withholding/withdrawing LST. In general, there was only a limited number of quantitative studies to support the hypothesis that some factors can influence physicians' attitudes and experiences toward LST.

CONCLUSION

Overall, physicians agreed to withhold/withdraw LST in dying patients, followed parent-patients' wishes, and involved them in decision-making. Barriers and facilitators relevant to the decision-making regarding withholding/withdrawing LST were identified. Future studies should explore children's involvement in decision-making and consider barriers that hinder implementation of decisions about withholding/withdrawing LST.

Utilization of Genomic Tumor Profiling in Pediatric Liquid Tumors: A Clinical Series

Hematologic tumors are mostly treated with chemotherapies that have poor toxicity profiles. While molecular tumor profiling can expand therapeutic options, our understanding of potential targetable drivers comes from studies of adult liquid tumors, which does not necessarily translate to efficacious treatment in pediatric liquid tumors. There is also no consensus on when profiling should be performed and its use in guiding therapies. We describe a single institution's experience in integrating profiling for liquid tumors. Pediatric patients diagnosed with leukemia or lymphoma and who underwent tumor profiling were retrospectively reviewed. Ten (83.3%) patients had relapsed disease prior to tumor profiling. Eleven (91.7%) patients had targetable alterations identified on profiling, and three (25%) received targeted therapy based on these variants. Of the three patients that received targeted therapy, two (66.7%) were living, and one (33.3%) decreased. For a portion of our relapsing and/or treatment-refractory patients, genetic profiling was feasible and useful in tailoring therapy to obtain stable or remission states. Practitioners may hesitate to deviate from the 'standard of therapy', resulting in the underutilization of profiling results. Prospective studies should identify actionable genetic variants found more frequently in pediatric liquid tumors and explore the benefits of proactive tumor profiling prior to the first relapse.

Theoretical aspects of interaction of the anticancer drug cytarabine with human serum albumin

Despite diagnostic and therapeutic methods, cancer is a major cause of death worldwide. Since anticancer drugs affect both normal and cancer cells, targeted drug delivery systems can play a key role in reducing the destructive effects of anticancer drugs on normal cells. In this regard, the use of stimulus-sensitive polymers has increased in recent years. This study has attempted to investigate interaction of the anticancer drug cytarabine with a stimuli-sensitive polymer, human serum albumin (HSA), one of the most abundant protein in blood plasma, via computational methods at both body temperature and tumor temperature. For this purpose, molecular docking was performed using Molegro virtual Docker software to select the best ligand in terms of binding energy to simulate molecular dynamics. Then, molecular dynamics simulation was performed on human serum albumin with code (1Ao6) and cytarabine with code (AR3), using Gromacs software and the results were presented in the graphs. The simulations were performed at 310 K (normal cell temperature) and 313 K (cancer cell temperature) in 100 ns. Results showed drug release occurred at a temperature of 313 K. These findings demonstrated the sensitivity of human serum albumin to temperature.

The Significance of CD20 Intensity Variance in Pediatric Patients with B-Cell Precursor Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

B-cell precursor acute lyphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a common pediatric malignancy and patients may have significant benefits from monoclonal antibodies therapy with increased survival rates. Positive CD20 expression is identified in about half of these patients and its presence may serve as a prognostic factor in disease evolution. We performed a retrospective study including 114 patients diagnosed with B-ALL and evaluated the expression of CD20 through flow cytometry at diagnosis and on day 15. Additional immunophenotypic analyses as well as cytogenetic and molecular genetic analyses were also performed. We observed an increase in the mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of CD20 between diagnosis-1.9 (1.2-3.26) and day 15: 6.17 (2.14-27.4), (p < 0.0001). Furthermore, we assessed that both diagnosis and day 15 CD20 MFI had an impact on RFS and OS, respectively, for cut-off values of >8.08 at diagnosis and >28.65 at day 15. In conclusion, CD20 expression appears to be a poor prognostic feature of B-ALL in pediatric patients. In this study, stratification of the outcome by the intensity of CD20 has implications concerning the allocation to rituximab-based chemotherapy and may offer new, potentially useful information for pediatric patients with B-ALL.

The immune landscape of solid pediatric tumors

Background

Large immunogenomic analyses have demonstrated the prognostic role of the functional orientation of the tumor microenvironment in adult solid tumors, this variable has been poorly explored in the pediatric counterpart.

