Publications by authors named "Massimo Eraldo Abate"

You-Hoover-Fong syndrome (YHFS) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by global developmental delay, microcephaly, dysmorphic facial features, and a spectrum of neurodevelopmental abnormalities. YHFS is caused by pathogenic variants in TELO2, a gene involved in regulation of the cell cycle. To date, 29 individuals with YHFS have been reported and none of them has been reported to develop tumors.

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The development of cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) is a well-recognized sequela of irradiation to the brain in pediatric tumors, particularly in medulloblastoma, glioma, and acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. So far, only one case of cerebral cavernoma after chemotherapy with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has been described. We describe a case of a patient with medulloblastoma aged 18 months at the time of oncological diagnosis who was treated with high-dose chemotherapy followed by HSCT and who developed CCM two years later.

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Article Synopsis
  • The report focuses on pediatric diffuse high-grade gliomas (PDHGG), which are rare brain tumors with limited treatment options, and explores the potential of using [Cu]CuCl for molecular imaging and identifying therapeutic targets.
  • The study involved ten pediatric patients who underwent PET/CT scans with [Cu]CuCl to assess tumor metabolism, with results indicating that tracer uptake correlated with MRI findings and increased over time.
  • The findings suggest that [Cu]CuCl is safe and shows enhanced uptake in tumor areas associated with blood-brain barrier damage, indicating its potential as a diagnostic tool in PDHGG.
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Purpose: Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a malignant tumor frequent in children. The frequency and characteristics of cranial nerve involvement in pediatric head and neck (H&N) RMS have been scarcely reported. The aim of this study is to review a large cohort of pediatric head and neck RMS with an emphasis on cranial nerve involvement.

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Article Synopsis
  • Childhood cancers can present symptoms similar to rheumatic diseases, making accurate diagnosis crucial to avoid inappropriate treatment that could worsen outcomes.
  • A multicenter study in Italy collected data from nearly 2000 patients under 16 diagnosed with either cancer or juvenile idiopathic arthritis to identify and differentiate musculoskeletal symptoms.
  • Out of 1277 cancer patients, 25% exhibited musculoskeletal symptoms, with malignant bone tumors showing the highest prevalence, highlighting the need for careful diagnosis to distinguish between cancer and juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
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  • Malignant spinal cord compression (MSCC) in children can lead to severe outcomes like paralysis and sensory loss, with limited data on its incidence and causes in kids, especially under 18.
  • The study examined 44 pediatric patients admitted for MSCC since 2007, finding that most cases were due to extramedullary tumors, primarily neuroblastoma and Ewing sarcoma, often being the first symptom of new malignancies.
  • Symptoms included motor deficits in all patients and pain in 60%, with a notable variation in the time between symptom onset and tumor diagnosis, particularly shorter for those with existing cancers.
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Background: Ewing sarcoma (ES) is the second most common bone tumor in adolescents and children. Staging workup for ES includes imaging and bone marrow biopsy (BMB). The effective role of BMB is now under discussion.

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This mono-institutional observational study was conducted to determine incidence, severity, risk factors, and outcome of sinusoidal obstruction syndrome/veno-occlusive disease (SOS/VOD) in high-risk Ewing sarcoma (ES) patients treated with intravenous busulfan and melphalan (BU-MEL) followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). During the past 10 years, 75 consecutive ES patients resulted evaluable for the analysis. After diagnosis of SOS/VOD, defibrotide therapy was started as soon as the medication was available.

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Background: Post-relapse survival (PRS) was evaluated in patients with Ewing sarcoma (EWS) enrolled in chemotherapy protocols based on the use of high-dose chemotherapy with busulfan and melfalan (HDT) as a first-line consolidation treatment in high-risk patients.

Procedure: EWS patients enrolled in ISG/SSG III and IV trials who relapsed after complete remission were included in the analysis. At recurrence, chemotherapy based on high-dose ifosfamide was foreseen, and patients who responded but had not received HDT underwent consolidation therapy with HDT.

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Influence of age and sex on chemotherapy-related toxicity was evaluated in children (3-9 years), adolescents (10-17 years), and adults (up to 40 years) with localized Ewing sarcoma (ES) enrolled in the ISG/SSG III protocol. Treatment was based on vincristine, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, dactinomycin, and etoposide. High-dose chemotherapy with busulfan and melphalan was given in poor responder patients.

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Background: The incidence of central venous catheter (CVC)-related complications reported in pediatric sarcoma patients is not established as reports in available literature are limited. The analysis of risk factors is part of the strategy to reduce the incidence of CVC complications.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of CVC complications in children with bone sarcomas and if defined clinical variables represent a risk factor.

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Background: The occurrence of high-grade osteosarcoma is rare in children aged 5 years or younger and only limited series or case reports have been described.

Methods: The records of patients aged 5 years or younger with non-metastatic high-grade osteosarcoma of the extremities treated with surgery and adjuvant or neo-adjuvant chemotherapy at Rizzoli Institute between 1972 and 1999 were retrospectively evaluated in relation to gender, primary tumor site, histological subtype, surgical treatment, chemotherapy-induced tumor necrosis, 5- and 10-year event-free survival (EFS), and rate of local recurrence. Data were compared to patients aged 6-40 years entered with the same diagnosis and over the same time interval.

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