Individual risk evaluation for local recurrence and distant metastasis in Ewing sarcoma: A multistate model: A multistate model for Ewing sarcoma

BACKGROUND

We investigated the effects of surgical margins, histological response, and radiotherapy on local recurrence (LR), distant metastasis (DM), and survival in Ewing sarcoma.

PROCEDURE

Disease evolution was retrospectively studied in 982 patients with Ewing sarcoma undergoing surgery after chemotherapy using a multistate model with initial state surgery, intermediate states LR, pulmonary metastasis (DMpulm), other DM ± LR (DMother), and final state death. Effect of risk factors was estimated using Cox proportional hazard models.

RESULTS

The median follow-up was 7.6 years (95% CI, 7.2-8.0). Risk factors for LR are pelvic location, HR 2.04 (1.10-3.80), marginal/intralesional resection, HR 2.28 (1.25-4.16), and radiotherapy, HR 0.52 (0.28-0.95); for DMpulm the risk factors are <90% necrosis, HR 2.13 (1.13-4.00), and previous pulmonary metastasis, HR 4.90 (2.28-8.52); for DMother are 90% to 99% necrosis, HR 1.56 (1.09-2.23), <90% necrosis, HR 2.66 (1.87-3.79), previous bone/other metastasis, HR 3.08 (2.03-4.70); and risk factors for death without LR/DM are pulmonary metastasis, HR 8.08 (4.01-16.29), bone/other metastasis, HR 10.23 (4.90-21.36), and <90% necrosis, HR 6.35 (3.18-12.69). Early LR (0-24 months) negatively influences survival, HR 3.79 (1.34-10.76). Once DMpulm/DMother arise only previous bone/other metastasis remain prognostic for death, HR 1.74 (1.10-2.75).

CONCLUSION

Disease extent and histological response are risk factors for progression to DM or death. Tumor site and surgical margins are risk factors for LR. If disease progression occurs, previous risk factors lose their relevance. In case of isolated LR, time to recurrence is important for decision-making. Radiotherapy seems protective for LR especially in pelvic/axial. Low percentages of LR in extremity tumors and associated toxicity question the need for radiotherapy in extremity Ewing sarcoma.

Outcome After Thrombectomy and Intravenous Thrombolysis in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke

Background and Purpose—

In patients with ischemic stroke, randomized trials showed a better functional outcome after endovascular therapy with new-generation thrombectomy devices compared with medical treatment, including intravenous thrombolysis. However, effects on mortality and the generalizability of results to routine clinical practice are uncertain.

Methods—

In a prospective observational register-based study patients with ischemic stroke treated either with thrombectomy, intravenous thrombolysis, or their combination were included. Primary outcome was the modified Rankin scale score (0 [no symptoms] to 6 [death]) at 3 months. Ordinal logistic regression was used to estimate the common odds ratio as treatment effects (shift analysis). Propensity score matching was applied to compare patients treated either with intravenous thrombolysis alone or with intravenous thrombolysis plus thrombectomy.

Results—

Among 2650 recruited patients, 1543 received intravenous thrombolysis, 504 underwent thrombectomy, and 603 received intravenous thrombolysis in combination with thrombectomy. Later time-to-treatment was associated with worse outcomes among patients treated with thrombectomy plus thrombolysis. In 241 pairs of propensity score–matched patients with a proximal intracranial occlusion, thrombectomy plus thrombolysis was associated with improved functional outcome (common odds ratio, 1.84; 95% confidence interval, 1.32–2.57), and reduced mortality (15% versus 33%; P <0.0001) compared with intravenous thrombolysis alone. Results were similar in various sensitivity analyses accounting for missing outcome data and different analytic methods.

Conclusions—

Results from this large prospective registry show that also in routine clinical care thrombectomy plus thrombolysis compared with thrombolysis alone improved functional outcome and reduced mortality in patients with ischemic stroke. Earlier treatment was associated with better outcomes.

Development of curative therapies for Ewing sarcomas by interdisciplinary cooperative groups in Europe

Curative therapies for Ewing sarcoma have been developed within cooperative groups. Consecutive clinical trials have systematically assessed the impact and timing of local therapy and the activity of cytotoxic drugs and their combinations. They have led to an increase of long-term disease-free survival to around 70% in patients with localized disease. Translational research in ES remains an area in which interdisciplinary and international cooperation is essential for future progress. This article reviews current state-of-the art therapy, with a focus on trials performed in Europe, and summarizes novel strategies to further advance both the cure rates and quality of survival.

