Pediatric blood & cancer
-
Pediatric blood & cancer · Jan 2007
Multicenter Study Clinical TrialCaregiving time in sickle cell disease: psychological effects in maternal caregivers.
Providing home care for a child with a chronic illness can be stressful for the family. The purpose of this paper is to examine patterns of caregiving and the associated psychological impact on maternal caregivers of children with sickle cell disease (SCD). ⋯ The perceived care burden of caregivers of children with SCD may be related to the unpredictable nature of the crisis care they provide. Additional attention is warranted to developing adequate resources for caregivers of children with SCD to mitigate the stress of unexpected crises.
-
Pediatric blood & cancer · Dec 2006
Elevation of tricuspid regurgitant jet velocity, a marker for pulmonary hypertension in children with sickle cell disease.
Pulmonary hypertension (PHTN) is a potentially life-threatening complication, detected by echocardiographic evidence of elevated tricuspid regurgitant velocity (TRV). This condition has been described in adults with sickle cell disease (SCD) and other hemolytic disorders; however, there is little information on the occurrence of this condition in pediatric patients. ⋯ Elevated TRV, a surrogate marker for PHTN, occurs in children with SCD and is associated with low hemoglobin, elevated reticulocyte count, and cerebral vasculopathy. Appropriate screening by echocardiography can lead to detection and treatment that may reduce TRV and potentially reverse the disease process, prevent the increased morbidity and mortality associated with PHTN.
-
Pediatric blood & cancer · Nov 2006
Clinical TrialTopotecan and cyclophosphamide in patients with refractory or relapsed Ewing tumors.
The prognosis of Ewing tumor (ET) patients has significantly improved to cure rates approximating 70%. The prognosis in relapse, however, is poor. Promising response rates have recently been reported for the combination of topotecan (TOPO) and cyclophosphamide (CYC) encouraging wider application of this combination in patients with relapsed ETs. This report summarizes the experience of patients treated with TOPO/CYC for recurrent or refractory disease within the German ET trials. ⋯ TOPO/CYC is active in relapsed ETs and warrants further evaluation.
-
Pediatric blood & cancer · Nov 2006
Topotecan by 21-day continuous infusion in children with relapsed or refractory solid tumors: a Children's Oncology Group study.
The Children's Oncology Group conducted a phase II trial of 21-day continuous infusion topotecan to determine the response rate in pediatric patients with recurrent or refractory malignant solid tumors. ⋯ Intravenous topotecan by 21-day continuous infusion is tolerable in pediatric patients with recurrent or refractory solid tumors. Limited activity was seen in ESFT and further development of this topotecan schedule as a single agent is not warranted.