Methods

We performed a systematic analysis of public RNAseq data (TARGET) for five pediatric tumor types (408 patients): Wilms tumor (WLM), neuroblastoma (NBL), osteosarcoma (OS), clear cell sarcoma of the kidney (CCSK) and rhabdoid tumor of the kidney (RT). We assessed the performance of the Immunologic Constant of Rejection (ICR), which captures an active Th1/cytotoxic response. We also performed gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) and clustered more than 100 well characterized immune traits to define immune subtypes and compared their outcome.

Results

A higher ICR score was associated with better survival in OS and high risk NBL without MYCN amplification but with poorer survival in WLM. Clustering of immune traits revealed the same five principal modules previously described in adult tumors (TCGA). These modules divided pediatric patients into six immune subtypes (S1-S6) with distinct survival outcomes. The S2 cluster showed the best overall survival, characterized by low enrichment of the wound healing signature, high Th1, and low Th2 infiltration, while the reverse was observed in S4. Upregulation of the WNT/Beta-catenin pathway was associated with unfavorable outcomes and decreased T-cell infiltration in OS.

Conclusions

We demonstrated that extracranial pediatric tumors could be classified according to their immune disposition, unveiling similarities with adults’ tumors. Immunological parameters might be explored to refine diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers and to identify potential immune-responsive tumors.

A systematic literature review to identify ethical, legal, and social responsibilities of nonprofit organizations when funding clinical trials in pediatric cancer

Nonprofit organizations (NPOs) play critical roles as funding sources, research partners, and disseminators of drug developments in pediatric cancer. Yet the literature provides limited guidance about ethical best practices when NPOs make trial funding decisions in this space. We conducted a systematic review of the literature indexed in PubMed and Web of Science to identify the ethical, legal, and social responsibilities of NPOs to four key stakeholder groups in funding pediatric cancer trials: (i) patients/families, (ii) researchers, (iii) industry sponsors, and (iv) donors. We applied the lifecycle framework for patient engagement in drug research and development proposed by Geissler and colleagues to analyze themes related to NPOs' responsibilities across 54 articles that met our inclusion criteria. Emergent themes included transparency surrounding conflicts of interest, the rigor of scientific review, and communication with patients/communities about trial progress. Our research identified critical gaps in best practices for negotiating research partnerships, managing competing research priorities, and pursuing alternative financing models including venture philanthropy. Results from our review informed a set of best practices to guide NPOs in making trial funding decisions that align with stakeholder values and interests.

Calcicoptosis induced by purple sweet potato anthocyanins through the nonosmotic regulation of the NFAT5/S100A4-S100A9 pathway in acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Purple sweet potato is considered an abundant, inexpensive, and ideal source of anthocyanins. Purple sweet potato anthocyanins (PSPAs) have been shown to possess high antimutagenicity and antitumor effects due to the abundance of acylated anthocyanins. However, the effect and underlying mechanism of PSPA effects in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), especially T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), remain unclear. In this study, the antileukemic effects of PSPAs and the underlying molecular mechanisms were evaluated by in vitro and in silico assays. PSPAs extracted from ten cultivars were analyzed and quantified. Anthocyanins from Nanzi 018, which showed the best antileukemic effect, were selected to analyze the underlying mechanism. First, the PSPAs potently reduced cell viability and induced apoptosis. Additionally, the PSPAs sharply increased intracellular Ca 2+ levels, which resulted in calcium overload in T-ALL cells. Furthermore, on the basis of bioinformatics analyses, we focused on an osmotically regulated transcription factor, NFAT5. Molecular docking preliminarily indicated that PSPA molecules bound and interacted with the NFAT5 protein. Western blot analyses confirmed that PSPAs elicited calcium overload by nonosmotic regulation of NFAT5/S100A4-S100A9 pathway activation. Moreover, pretreatment with a NFAT5 inducer confirmed that PSPAs targeted NFAT5 and affected p38/NF-κB/Bcl-2/Caspase-3 axis activation. This study demonstrates that PSPAs exert their antileukemic effects through calcicoptosis induction by targeting NFAT5.

