High-dose chemotherapy and autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation in the treatment of children and adolescents with Ewing sarcoma family of tumors

High-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous haematopoietic cell transplantation for children, adolescents, and young adults with first recurrence of Ewing sarcoma

BACKGROUND

Ewing sarcoma is a solid tumour, which is the second most common primary bone malignancy in children, often occurring in the long bones and pelvis. An incidence rate of 4.5 per million a year is reported, with a peak incidence of 11 per million at the age of 12 years. Despite more intensive chemotherapy, 30% to 40% of young people with Ewing sarcoma will have recurrence of the disease. Less than 30% of young people with a recurrence of Ewing sarcoma are alive at 24 months, and less than 10% are alive at 48 months. High-dose chemotherapy (HDC), followed by autologous haematopoietic cell transplantation (AHCT), is used in a variety of paediatric groups with diverse solid tumours. The hypothesis is that HDC regimens may overcome resistance to standard polychemotherapy, and this way may eradicate minimal residual disease, leading to improved survival after a first recurrence of disease.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the efficacy of HDC with AHCT versus conventional chemotherapy in improving event-free survival, overall survival, quality-adjusted survival, and progression-free survival in children, adolescents, and young adults with first recurrence of Ewing sarcoma, and to determine the toxicity of the treatment.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, conference proceedings from the SIOP, ASPHO, CTOS, ASBMT, EBMT, and EMSOS, and two trial registries in January 2020. We also searched reference lists of relevant articles and review articles.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We planned to include randomised controlled trials (RCTs) or (historical) controlled clinical trials (CCTs) comparing the effectiveness of HDC plus AHCT with conventional chemotherapy for children, adolescents, and young adults (up to 30 years old at the date of diagnostic biopsy) with a first recurrence of Ewing sarcoma.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We used standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane.

MAIN RESULTS

We did not identify any eligible studies.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Since we did not identify any eligible studies, we are unable to draw any conclusions about the efficacy and toxicity of HDC with AHCT versus conventional chemotherapy in children, adolescents, and young adults with a first recurrence of Ewing sarcoma. Further high-quality research is urgently needed.

High-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous haematopoietic cell transplantation for children, adolescents, and young adults with primary metastatic Ewing sarcoma

BACKGROUND

Ewing sarcomas are solid tumours of the bone and soft tissue, that usually affect children, adolescents, and young adults. The incidence is about three cases per million a year, with a peak incidence at 12 years of age. Metastatic disease is detected in about 20 % to 30% of people, and is typically found in the lungs, bone, bone marrow, or a combination of these. Presence of metastatic disease at diagnosis (primary metastatic disease) is the most important adverse prognostic factor, and is associated with a five-year survival lower than 30%. High-dose chemotherapy (HDC) followed by autologous haematopoietic cell transplantation (AHCT) is used in various solid tumours with unfavourable prognoses in children, adolescents, and young adults. It has also been used as rescue after multifocal radiation of metastases. The hypothesis is that HDC regimens may overcome the resistance to standard multidrug chemotherapy and improve survival rates.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effects of high-dose chemotherapy with autologous haematopoietic cell transplantation compared with conventional chemotherapy in improving event-free survival, overall survival, quality-adjusted survival, and progression-free survival in children, adolescents, and young adults with primary metastatic Ewing sarcoma, and to determine the toxicity of the treatment.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, conference proceedings from major international cancer-related conferences, and ongoing trial registers until January 2020. We also searched reference lists of included articles and review articles.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) or (historical) controlled clinical trials (CCTs) comparing the effectiveness of HDC and AHCT with conventional chemotherapy for children, adolescents, and young adults (younger than 30 years at the date of diagnostic biopsy) with primary metastatic Ewing sarcoma.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We used standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane.

MAIN RESULTS

We identified one RCT, which investigated the effects of HDC with AHCT versus conventional chemotherapy with whole lung irradiation (WLI) in people with Ewing sarcoma metastasised to the lungs only at diagnosis. Only a selection of the participants were eligible for our review (N = 267: HDC with AHCT group N = 134; control group N = 133). There may be no difference in event-free survival between the two treatment groups (hazard ratio (HR) 0.83, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.59 to 1.17; low-certainty evidence). We downgraded one level each because of study limitations and imprecision. Overall survival and toxicity were not reported separately for the participants eligible for this review, while quality-adjusted survival and progression-free survival were not reported at all. We did not identify any studies that addressed children, adolescents, and young adults with Ewing sarcoma with metastases to other locations.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

In people with Ewing sarcoma with primary metastases to locations other than the lungs, there is currently no evidence from RCTs or CCTs to determine the efficacy of HDC with AHCT compared to conventional chemotherapy. Based on low-certainty evidence from one study (267 participants), there may be no difference in event-free survival between children, adolescents, and young adults with primary pulmonary metastatic Ewing sarcoma who receive HDC with AHCT and those who receive conventional chemotherapy with WLI. Further high-quality research is needed. Results are anticipated for the EuroEwing 2008R3 study, in which the effects of HDC with treosulfan and melphalan followed by AHCT on survival, in people with Ewing sarcoma with metastatic disease to bone, other sites, or both were explored. Achieving high-quality studies in a selection of people with rare sarcoma requires long-term, multi-centre, international participant inclusion.

