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Medulloblastoma in young children has a poor prognosis. Furthermore, cognitive function in survivors is often impaired owing to treatment with cranial radiotherapy. This study obtained promising results in children undergoing intensive chemotherapy alone. For years there has been little progress in the treatment of medulloblastoma, the commonest tumor of the central nervous system in children. This study obtained promising results in children undergoing intensive chemotherapy alone. Twenty-five to 35 percent of cases of medulloblastoma, the most common malignant brain tumor of childhood, occur in children younger than three years of age. 1 In contrast to the prognosis for older children, the prognosis for infants and young children treated with surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy remains poor: survival rates have been static for two decades. 2 The lack of progress relates not only to the frequent occurrence of metastases at diagnosis but also to the biology of medulloblastoma in young children. 3 – 5 In addition, the susceptibility of the immature brain to radiotherapy-induced cognitive deficits, 6 – 8 which increase for years after . . .

We longitudinally analysed functional capacity and quality of life (QoL) in 102 patients with a childhood craniopharyngioma during follow-up. The Fertigkeitenskala Münster-Heidelberg (FMH) ability scale was used for QoL assessment. Multivariate analysis evaluated FMH scores at various time points, examining hypothalamus involvement (HI), body mass index (BMI), degree of resection, tumour progression, relapse and irradiation. Patients without HI (n=60) self-assessed higher QoL at baseline (p=0.001) and follow-up (p<0.001) than patients with HI (n=42). Only patients without HI evaluated at baseline >12 months after diagnosis showed longitudinal improvement in FMH scores (p=0.040). Rates of incomplete resection and irradiation were higher (p=0.070 and p=0.002 respectively) in patients with HI. In multivariate analysis, only HI, tumour relapse, progression, baseline FMH score, and time between diagnosis and baseline evaluation had independent impact on QoL. HI, tumour progression, and relapse had long-term QoL affects-most notably, severe obesity.

Pontine gliomas are the subgroup of brainstem gliomas with the worst prognosis. Controversial treatment approaches are discussed. Data of children with pontine gliomas treated in different prospective multi-center studies who were registered in the HIT-GBM database were pooled and analyzed addressing prognostic factors and the relevance of intensive treatment using contingency tables, Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression analyses. From 1983 to 2001, 153 patients (74 males, 79 females, mean age: 8.1 years) with pontine gliomas were registered. Twenty-one tumors were low-grade and 60 were high-grade gliomas (72 undefined histology: 67 no surgery, 5 incomplete data). Sixteen tumors were partially resected, and 125 were irradiated. Ninety children received chemotherapy according to the \"HIT-GBM\" protocols (\"Hirntumor-Glioblastoma multiforme\"). The one-year overall survival rate (1YOS) of all patients with pontine glioma was 39.9+/-4.3%. None of the surviving patients had an observation time longer than 3.9 years. Favorable prognostic factors seemed to be age younger than 4 years, low-grade histology and smaller tumor. All three major treatment modalities including resection, irradiation and chemotherapy had prognostic relevance in univariable analysis. Chemotherapy remained beneficial, even if the analysis was restricted to the subgroup of irradiated tumors (1YOS 45.8+/-5.4% vs. 34.4+/-13.5%, P=0.030). Irradiation is an effective element for the treatment of pontine gliomas. Intensive chemotherapy seems to be important in achieving a better OS.