The Perceptions of Children and Adolescents with Cancer Regarding Nurses' Communication Behaviors during Needle Procedures

Background: Communicating with children and adolescents with cancer during a needle procedure can prove challenging for healthcare professionals. Objective: Our aim was to explore the perceptions of children and adolescents with cancer regarding communication with nurses during needle procedures. Method: Thus was a qualitative phenomenological study. Data were gathered through seven in-depth interviews with a convenience sample of children and adolescents with cancer. Data were analyzed using a grounded theory approach to identify themes in the participants' narratives. Results: The analysis revealed three themes describing participants' experience: (1) nurses need to explain clearly what they are going to do while also allowing children to express their emotions without feeling coerced; (2) nurses need to be honest and approachable and relate to children as active participants in the treatment process; and (3) it is distressing to hear other children who are undergoing a needle procedure cry out in pain. Further application of the constant comparison method yielded a core theme: (4) the pressures faced by oncology nurses lead them to focus on the technical side of procedures at the expense of their young patients' communication needs. Conclusions: We suggest that hospital managers need to ensure that oncology nurses have sufficient training in communication skills and are confident in their ability to respect and respond to the communication preferences and needs of patients.

Integrative medicine during the intensive phase of chemotherapy in pediatric oncology in Germany: a randomized controlled trial with 5-year follow up

Background

Integrative medicine is used frequently alongside chemotherapy treatment in pediatric oncology, but little is known about the influence on toxicity. This German, multi-center, open-label, randomized controlled trial assessed the effects of complementary treatments on toxicity related to intensive-phase chemotherapy treatment in children aged 1–18 with the primary outcome of the toxicity sum score. Secondary outcomes were chemotherapy-related toxicity, overall and event-free survival after 5 years in study patients.

Methods

Intervention and control were given standard chemotherapy according to malignancy & tumor type. The intervention arm was provided with anthroposophic supportive treatment (AST); given as anthroposophic base medication (AMP), as a base medication for all patients and additional on-demand treatment tailored to the intervention malignancy groups. The control was given no AMP. The toxicity sum score (TSS) was assessed using NCI-CTC scales.

Results

Data of 288 patients could be analyzed. Analysis did not reveal any statistically significant differences between the AST and the control group for the primary endpoint or the toxicity measures (secondary endpoints). Furthermore, groups did not differ significantly in the five-year overall and event-free survival follow up.

Discussion

In this trial findings showed that AST was able to be safely administered in a clinical setting, although no beneficial effects of AST between group toxicity scores, overall or event-free survival were shown.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-022-09703-0.

Outcomes and endpoints in clinical trials supporting the marketing authorisation of treatments in paediatric acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

The improvement in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) treatment has led research efforts to focus on the unmet medical needs of an increasingly smaller patient cohort with resistant leukaemia and to develop more-targeted agents. Survival and response rates remain the most-prevalent endpoints in paediatric ALL research, but other intermediate clinical endpoints and molecular biomarkers for efficacy and mid- and long-term safety endpoints are also being investigated. The success of current ALL treatment appears to be driving new paradigms to optimise clinical drug development, while at the same time, regulatory tools in place are supporting meaningful drug development in the area.

Neurology's vital role in preventing unnecessary and potentially harmful pediatric studies

INTRODUCTION

Regulatory authorities recognize two human populations: adults and children defined as <18 years. For drug approval, they demand separate studies. But humans mature slowly during puberty. The 18th birthday is an administrative limit that does not correspond to a physiological change. Separate drug approval before/after the 18th birthday reflects the children-are-therapeutic-orphans concept that emerged after 1962. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has backed away from this concept for antiepileptic drugs, but sticks to it in other areas. In contrast, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is continuously expanding its demand for 'pediatric' studies. Parents hesitate increasingly to let their children participate in questionable studies.

AREAS COVERED

Neurologists challenge the children-are-therapeutic-orphans mantra. Young patients do not need separate proof of efficacy & safety, but appropriate dosing recommendations. Minors should be treated as human beings, instead of being abused in questionable studies.

EXPERT OPINION

Young patients with multiple sclerosis and other neurological diseases deserve studies with therapeutic intentions. 'Pediatric' careers have emerged in academia, regulatory authorities, and pharmaceutical companies. Institutional Review Boards/ Ethics Committees should suspend questionable 'pediatric' studies and reject newly submitted ones. The medical professions should distance themselves from questionable 'pediatric' research that reflects massive conflicts of interest.