Nutritional status as a predictor of adverse events and survival in pediatric autologous stem cell transplant

Nutritional status is recognized as an independent and modifiable risk factor of outcome in stem cell transplant. Our research aim was to evaluate the impact of body mass index (BMI) and serum albumin on the prevalence of adverse events and survival in autologous transplant in children. A retrospective study was conducted of autologous transplants performed between 2006 and 2017 in the Children's Hospital Zagreb, Croatia. Nutritional status was assessed at the times of diagnosis, procedure, and discharge using BMI (underweight, normal, obese) and serum albumin (grades 1-4). Adverse events (fever, gastrointestinal toxicity, electrolyte disturbances, dysglycemia) and outcome (3-year, relapse, mortality) were documented. Seventy-seven children (54.5% males, mean age 7.9 years) underwent autologous transplant, mostly for neuroblastoma. In terms of BMI and albumin, which showed significant positive correlation at diagnosis (p = 0.026) and transplant (p = 0.016), most participants were well nourished. Average post-transplant weight loss was 4%. Major toxicities were severe mucositis (72.7%) and hypophosphatemia (31.2%). Relapse and mortality rates were 35.1% and 42.9%, respectively. Hypokalemia (p = 0.041) and hypomagnesemia (p = 0.044) were more prevalent in the underweight group, while obese children experienced significantly less severe mucositis (p = 0.016) and hypophosphatemia (p = 0.038). There was no significant difference regarding outcome among children of different nutritional status, although undernourished children tended to have lower relapse and mortality rates. In conclusion, underweight children are significantly more prone to severe electrolyte disorders and mucositis, and although statistical significance was not reached, are more likely to survive.

Long-Term Follow-up of High-Dose Chemotherapy with Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation in Children and Young Adults with Metastatic or Relapsed Ewing Sarcoma: A Single-Institution Experience

Forty-seven patients with metastatic disease at diagnosis or recurrent Ewing sarcoma (EWS) received high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) followed by tandem (n = 20, from February 13, 1997, to October 24, 2002) or single (n = 27, from October 1, 2004, to September 5, 2018) autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT). To our knowledge, this is the largest single-institution study with sustained long-term follow-up exceeding 10 years. All patients who underwent single ASCT received a novel conditioning regimen with busulfan, melphalan, and topotecan. The overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were 46% and 37% at 10 years and 42% and 37% at 15 years, respectively. Disease status at transplant and the time to disease relapse prior to ASCT were identified as important prognostic factors in OS, DFS, and risk of relapse. At 10 years, patients who underwent transplantation in first complete response (1CR) had an excellent outcome (OS 78%), patients in 1CR/second complete response (2CR)/first partial response (1PR) had an OS of 66%, and patients at third or more complete response, second or more partial response, or advanced disease had an OS of 26%. Ten-year OS for patients without a history of relapse, with late relapse (≥2 years from diagnosis), or with early relapse (<2 years from diagnosis) was 75%, 50%, and 18%, respectively. Selected patients in 1CR, 2CR, 1PR, and with late relapse had excellent, sustained 10- and 15-year OS and DFS.

Role of High-Dose Chemotherapy and Autologous Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Children and Young Adults with Relapsed Ewing's Sarcoma: A Systematic Review

Background

Relapsed Ewing's sarcoma (RES) is an aggressive malignancy with poor survival. Although high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) with autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) given after conventional chemotherapy (CC) has shown survival benefits, it is not generally used in the United States for RES. We performed a systemic review to evaluate the benefits of HDCT for RES.

Methods

Literature search involved Medline, Embase, and Cochrane database. We included studies with RES patients treated with HDCT/ASCT.

Results

Twenty-four studies with total of 345 reported RES patients that got HDCT were included in final analysis. Seventeen studies had patients with multiple malignancies including RES, while seven had only RES patients. At 2 and 3–5 years, event-free survival (EFS) in studies with only RES patients ranged 42–47% and 20–61% and overall survival (OS) ranged 50–66% and 33–77%, respectively. In studies with combined patients that reported outcomes of RES separately, the EFS at 1–3 and 4 years was 36–66% and 17–50%, respectively. The OS at 1-2 and 3-4 years was 40–60% and 50–70%.

Conclusions

Most studies using HDCT/ASCT as consolidation regimen showed improved survival benefits compared to CC. Randomized controlled studies are needed to determine true clinical benefits of HDCT followed by ASCT in patients with RES.