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COVID-19 vaccination in children and adolescents aged 5 years and older undergoing treatment for cancer and non-malignant haematological conditions: Australian and New Zealand Children’s Haematology/Oncology Group consensus statementThe Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation and New Zealand Ministry of Health recommend all children aged ≥ 5 years receive either of the two mRNA COVID-19 vaccines: Comirnaty (Pfizer), available in both Australia and New Zealand, or Spikevax (Moderna), available in Australia only. Both vaccines are efficacious and safe in the general population, including children. Children and adolescents undergoing treatment for cancer and immunosuppressive therapy for non-malignant haematological conditions are particularly vulnerable, with an increased risk of severe or fatal COVID-19.
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Invasive fungal disease in children with solid tumors: An Australian multicenter 10-year reviewInvasive fungal disease (IFD) occurs less frequently during treatment for solid compared to hematological malignancies in children, and risk groups are poorly defined. Retrospective national multicenter cohort data (2004-2013) were analyzed to document prevalence, clinical characteristics, and microbiology of IFD.
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Lightening the leukaemia load for kids with Down syndromeKids born with Down syndrome are at high risk of an array of health problems. One of the lesser-known complications is their increased risk of childhood leukaemia.
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Delivery of PEGylated liposomal doxorubicin by bispecific antibodies improves treatment in models of high-risk childhood leukemiaHigh-risk childhood leukemia has a poor prognosis because of treatment failure and toxic side effects of therapy. Drug encapsulation into liposomal nanocarriers has shown clinical success at improving biodistribution and tolerability of chemotherapy. However, enhancements in drug efficacy have been limited because of a lack of selectivity of the liposomal formulations for the cancer cells.
Research
Case Report: Long-Term Survival of a Pediatric Patient With an Intra-Abdominal Undifferentiated Carcinoma of Unknown PrimaryThis report provides detailed characterization of carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP) in a young child and in the absence of defined therapeutic guidelines for pediatric CUP, the successful treatment strategy described should be considered for similar cases.
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Effective targeting of NAMPT in patient-derived xenograft models of high-risk pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemiaOur study provides evidence that OT-82 is a promising new therapeutic strategy for a broad spectrum of high-risk pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia
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Are outcomes for childhood leukaemia in Australia influenced by geographical remoteness and Indigenous race?Presenting features, biology and outcome for childhood leukaemia are known to vary by ethnic origin, geographic location and socioeconomic group. This study aimed to compare presentation patterns, follow-up and clinical outcomes in Indigenous and non-Indigenous children with acute leukaemia in Australia, and to assess the impact of remoteness and area-based socioeconomic disadvantage on outcome.
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Clinical Implications of Minimal Residual Disease Detection in Infants With KMT2A-Rearranged Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Treated on the Interfant-06 ProtocolInfant acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is characterized by a high incidence of KMT2A gene rearrangements and poor outcome. We evaluated the value of minimal residual disease (MRD) in infants with KMT2A-rearranged ALL treated within the Interfant-06 protocol, which compared lymphoid-style consolidation (protocol IB) versus myeloid-style consolidation (araC, daunorubicin, etoposide/mitoxantrone, araC, etoposide).
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Biologic and Clinical Analysis of Childhood Gamma Delta T-ALL Identifies LMO2/STAG2 Rearrangements as Extremely High RiskAcute lymphoblastic leukemia expressing the gamma delta T-cell receptor (γδ T-ALL) is a poorly understood disease. We studied 200 children with γδ T-ALL from 13 clinical study groups to understand the clinical and genetic features of this disease. We found age and genetic drivers were significantly associated with outcome.
Research
Efficacy of DYRK1A inhibitors in novel models of Down syndrome acute lymphoblastic leukemiaDespite significant advances, outcomes for children with Down syndrome (DS, trisomy 21) who develop acute lymphoblastic leukemia remain poor. Reports of large DS-ALL cohorts have shown that children with DS have inferior event-free survival and overall survival compared to children without DS.