Clinical Perspectives for 18F-FDG PET Imaging in Pediatric Oncology: Μetabolic Tumor Volume and Radiomics

Pediatric cancer, although rare, requires the most optimized treatment approach to obtain high survival rates and minimize serious long-term side effects in early adulthood. 18F-FDG PET/CT is most helpful and widely used in staging, recurrence detection, and response assessment in pediatric oncology. The well-known 18F-FDG PET metabolic indices of metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and tumor lesion glycolysis (TLG) have already revealed an independent significant prognostic value for survival in oncologic patients, although the corresponding cut-off values remain study-dependent and not validated for use in clinical practice. Advanced tumor “radiomic” analysis sheds new light into these indices. Numerous patterns of texture 18F-FDG uptake features can be extracted from segmented PET tumor images due to new powerful computational systems supporting complex “deep learning” algorithms. This high number of “quantitative” tumor imaging data, although not decrypted in their majority and once standardized for the different imaging systems and segmentation methods, could be used for the development of new “clinical” models for specific cancer types and, more interestingly, for specific age groups. In addition, data from novel techniques of tumor genome analysis could reveal new genes as biomarkers for prognosis and/or targeted therapies in childhood malignancies. Therefore, this ever-growing information of “radiogenomics”, in which the underlying tumor “genetic profile” could be expressed in the tumor-imaging signature of “radiomics”, possibly represents the next model for precision medicine in pediatric cancer management. This paper reviews 18F-FDG PET image segmentation methods as applied to pediatric sarcomas and lymphomas and summarizes reported findings on the values of metabolic and radiomic features in the assessment of these pediatric tumors.

Subsequent Malignant Neoplasm of Bone in Children and Adolescent—Possibility of Multimodal Treatment

Background: In recent years, modifications of treatment protocols introduced in pediatric oncology have resulted in a significant improvement in treatment outcomes. Unfortunately, the probability of subsequent malignant neoplasm (SMN) in this group of patients is 3 to 6 times higher than the general age-matched population. In this study, we sought to evaluate the treatment options for patients with secondary bone tumors after prior anti-cancer therapy. Materials and Methods: Twenty-four patients (median age 12.9 years) with subsequent malignant bone tumors were treated according to oncological guidelines for bone sarcoma during the period 1991–2020. All patients had a standard tumor imaging and laboratory evaluation. All toxicities were documented. Results: The median time from the first neoplasm to SMN was 7.6 years (range 2.4 to 16.3 years). All patients received chemotherapy and underwent surgery as a local control procedure. Two patients with Ewing sarcoma had additional radiation on the tumor bed. A complete response was achieved in 20 patients. With a median follow-up of 18.3 years (range 5.7 to 40.3 years), 18 patients (75%) are alive. The estimated 5-year post-subsequent bone malignant neoplasm survival was 74.5% (95% CI 55–95%). Fourteen patients required chemotherapy dose modification, and doxorubicin was discontinued in seven patients. One patient required a renal transplant two years after treatment. There were no other significant toxicities. Conclusions: The treatment of bone SMNs can be effective, although in many patients it is necessary to reduce the doses of drugs. Early detection and aggressive treatment can improve the outcome.

Chemotherapy Side-Effects: Not All DNA Damage Is Equal

Recent advances have increased survival rates of children and adults suffering from cancer thanks to effective anti-cancer therapy, such as chemotherapy. However, during treatment and later in life they are frequently confronted with the severe negative side-effects of their life-saving treatment. The occurrence of numerous features of accelerated aging, seriously affecting quality of life, has now become one of the most pressing problems associated with (pediatric) cancer treatment. Chemotherapies frequently target and damage the DNA, causing mutations or genome instability, a major hallmark of both cancer and aging. However, there are numerous types of chemotherapeutic drugs that are genotoxic and interfere with DNA metabolism in different ways, each with their own biodistribution, kinetics, and biological fate. Depending on the type of DNA lesion produced (e.g., interference with DNA replication or RNA transcription), the organ or cell type inflicted (e.g., cell cycle or differentiation status, metabolic state, activity of clearance and detoxification mechanisms, the cellular condition or micro-environment), and the degree of exposure, outcomes of cancer treatment can largely differ. These considerations provide a conceptual framework in which different classes of chemotherapeutics contribute to the development of toxicities and accelerated aging of different organ systems. Here, we summarize frequently observed side-effects in (pediatric) ex-cancer patients and discuss which types of DNA damage might be responsible.