Background In patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), hypertension and microalbuminuria are predictive markers for increased renal and cardiovascular risk. This post hoc analysis of data from a global development program aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of linagliptin in a population with joint prevalence of these two vascular risk factors. Methods Data for patients with baseline microalbuminuria (urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio 30–300 mg/g) and hypertension (systolic blood pressure ≥ 140 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90 mm Hg and/or a history of hypertension; and/or an antihypertensive treatment at baseline) who participated in any of six randomized, placebo-controlled, phase III trials were analyzed. Participants received linagliptin 5 mg daily (alone or in combination with other oral antidiabetic drugs) or placebo for 18 to 24 weeks. Results Of 3,119 patients, 512 had both microalbuminuria and hypertension (linagliptin, 366; placebo, 146). Baseline mean (SD) HbA1c was 8.3 (0.9)% and 8.4 (0.9)%; median (range) urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio was 60 (30–292) mg/g and 64 (30–298) mg/g; mean (SD) systolic blood pressure was 138 (15) mm Hg and 135 (16) mm Hg; and mean (SD) diastolic blood pressure was 81 (10) mm Hg and 81 (10) mm Hg, for linagliptin and placebo, respectively. Placebo-corrected mean change in HbA1c from baseline to week 18 and week 24 was -0.57% (95% CI: -0.75, -0.39; P  < 0.0001) and -0.59% (95% CI: -0.80, -0.39; P  < 0.0001), respectively. Placebo-corrected mean change in FPG from baseline to week 24 was -21.3 mg/dl (95% CI: -31.0, -11.6; P  < 0.0001). The incidence of drug-related adverse events was similar for linagliptin and placebo (10.4% and 8.2%, respectively). Changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels were similar between linagliptin and placebo. Conclusion In T2DM patients with the two common vascular risk factors of hypertension and microalbuminuria, linagliptin achieved significant improvements in glycemic control. In this vulnerable patient population at high risk for micro- and macrovascular complications, linagliptin was well tolerated.

Pediatric neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1) patients are prone to developing low-grade glioma (LGG). The HIT-LGG study 1996 aimed to observe the natural history of pediatric LGG and to postpone irradiation in younger children by using carboplatinum and vincristine in case non-surgical treatment was required. A total of 109 of 1,044 (10.4%) protocol patients had a genetic NF-1 trait [57 female patients; median age 5.1 years (range 1–15.4 years)]. Eighty-three patients (76%) suffered from an optic pathway tumor. Neuroimaging only allowed diagnosis in 67 patients. Histology revealed pilocytic astrocytoma WHO grade I in 38 of 42 biopsied patients. Sixty-five (60%) patients received non-surgical treatment, either chemotherapy ( n  = 55) or irradiation ( n  = 10). The overall survival rate of 96% after a median observation time of 5.25 years contrasts with an event free survival rate (EFS) of 0.24 at 5 years. Progressive LGG were observed even in children older than 11 years. Chiasmatic/postchiasmatic localization was a univariate risk factor for progressive disease. In the chemotherapy group, we observed a 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) rate of 0.73. Similarly, the PFS rate in the irradiation group was 0.78. Multivariate analysis revealed surgical intervention and localization within the optic pathway as factors that increased the risk of tumor progression. In this large prospective multinational study, LGG in NF-1 patients did progress in 75% of patients. Chemotherapy yielded acceptable PFS. The biological factors determining progression remain poorly understood.

Craniopharyngioma is a rare dysontogenetic benign tumor. Patients frequently suffer from endocrine deficiencies, sleep disturbances and obesity due to pituitary and hypothalamic lesions. A self-assessment daytime sleepiness questionnaire (German version of the Epworth Sleepiness Scale [ESS]) was used to evaluate 79 patients with childhood craniopharyngioma. Because hypothalamic lesions may explain daytime sleepiness in craniopharyngioma patients, salivary melatonin and cortisol concentrations were examined in severely obese (BMI ≥ 4SD) and non severely obese (BMI < 4SD) craniopharyngioma patients (n=79), patients with hypothalamic pilocytic astrocytoma (n=19), and control subjects (n=30). Using a general linear model procedure analyzing the influence of BMI and tumor diagnosis on diurnal salivary melatonin we found that morning salivary melatonin levels were related to BMI (F test: p-value=0.004) and tumor diagnosis (F-test: p-value=0.032). Also for nighttime salivary melatonin levels significant relations with BMI (p-value in F-test: <0.001) and tumor diagnosis (p-value in F-test: 0.025) were detectable. Melatonin concentrations in saliva of craniopharyngioma patients collected at nighttime or in the morning showed a negative correlation (Spearman's rho: −0.42; p=0.001; Spearman's rho: −0.31; p=0.020) with the patient's ESS score. Severely obese craniopharyngioma patients and severely obese hypothalamic tumor patients had similar patterns of melatonin secretion. Differences in terms of diurnal salivary cortisol concentrations were not detectable when patient groups and controls were compared. As decreased nocturnal melatonin levels were associated with increased daytime sleepiness, BMI and hypothalamic tumor diagnosis, we initiated an experimental melatonin substitution in 10 adult obese patients (5f/5m) with childhood craniopharyngioma. In all 10 patients with childhood craniopharyngioma the degree of daytime sleepiness significantly improved based on activity diaries, ESS, self assessment questionnaires and actimetry. We speculate that hypothalamic lesions might be responsible for both obesity and daytime sleepiness. As first experiences with experimental melatonin substitution were promising, further randomized double-blinded studies on the beneficial effects of melatonin substitution on daytime sleepiness and weight control in these patients are warranted.