Renal Ewing tumors

BACKGROUND

Renal Ewing's sarcoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumor (ES/PNET) is extremely rare. Clinical symptoms are nonspecific presenting abdominal pain, palpable mass, and hematuria. Owing to advanced technology demonstrating the ES-specific EWS/ETS translocation, this differential diagnosis has become feasible.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The German database of GPOH Ewing's sarcoma trials from 1980 to 2009 was searched for kidney as primary site. Twenty-four patients were identified and analyzed. The median time of observation was 3.71 years (range 0.27-8.75 years). Additionally, we carried out a Medline search for renal ES/PNET.

RESULTS

The median age was 24.9 years (range 11-60 years). In 37.5%, patients presented with primary metastases. Tumor thrombi in the adjacent renal vessels occurred in 56.2%. In 90.9%, rearrangements of t(11;22) were found. All patients received a combined chemotherapy according to the EURO-E.W.I.N.G.99 protocol. In accordance, local control consisted predominantly of combined modality surgery and radiation (47%). At 3 years, overall survival (OS) was 0.80 (SE = 0.09), and event-free survival (EFS) 0.66 (SE = 0.11).

CONCLUSIONS

ES/PNET should be considered in the differential diagnosis of renal tumors. Patients with renal ES/PNET respond to and benefit from conventional ES treatment according to ES study protocols. Therefore, an accurate diagnostic approach and a guideline-adapted therapy should be facilitated.

Ewing sarcoma of the hand or foot

PURPOSE

Ewing Sarcoma (ES) of the hand or foot is a rare clinical condition. Due to the critical site, it is of major importance to choose an optimal procedure for local control in terms of outcome and function. Local therapeutic options for these patients range from: surgery (OP), surgery followed by radiotherapy (OP & RT), or radiotherapy (RT) alone.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Data from 80 patients with ES of the hand or foot were analyzed. All patients received chemotherapy according to the protocols of the Cooperative Ewing Sarcoma Study Group (CESS) from 1991 to 2009 (EICESS-92 and EURO-E.W.I.N.G.99). Local therapy consisted of: OP in 39%, OP & RT in 44%, and RT in 12%. In 5% of the patients no local therapy (noL) was performed. Primary endpoint of our study was the event-free-survival (EFS).

RESULTS

The 3-year overall EFS was 62% (95%CI 0.50-0.72). Patients with localized disease had a significantly better outcome with an EFS of 77% (95%CI 0.63-0.86), compared to patients with primary disseminated disease with an EFS of 30% (95%CI 0.14-0.49; p<0.001). In comparing local treatment modalities, no significant difference was observed. The 3-year EFS for OP was 61% (95% CI 0.40-0.76), for OP & RT 66% (95%CI 0.47-0.79) and for RT only 70% (95%CI 0.32-0.89) (p=0.253). Patients who did not receive local treatment had an unfavourable prognosis (3-year EFS=0.25; 95%CI 0.01-0.67; p=0.024). A multivariate analysis which included local treatment modality and known prognosticators, showed that primary dissemination was the only significant prognostic factor.Ewing sarcoma of the hand or foot is associated with a favourable outcome.

CONCLUSION

Our data analysed a limited group of patients and thus did not provide a clear indication for a preferred local treatment modality.

High STEAP1 expression is associated with improved outcome of Ewing's sarcoma patients

BACKGROUND

Ewing's sarcoma (ES) is the second most common bone or soft-tissue sarcoma in childhood and adolescence and features a high propensity to metastasize. The six-transmembrane epithelial antigen of the prostate 1 (STEAP1) is a membrane-bound mesenchymal stem cell marker highly expressed in ES. Here, we investigated the role of STEAP1 as an immunohistological marker for outcome prediction in patients with ES.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Membranous STEAP1 immunoreactivity was analyzed using immunohistochemistry in 114 primary pre-chemotherapy ES of patients diagnosed from 1983 to 2010 and compared with clinical parameters and patient outcome. Median follow-up was 3.85 years (range 0.43-17.51).

RESULTS

A total of 62.3% of the ES samples displayed detectable STEAP1 expression with predominant localization of the protein at the plasma membrane. High membranous STEAP1 immunoreactivity was found in 53.5%, which correlated with better overall survival (P=0.021). Accordingly, no or low membranous STEAP1 expression was identified as an independent risk factor in multivariate analysis (hazard ratio 2.65, P=0.036).

CONCLUSION

High membranous STEAP1 expression predicts improved outcome and may help to define a specific subgroup of ES patients, who might benefit from adapted therapy regimens.