Current State of Pediatric Cardio-Oncology: A Review

The landscape of pediatric oncology has dramatically changed over the course of the past several decades with five-year survival rates surpassing 80%. Anthracycline therapy has been the cornerstone of many chemotherapy regimens for pediatric patients since its introduction in the 1960s, and recent improved survival has been in large part due to advancements in chemotherapy, refinement of supportive care treatments, and development of novel therapeutics such as small molecule inhibitors, chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, and immune checkpoint inhibitors. Unfortunately, many cancer-targeted therapies can lead to acute and chronic cardiovascular pathologies. The range of cardiotoxicity can vary but includes symptomatic or asymptotic heart failure, arrhythmias, coronary artery disease, valvar disease, pericardial disease, hypertension, and peripheral vascular disease. There is lack of data guiding primary prevention and treatment strategies in the pediatric population, which leads to substantial practice variability. Several important future research directions have been identified, including as they relate to cardiac disease, prevention strategies, management of cardiovascular risk factors, risk prediction, early detection, and the role of genetic susceptibility in development of cardiotoxicity. Continued collaborative research will be key in advancing the field. The ideal model for pediatric cardio-oncology is a proactive partnership between pediatric cardiologists and oncologists in order to better understand, treat, and ideally prevent cardiac disease in pediatric oncology patients.

The changing landscape of treatment options in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

New paediatric acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) treatments have been developed and innovative products are in the pipeline. However, despite many active clinical trials, bridging bench science to clinical development to authorised medicines remains challenging. Research in first-line treatment continues to focus on multidrug chemotherapy with the potential addition of new targeted molecules being studied. Research in second- and third-line treatment represents a shift from cytotoxic intensification to an area of precision medicine through emergent innovative and immuno-oncology products. The collaborative research model in ALL involving different stakeholders should intensify to facilitate bench-to-bedside clinical translation for the benefit of patients.

Target Actionability Review: a systematic evaluation of replication stress as a therapeutic target for paediatric solid malignancies

BACKGROUND

Owing to the high numbers of paediatric cancer-related deaths, advances in therapeutic options for childhood cancer is a heavily studied field, especially over the past decade. Classical chemotherapy offers some therapeutic benefit but has proven long-term complications in survivors, and there is an urgent need to identify novel target-driven therapies. Replication stress is a major cause of genomic instability in cancer, triggering the stalling of the replication fork. Failure of molecular response by DNA damage checkpoints, DNA repair mechanisms and restarting the replication forks can exacerbate replication stress and initiate cell death pathways, thus presenting as a novel therapeutic target. To bridge the gap between preclinical evidence and clinical utility thereof, we apply the literature-driven systematic target actionability review methodology to published proof-of-concept (PoC) data related to the process of replication stress.

METHODS

A meticulous PubMed literature search was performed to gather replication stress-related articles (published between 2014 and 2021) across 16 different paediatric solid tumour types. Articles that fulfilled inclusion criteria were uploaded into the R2 informatics platform [r2.amc.nl] and assessed by critical appraisal. Key evidence based on nine pre-established PoC modules was summarised, and scores based on the quality and outcome of each study were assigned by two separate reviewers. Articles with discordant modules/scores were re-scored by a third independent reviewer, and a final consensus score was agreed upon by adjudication between all three reviewers. To visualise the final scores, an interactive heatmap summarising the evidence and scores associated with each PoC module across all, including paediatric tumour types, were generated.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

145 publications related to targeting replication stress in paediatric tumours were systematically reviewed with an emphasis on DNA repair pathways and cell cycle checkpoint control. Although various targets in these pathways have been studied in these diseases to different extents, the results of this extensive literature search show that ATR, CHK1, PARP or WEE1 are the most promising targets using either single agents or in combination with chemotherapy or radiotherapy in neuroblastoma, osteosarcoma, high-grade glioma or medulloblastoma. Targeting these pathways in other paediatric malignancies may work as well, but here, the evidence was more limited. The evidence for other targets (such as ATM and DNA-PK) was also limited but showed promising results in some malignancies and requires more studies in other tumour types. Overall, we have created an extensive overview of targeting replication stress across 16 paediatric tumour types, which can be explored using the interactive heatmap on the R2 target actionability review platform [https://hgserver1.amc.nl/cgi-bin/r2/main.cgi?option=imi2_targetmap_v1].

