[Surgical treatment for malignancies in children--is prolonged bone marrow suppression an absolute contraindication for surgical procedures?]

AIM

To analyze the perioperative period in children who required surgery anticipated in the protocol and suffered from prolonged bone marrow suppression.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The surgical treatment of 15 children with prolonged bone marrow suppression, resistant to GM-CSF for 5-15 weeks (M=10), was retrospectively analyzed. Criteria to submit a patient to the group were: neutropenia <1000/ml or/and thrombocytopenia <70,000/ml. Four had thrombocytopenia, 8 neutropenia and 3 cytopenia of both cell lines. Neutropenic patients were divided into two groups: severe neutropenia--<500/ml (2), and moderate--500-1000/ml (7). Children with thrombocytopenia were divided into two groups: with thrombocytes <30,000/ml (2) and between 30,000-70,000/ml (5).

RESULTS

Complications (pneumonia and sepsis) were noted in 2 out of 4 children with severe neutropenia, remaining patients had uncomplicated perioperative period. Patients with moderate neutropenia did not show any alarming signs after surgery. As a major haemorrhage we assumed loosing > 30 percent of circulating blood. This was observed only in 1 patient (with thrombocytes <30,000/ml). 13 patients were discharged from our Department between 3-10 days after surgery in good general condition. Two had to be treated for a longer time because of advanced cancers (18 and 21 days).

CONCLUSIONS

Neutropenia does not seem to be an absolute contraindication for surgical procedures needed in complex cure of malignancies. In our opinion thrombocyte level > 30,000/ml appears to be safe enough to conduct surgery.

[Diagnosis and treatment of thyroid cancer in children in the multicenter analysis in Poland for PPGGL]

INTRODUCTION

Differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) in children presents different biological behavior in comparison to adults. Authors presents preliminary results of multicenter analysis concerning incidence, diagnostics and treatment of DTC in children.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study is a retrospective analysis of 107 pediatric patients from 14 academic centers based on the data from 2000 to 2005 obtained by questionnaire in hospitals involved in the treatment of DTC in children.

RESULTS

Papillary thyroid cancer was diagnosed in 83 children, follicular thyroid cancer in 10 children and medullary thyroid cancer in 14 children. Incidence of DTC in children was estimated between 18 and 23 cases per year. The biggest group of patients consisted of children between 11 and 15 years of age, with girls to boys ratio 3.3 : 1. Clinically DTC in children presented most often as solitary thyroid nodule. Cervical lymphadenopathy was observed in 42% of patients. Intraoperative verification indicated metastatic nodes in 50% of children. Low stage DTC predominated (T1 in 36% and T2 in 26% of children). One step surgery was performed in 65% of children with DTC, two step surgery in 25% of patients. I131 therapy was undertaken in 80% of children. Lung metastases were indicated in post therapeutic studies in 14% of children with DTC. Prophylactic thyroidectomies were performed in 79% of children in the group of patients with MTC and RET gene mutations.

CONCLUSIONS

The necessity of introduction of unified therapeutic standard in children with DTC in Poland is underlined.