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Bilateral wilms' tumor
104
INTFBNATIONAL
whom were under 2 years of age and four over 2 years. Complete remission was obtained in seven children in follow-up of 12 to 23 months, while two died within one year of diagnosis. The site of the original tumor was adrenal gland in three, thoracic ganglia in two, abdomen in three, and unknown in one. One patient had received previous radiation, and two partial resection. In two patients with localized inoperable lesions, the tumor was subsequently successfully resected. Vincristine sulfate, 1.5 mg. per square meter of body surface area, was given every two weeks. Cyclophosphamide, 300 mg. per square meter, was also given every two weeks but alternating with the vincristine. Especially noteworthy was the fact that no more toxicity was produced by the concurrent administration of the two drugs than has been reported -R. Spencer
with
either
agent
alone.
BIOCHEMICAL, PHARMACOLOGICALAND HrsTOCHEMICALSTUDIESIN NEUROBLASTOMA. P. P. Anthony, H. M. T. Coles, J. PryseDavies and L. Sinduir. Arch. Dis. Child. 40:411, 1965. Hypertension and diarrhea have been recorded in several cases of neural crest tumours in which there has been an excessive secretion of catecholamines, their precursors or metabolic products. It has been assumed that the autonomic effects are always due to the production of these compounds by the tumor. Two cases of metastasizing neuroblastoma are described. In one there was hypertension and the evidence suggested that this was due to the tumor secreting adrenaline and noradrenaline. In the other child, who had hypertension and diarrhea, there was no excessive catecholamine activity and it is postulated that another agent, not a catecholamine derivative, may have been produced by the tumor.-.I. H. Johnston NEONATAL NEUROBLASTOMA.K. M. Schneider, J. M. Becker and I. H. Krasna. Pediatrics 36:359-366, 1965. Four infants with symptoms originating from neuroblastoma during the first month of life are described in detail. One survives 26 months after therapy. A review of the Enelish literature since
ABSTRACTS
OF PEDIATRIC
SURGERY
1940 discloses 56 reported cases of neuroblastoma presenting in the first month of life. Thirty-one (51.7 per cent) of these had metastases when diagnosed. Subcutaneous metastases appear to be peculiar to this group of patients, occurring in 10 or 32 per cent. In neonates the primary site of origin of the tumor mirrors that of older children. However, in 6 infants the tumor was present in both adrenal glands, Of the total 60 cases, 29 are dead and 23 alive (38.3 per cent). In management, result of therapy and prognosis, this group of patients differs little from older children with neuroblastoma.-W. Sieber BILATERAL WILMS’ TUMOR. H. E. Snyder, S. K. Brockrnan, B. P. Grant ad J. H. Foster. Amer. J. Surg. 110:492, 1965. Report of tumor treated
a case of bilateral Wilms’s with (1) biopsy, (2) Actino-
mycin D, (3) cobalt radiotherapy and (4) one month later, bilateral partial nephrectomy followed by more Actinomycin D and radiotherapy with an unsuccessful result.N. K. Connolly NEPHR~BLASTOMA IN A CASE OF AGONADISM. T. Angstrom. Cancer 18:857, 1965. A case is reported of a 2 year old child with nephroblastoma, or Wilms’s tumor and lack of gonads. Nephroblastomas are thought to arise from the metanephros and at some point in fetal life undergo malignant transformation. Failure of gonadal deveIopment from this anlage of common origin gives rise to the possibility of one common etiologic factor operating in the fetus to produce these two conditions--W. H. Hen&en FAILURE OF THYMECTOMY TO ALTER SUBSEQUENT COURSE OF HUMAN ACUTE LEUKEMIA IN DRUG-INDUCED REMISSION. R. M. Jiji, M. Sachs, E. Linberg and C. SpurZing. Blood 26:142, 1965. On the knowledge that thymectomy in high leukemia strain mice considerably reduces incidence of spontaneous leukemia, the authors performed thymectomy in three patients (ages 3, 4, and 16 years) with acute In each instance thymectomy leukemia. failed to influence the subsequent course of the disease.--M. Gilbert
INTFBNATIONAL
whom were under 2 years of age and four over 2 years. Complete remission was obtained in seven children in follow-up of 12 to 23 months, while two died within one year of diagnosis. The site of the original tumor was adrenal gland in three, thoracic ganglia in two, abdomen in three, and unknown in one. One patient had received previous radiation, and two partial resection. In two patients with localized inoperable lesions, the tumor was subsequently successfully resected. Vincristine sulfate, 1.5 mg. per square meter of body surface area, was given every two weeks. Cyclophosphamide, 300 mg. per square meter, was also given every two weeks but alternating with the vincristine. Especially noteworthy was the fact that no more toxicity was produced by the concurrent administration of the two drugs than has been reported -R. Spencer
with
either
agent
alone.