Immunomodulator use in paediatric severe sepsis and septic shock

INTRODUCTION

The use of drugs that modulate the immune system during paediatric severe sepsis and septic shock may alter the course of disease and is poorly studied. This study aims to characterise these children who received immunomodulators and describe their clinical outcomes.

METHODS

This is a retrospective chart review of patients with severe sepsis and septic shock admitted into the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Clinical, haematological and outcome characteristics of patients with or without exposure to immune-modulating drugs were compared. Primary outcome was PICU mortality; secondary outcomes were 28-day ventilator-free days (VFD) and intensive care unit-free days (IFD). Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed for these outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 109 patients with paediatric severe sepsis or septic shock were identified. Of this number, 47 (43.1%), 16 (14.7%) and 3 (2.8%) patients received systemic corticosteroids, intravenous immunoglobulins and granulocyte colony stimulating factor, respectively. Patients who received immune-modulating drugs were more likely to require invasive ventilation (38/54 [70.4%] versus 26/55 [47.3%], P=0.019) compared to those who did not. PICU mortality was indifferent between the 2 groups (20/54 [37.0%] vs 11/55 [20.0%], P=0.058) even after accounting for chronic complex conditions and admission organ dysfunction (PELOD score) (adjusted odds ratio 1.90, confidence interval [0.72-5.01], P=0.193). However, VFD (19.5 [0-28] vs 25 [12-28] days, P=0.038) and IFD (15 [0-24] vs 22 [9-26] days, P=0.024) were decreased in the immunomodulator group compared to the non-immunomodulator group.

CONCLUSION

Immune-modulating drugs were frequently used in paediatric severe sepsis and septic shock. Patients who received these drugs seemed to require more PICU support. Further studies are required to examine this association thoroughly.

The Challenges of Crizotinib Treatment in a Child With Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma

Survival in cases involving childhood malignancy is reaching nearly 80% in high-income countries, yet cancer remains one of the leading disease-related causes of death in children. In adult oncology the role of targeted therapies is established, but information regarding the use of these therapies in children is limited, largely because targeted therapies were developed in the context of adult pathologies. The few pediatric reports regarding crizotinib, an anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitor, seem promising. This case of an 8-year-old male with an ALK-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma highlights the challenges of treating children with crizotinib. Our experience with crizotinib was more challenging than described in the limited pediatric reports. Not only was the tumor response poorer than described in the reports, but a substantial amount of side-effects and practical difficulties, such as the method of administration and dosing, made management challenging. Many challenges for the use of targeted therapy in pediatric care currently persist. The limited research in pediatric populations leaves uncertainty regarding efficacy and short- and long-term side effects as well as practical difficulties. Despite a clear underlying biological rationale for certain targeted therapies, their contribution toward improving the outcome of childhood cancer remains largely unclear.

MicroRNA-215-5p Inhibits the Proliferation and Migration of Wilm's Tumor Cells by Targeting CRK

Objective:

Wilm’s tumor is a common renal malignancy in childhood with unsatisfactory prognosis. microRNA-215-5p (miR-215-5p) has been reported as a tumor-suppressive miRNA in different types of human cancers, but rarely in the Wilm’s tumor. In light of this, we tried to investigate the regulatory role and underlying mechanism of miR-215-5p in the Wilm’s tumor.

Methods:

After sample collection and cell culture, the expression of miR-215-5p and CT10 Regulator of Kinase (CRK) was detected. Then rhabdoid tumor cell lines (formerly classified as Wilms’ tumor cell lines), G401 and WT-CLS1 cells were transfected with pcDNA3.1, pcDNA3.1-CRK, sh-NC, sh-CRK, agomir NC, miR-215-5p agomir, antagomir NC or miR-215-5p antagomir to explore the function of miR-215-5p and CRK in the Wilm’s tumor cell proliferation and migration. Moreover, the relationship between miR-215-5p and CRK was analyzed by dual luciferase reporter gene assay.