Treosulfan-based high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation in high-risk Ewing sarcoma

10546

Background: High-dose chemotherapy (HDC) is widely used in consolidation treatment of Ewing sarcoma patients with primary disseminated or recurrent disease. Standard busulfan-based regimens are not compatible with radiotherapy to central axis sites. Treosulfan is a newly-developed bifunctional alkylating agent that has been shown to be safe in current trials of the German Society for Pediatric Hematology and Oncology (GPOH) even in heavily pre-treated patients including axial radiation. Methods: Event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) for 21 patients with primary disseminated disease (PDD) and survival after relapse for 11 relapse patients recruited from the EURO-E.W.I.N.G.99 trial 1998–2007 were analyzed. PDD-patients had received VIDE induction prior to treosulfan-based HDC (treosulfan: 36g/m2; melphalan: 140mg/m2) followed by autologous stem cell transplantation. Median follow up was 1.72 yrs. Relapse patients had received appropriate second line chemotherapy regimens prior to treosulfan-based HDC. Median follow up after relapse was 2.26 yrs. Results: Seventeen of 21 (81%) PDD-patients had a central axis site of the primary tumor, 8 patients (38%) presented with a pelvic tumor. Metastatic sites were: bone (76%), bone marrow (22%), CNS (10%), liver (15%), lymphnode (29%), other (16%), and additionally lung metastases in 57%. 1y-EFS was 0.70 (SE=.10), 2y-EFS was 0.27 (SE=0.10), and 3y-EFS was 0.16 (SE=.09). 1y-OS was 0.84 (SE=.08), 2y-OS was 0.46 (SE=.13), and 3y-OS was 0.32 (SE=.12). In the cohort of 11 relapse patients two patients (18%) had a local relapse, 3 (27%) a combined relapse, and 6 (55%) a systemic relapse. Six of 11 (55%) relapse patients had a late relapse >2 yrs from diagnosis. Survival after relapse at 3yrs was 0.70 (SE=.15). Conclusions: Treosulfan-based HDC is an alternative approach in high-risk Ewing tumor patients especially after relapse to consolidate a second remission. Further investigation and comparison to other standard HDC regimens is needed.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Risks of recurrence and survival after relapse in patients with Ewing tumor

10012

Background: Ewing tumor treatment has resulted in long term survival rates of approx. 70% in localized, and 30% in metastatic disease. Survival following relapse has remained poor with survival rates well below 30%. Methods: All histological proven Ewing tumor patients from three consecutive GPOH trials since 1981 (CESS81 & CESS86 & EICESS92; N=1,549) were included to conduct a meta-analyses of time to and type of recurrence. The follow up has been recently updated in 2006 resulting in a maximum observation period of 25 years. The cumulative incidences of the types of first relapse excluding progress under therapy were computed with competing risk analysis. Multivariate stepwise regression analyses according to the Cox proportional hazard model researched the influences of time to and type of relapse on survival after relapse. Results: More than 70% of first recurrences occurred within 2 years, and 85% within 3 years from initial diagnosis. Most common relapses were systemic with a 3-year cumulative incidence of approx. 0.10 each for lung metastases, bone metastases and multisystem metastases including other sites, followed by local and combined relapses both with a 3-year cumulative incidence of approx. 0.05. Multivariate analyses identified both early (<2 years after diagnosis) and combined relapses as most unfavorable prognostic factors for survival after relapse, with hazard ratios >2.5 (p<.001). Comparing relapse types, patients with local relapses, and pulmonary metastases only, had a better prognosis. Conclusions: The risk of relapse is markedly reduced 2–3 years after diagnosis. The treatment strategies should take the time at risk for relapse into consideration. New strategies for treatment of relapses are needed in particular for the most unfavorable bone, multisystem and combined relapses. Supported by Deutsche Krebshilfe Grants DKH M43/92/Jü2, DKH 70–2551 Jü3, and EU BIOMED Grants BMH1-CT92–1341 and BMH4–983956

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Treosulfan high dose therapy with autologous stem cell rescue in high-risk Ewing tumors