BIOCHEMICAL, PHARMACOLOGICALAND HrsTOCHEMICALSTUDIESIN NEUROBLASTOMA. P. P. Anthony, H. M. T. Coles, J. PryseDavies and L. Sinduir. Arch. Dis. Child. 40:411, 1965. Hypertension and diarrhea have been recorded in several cases of neural crest tumours in which there has been an excessive secretion of catecholamines, their precursors or metabolic products. It has been assumed that the autonomic effects are always due to the production of these compounds by the tumor. Two cases of metastasizing neuroblastoma are described. In one there was hypertension and the evidence suggested that this was due to the tumor secreting adrenaline and noradrenaline. In the other child, who had hypertension and diarrhea, there was no excessive catecholamine activity and it is postulated that another agent, not a catecholamine derivative, may have been produced by the tumor.-.I. H. Johnston NEONATAL NEUROBLASTOMA.K. M. Schneider, J. M. Becker and I. H. Krasna. Pediatrics 36:359-366, 1965. Four infants with symptoms originating from neuroblastoma during the first month of life are described in detail. One survives 26 months after therapy. A review of the Enelish literature since
ABSTRACTS
OF PEDIATRIC
SURGERY
1940 discloses 56 reported cases of neuroblastoma presenting in the first month of life. Thirty-one (51.7 per cent) of these had metastases when diagnosed. Subcutaneous metastases appear to be peculiar to this group of patients, occurring in 10 or 32 per cent. In neonates the primary site of origin of the tumor mirrors that of older children. However, in 6 infants the tumor was present in both adrenal glands, Of the total 60 cases, 29 are dead and 23 alive (38.3 per cent). In management, result of therapy and prognosis, this group of patients differs little from older children with neuroblastoma.-W. Sieber BILATERAL WILMS’ TUMOR. H. E. Snyder, S. K. Brockrnan, B. P. Grant ad J. H. Foster. Amer. J. Surg. 110:492, 1965. Report of tumor treated
a case of bilateral Wilms’s with (1) biopsy, (2) Actino-
mycin D, (3) cobalt radiotherapy and (4) one month later, bilateral partial nephrectomy followed by more Actinomycin D and radiotherapy with an unsuccessful result.N. K. Connolly NEPHR~BLASTOMA IN A CASE OF AGONADISM. T. Angstrom. Cancer 18:857, 1965. A case is reported of a 2 year old child with nephroblastoma, or Wilms’s tumor and lack of gonads. Nephroblastomas are thought to arise from the metanephros and at some point in fetal life undergo malignant transformation. Failure of gonadal deveIopment from this anlage of common origin gives rise to the possibility of one common etiologic factor operating in the fetus to produce these two conditions--W. H. Hen&en FAILURE OF THYMECTOMY TO ALTER SUBSEQUENT COURSE OF HUMAN ACUTE LEUKEMIA IN DRUG-INDUCED REMISSION. R. M. Jiji, M. Sachs, E. Linberg and C. SpurZing. Blood 26:142, 1965. On the knowledge that thymectomy in high leukemia strain mice considerably reduces incidence of spontaneous leukemia, the authors performed thymectomy in three patients (ages 3, 4, and 16 years) with acute In each instance thymectomy leukemia. failed to influence the subsequent course of the disease.--M. Gilbert