Results:

Lowly-expressed miR-215-5p and highly-expressed CRK were observed in the Wilm’s tumor tissues and cells. Transfection of pcDNA3.1-CRK or miR-215-5p antagomir could promote G401 and WT-CLS1 cell proliferation and enhance migration ability, while transfection of sh-CRK or miR-215-5p agomir led to opposite results. Additionally, miR-215-5p may bind to CRK. Moreover, transfection of pcDNA3.1-CRK in G401 and WT-CLS1 cells could partially reverse the inhibitory effect of miR-215-5p agomir on the proliferation and migration of Wilm’s tumor cells.

Conclusion:

Our study highlighted that miR-215-5p could suppress the proliferation and migration of Wilm’s tumor cells by regulating the expression of CRK, providing new ideas for molecular targeted therapy for Wilm’s tumor.

Childhood cancer survival: Emerging reflections on pediatric oncology nursing

The aim of this study is to analyze and critically reflect on childhood cancer survival, including conceptual aspects, repercussions, survival care, and challenges. This is a theoretical and reflective study, based on the scientific literature on the subject and on the researchers' experience. Childhood cancer survival is conceptualized as the process of living beyond the oncological diagnosis. A person is considered a cancer survivor from the diagnosis until the end of life and is at high risk of experiencing physical, psychosocial, and economic effects. Therefore, survival care shall minimize, as far as possible, these impacts throughout life. Such care includes an action plan to track and treat the persistent effects of therapy, preventing diseases and promoting healthy behaviors, not being restricted to monitoring oncological recurrence. In the national setting, challenges persist, such as the scarcity of policies to guide comprehensive, good quality, and coordinated survival care. Despite these challenges, the nurse occupies a privileged position and is competent to implement survival care and manage the effects related to cancer treatment.

Assessment of Health-related Quality of Life in Saudi Children with Cancer

Advances in pediatric cancer treatment and dramatic improvement in long-term survival have made health-related quality of life (HRQOL) a priority. This study describes the HRQOL of Saudi children on cancer treatment, given the paucity of data on the subject. Parents of children undergoing cancer treatment between the ages of 2 and 12 years enrolled to answer the Arabic version of the parent proxy report PedsQL™ 3.0 cancer module. The module items were reverse-scored to a linear scale from 0 to 100, in which higher scores indicated a better HRQOL. Of the 95 study participants, 61 (64.2%) were hematological malignancies and 34 (35.8%) solid malignancies. The mean score of our sample's total HRQOL was 72.3, which is in line with the results of similar studies worldwide. The lowest scores were observed for procedural anxiety (60.14), perceived physical appearance (67.37), and treatment anxiety (67.58), while the highest were for communication (80.21), nausea (78.32), and cognitive problems (78.32). Significant associations were reported between the patients aged younger than 5 years and procedural anxiety, those aged 5 years or older and perceived physical appearance, and frequent hospital visits and worry. Healthcare professionals should consider the poor HRQOL sub-scales and their associated risks to improve treatment outcomes.

Recent progress in the treatment of cancer in children

Although significant improvements have been made in the outcomes of children with cancer, the pace of improvement has slowed in recent years as the limits of therapy intensification may have been reached for many pediatric cancers. Furthermore, with increasing numbers of pediatric cancer survivors, the long-term side effects of treatment have become increasingly apparent. Therefore, attention has shifted to the use of molecularly targeted agents and immunotherapies to improve the outcomes of children who are not cured by traditional cytotoxic chemotherapies and to decrease exposure to cytotoxic chemotherapy and reduce late effects. This review describes the recent progress in the treatment of children with cancer, focusing in particular on diseases in which targeted and immunotherapeutic agents have made an impact.

MyPref: pilot study of a novel communication and decision-making tool for adolescents and young adults with advanced cancer

PURPOSE

Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer report feeling ill-informed about their cancer treatment options. Tools are needed to inform AYAs about treatment choices and amplify the AYA's voice in medical decision-making. We developed MyPref, a conjoint-analysis based tool that quantifies AYA preferences for future cancer treatments.