10039

Background: High dose (HD) chemotherapy using a busulfan-containing regimen has been proven advantageous for some high risk Ewing tumor (ET) patients. HD busulfan is not compatible with radiotherapy to central axis sites. Treosulfan is a bifunctional alkylating agent, structurally related to busulfan, that has shown to be safe even in heavily pretreated patients and patients at risk to treatment related toxicity. Methods: In vitro: In order to compare the cytotoxicity of busulfan and treosulfan, growth inhibition was tested by a modified (4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)2,5-diphenyltetrazolium-bromide (MTT) assay. In vivo: 11 patients with primary disseminated ET and contraindication for busulfan HD treatment and 11 patients with relapsed ET were referred to HD treosulfan (36 g/m2) and melphalan (140 mg/m2) followed by autologous stem cell rescue. Results: In vitro: Busulfan and treosulfan were cytotoxic in a time and dose dependent manner. Treosulfan was 15-fold more cytotoxic compared to busulfan. In vivo: The median age in patients with disseminated ET was 14.3 years, in relapsed ET 22.7 years. Sex distribution was equal. Response status prior to HD treosulfan was: stable disease in 4, partial response in 6, complete remission in 8, progressive disease in 1, not documented in 3 patients. Median follow up time in patients with disseminated ET was 0.91 years. All patients are alive. Four patients have relapsed within 2 years after HD treatment. Median follow up time in relapsed ET was 1.35 years. Seven patients are in remission, one patient is under treatment and two patients have died after relapse. HD was well tolerated with mucositis °3 in seven, °4 in three, stomatitis °3 in four, °4 in three , neutropenic infection °3 in three and reversible myelitis in one patient. Conclusions: Treosulfan HD treatment is a feasible therapeutic option without overt acute toxicity for patients with advanced ET. Efficacy and late effects remain to be evaluated.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Microsatellite instability in Ewing tumor is not associated with loss of mismatch repair protein expression

Only few clinical factors predict the prognosis of patients with Ewing tumors. Unfavorable outcome is associated with primary metastatic disease, age > 15 years, tumor volume above 200 ml, and the histological response to chemotherapy. The aim of this study was to elucidate the prevalence and clinical impact of microsatellite instability (MSI) together with the relation between MSI and mismatch repair protein expression in Ewing tumors. DNA from 61 primary Ewing tumors and 11 Ewing tumor cell lines was extracted and microsatellite analysis for the detection of instability or loss of heterozygosity was performed for the five markers of the Bethesda panel BAT25, BAT26, D5S346, D2S123, and D17S250, which represents the established marker panel for the analysis of hereditary non-polyposis colorectal carcinoma (HNPCC) patients. In addition, single nucleotide repeat regions of the two tumor genes BAX and transforming growth factor receptor II (TGFBR2) were also included. All of the 61 samples were suitable for LOH analysis and 55 for the determination of MSI-status. LOH of these microsatellite markers was detected in 9 of the 61 patients (14.8%). Over all, genetic instability, i.e. MSI and/or LOH, was detected in 17 tumors (27.9%). One out of the 11 tumor cell lines (STA ET1) was characterized by instability of all the five Bethesda markers, while from primary tumor samples, only one showed MSI in more than one microsatellite marker (D5S346 and D17S250, MSI-high). Eight of the fifty-five patients (14.5%) showed instability of one microsatellite locus (MSI-low). No instability was detected in BAT26, D2S123, BAX and TGFBR2. There was no significant correlation between MSI and loss of expression of mismatch repair proteins MLH1, MSH2, or MSH6. The impairment of the p53 signaling pathway (expression of TP53 and/or MDM2 by immunohistochemistry) was significantly associated with reduced overall survival (15 of 49 patients (30.6%), P = 0.0410, log-rank test). We conclude that MSI is not prevalent in Ewing tumor and that the nature of instability differs from the form observed in colorectal carcinoma, the model tumor of MSI. This is documented by the different pattern of MSI (no BAT26 instability) in Ewing tumors and the lack of a strict correlation between MSI-high and loss of expression of MSH2, MSH6 and MLH1.

[Treatment of anaphylactic reactions: a review of guidelines and recommendations]

In the present review, guidelines and recommendations for the treatment of anaphylactic reactions are presented and evaluated. Herefore, publications of German and non-German societies and expert groups have been selected and, in addition to that, we have chosen a number of articles that were cited frequently and, as far as we are concerned, have a relevant meaning for this theme. None of the traditionally applied remedies - epinephrine and intravascular volume, histamine receptor blockade, inhaled betamimetics and steroids - have been proven efficacious by means of evidence-based medicine. Due to the variability of the symptoms of anaphylaxis, it is widely accepted that such a clinical proof is unlikely to come. In contrast to this, there is lack of a consense as to substantial elements of the therapy, above all with regard to dosage and application mode for epinephrine and likewise concerning amount and kind of intravenous fluids. Hence, the physician in charge has to face the necessity either to follow the guidelines of his institution (if there are any) or to blend his own therapeutic regime according to his own convictions.