METHODS

We conducted a staged pilot study of MyPref utilizing an intervention mixed methods design. AYAs and their parent or trusted person (PTP) completed MyPref and received a summary report of their preferences for treatment-related factors. Participants later completed the Preparation for Decision Making Scale and MyPref Experience Questionnaire and engaged in semi-structured interviews. Oncologists reported on the perceived accuracy and utility of MyPref. We used a weaving technique for presenting mixed methods data.

RESULTS

Fifteen AYAs with advanced cancer, 7 PTPs, and 12 providers participated in this pilot; 32 (94%) completed all study items. AYA/PTPs stated study participation was useful and believed MyPref allowed for improved understanding of treatment factors and consideration, organization, and visualization of preferences. All providers agreed that MyPref made them think about patient's preferences and 9 (75%) reported they planned to change their approach to discussions about preferences for future treatments.

CONCLUSION

MyPref is an objective way to estimate AYA and PTP preferences for future treatment characteristics. This novel tool may be a useful way to engage AYAs and PTPs in discussions around preferences for treatment and prepare AYAs for future decision-making. We are currently evaluating this tool longitudinally to determine the impact on actual treatment decisions.

The MRD disk: automated minimal residual disease monitoring by highly sensitive centrifugal microfluidic multiplex qPCR

We present a proof-of-principle study on automated, highly sensitive and multiplexed qPCR quantification by centrifugal microfluidics. The MRD disk can be used for standardisation of repetitive, longitudinal assays with high requirements on reproducibility and sensitivity, such as cancer monitoring. In contrast to high-throughput qPCR automation by bulky and expensive robotic workstations we employ a small centrifugal microfluidic instrument, addressing the need of low- to mid-throughput applications. As a potential application we demonstrate automated minimum residual disease (MRD) monitoring of prognostic markers in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). The disk-workflow covers all aspects of clinical gold standard MRD quantification: generation of standard curves, specificity controls, no template controls and quantification of the ALL patient sample. We integrated a highly sensitive, colorimetric 2-plex analysis of MRD targets, as well as a 2-plex analysis of reference genes, both in parallel and in a single LabDisk cartridge. For this purpose, a systematic procedure for crosstalk- and signal-to-noise-optimisation is introduced, providing a guideline for efficient multiplex readout inside microfluidic platforms. The qPCR standard curves (n = 12/12) generated on-disk reach clinically required linearity (R2 = 98.1% to R2 = 99.8%). In three consecutive MRD disk runs with an ALL patient sample containing the two representative MRD targets VH3D3D5JH3 and VkIkde, we observe high accordance between the on-disk quantifications (48 ± 6 copies/reaction and 69 ± 6 copies/reaction) and the expected concentrations (57 copies/reaction for both targets). In comparison to the clinical gold standard of manually pipetted, singleplex assays, the MRD disk yields comparable limit of quantification (1 × 10-4) in n = 6/6 analyses (vs. n = 4/4 in gold standard) and a limit of detection (1 × 10-5) in n = 6/6 analysis (vs. n = 2/4 in gold standard). The automation reduces the risk of manual liquid handling errors, making the MRD disk an attractive solution to assure reproducibility in moderate-throughput, longitudinal gene quantification applications.

Tumour treating fields therapy for glioblastoma: current advances and future directions

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common primary brain tumour in adults and continues to portend poor survival, despite multimodal treatment using surgery and chemoradiotherapy. The addition of tumour-treating fields (TTFields)-an approach in which alternating electrical fields exert biophysical force on charged and polarisable molecules known as dipoles-to standard therapy, has been shown to extend survival for patients with newly diagnosed GBM, recurrent GBM and mesothelioma, leading to the clinical approval of this approach by the FDA. TTFields represent a non-invasive anticancer modality consisting of low-intensity (1-3 V/cm), intermediate-frequency (100-300 kHz), alternating electric fields delivered via cutaneous transducer arrays configured to provide optimal tumour-site coverage. Although TTFields were initially demonstrated to inhibit cancer cell proliferation by interfering with mitotic apparatus, it is becoming increasingly clear that TTFields show a broad mechanism of action by disrupting a multitude of biological processes, including DNA repair, cell permeability and immunological responses, to elicit therapeutic effects. This review describes advances in our current understanding of the mechanisms by which TTFields mediate anticancer effects. Additionally, we summarise the landscape of TTFields clinical trials across various cancers and consider how emerging preclinical data might inform future clinical applications for TTFields.