To evaluate the efficacy/safety of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor, linagliptin, in subjects with insufficiently controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and factors influencing treatment response. Pooled analysis of data from 2258 subjects in three 24-week phase III, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group studies, who received oral linagliptin (5mg/day) or placebo as monotherapy, added-on to metformin, or added-on to metformin plus sulfonylurea was performed. Among 388 subjects with HbA1c ≥9.0%, adjusted mean baseline HbA1c (9.4% both groups) declined to 8.3% in linagliptin group and 9.1% in placebo group at 24weeks (P<.0001) and adjusted mean change from baseline was 1.2% (vs. 0.4%, placebo). Linagliptin significantly lowered fasting plasma glucose levels vs. placebo (1.6mmol/l vs. 0.4mmol/l); treatment difference, 1.1mmol/l (95% CI, −1.7 to −0.5). Treatment and washout of previous oral antidiabetes drugs were the only factors to independently affect HbA1c change at week 24. Adverse event rates were similar for linagliptin (61.9%) and placebo (62.7%). Hypoglycemia was rare with linagliptin monotherapy/add-on to metformin (≤1%) and increased when linagliptin was added to metformin plus sulfonylurea (linagliptin, 17.9% vs. placebo, 8.3%). Linagliptin was an effective, well-tolerated treatment in subjects with T2DM and insufficient glycemic control, both as monotherapy or added-on to metformin/metformin plus sulfonylurea.

Ependymoblastoma is a rare malignant brain tumor of early childhood. Data on clinical behavior and optimal treatment strategies are scarce. We report on 11 consecutively treated children with centrally confirmed diagnosis of CNS ependymoblastoma, registered between February 1994 and October 2006 to the prospective GPOH-HIT multicenter brain tumor trials, and treated by multimodal regimens. Median age at diagnosis was 3.5 years (range, 1.8–5.6 years), and the median follow-up of survivors was 5.9 years (range, 2.2–12.7 years). Initial stage was M0 in 9, and M0/1 (no cerebrospinal fluid examination done) in 2 patients. Gross-total tumor resection was achieved in 7 patients, incomplete resection in 4 patients. Further primary therapy included chemotherapy in all patients, craniospinal radiotherapy in 5 patients and high-dose chemotherapy in 2 patients. Tumor response to chemotherapy was observed in 1 of 4 evaluable patients. Tumor progression occurred in 7 patients after a median time of 5.0 months (range, 2.5–19.2 months). Five-year progression-free survival was 36.4% (±14.5%), 5-year overall survival 30.3% (±15.9%). Of 4 survivors, 3 had gross-total tumor resection, and all were treated by either craniospinal radiotherapy and/or high-dose chemotherapy with autologous blood stem cell rescue. Prognosis of children with ependymoblastoma is poor, but sustained remissions have been achieved after multimodal treatment. Considerable diagnostic discrepancies between local and central pathologists underscore the importance of central review. Further studies are needed to improve survival of children with this rare malignant central nervous system tumor.

We analyzed the impact of tumour localization and histology on functional capacity (FC) and body mass index (BMI) in children with sellar masses. FC was evaluated using the ability scale Fertigkeitenskala Münster-Heidelberg in 403 children and adolescents with sellar masses (276 craniopharyngioma, 14 germinoma, 21 optic/chiasmatic glioma, 40 hypothalamic glioma, 13 cysts of Rathke's cleft and 39 other sellar masses). Besides tumour localization, the influence of gender, irradiation and age at diagnosis and at evaluation on FC and BMI was analyzed. General linear models with explanatory influential variables were built. In multivariate analysis, only age at diagnosis (p<0.001) and hypothalamic involvement (p=0.005) had relevant impact on FC. The second model showed BMI at diagnosis (p<0,001), hypothalamic involvement (p<0.001) and craniopharyngioma (p=0,004) to influence BMI at the latest evaluation. We conclude that hypothalamic involvement and young age at diagnosis had major impact on FC and BMI and should be considered as risk factors for impaired rehabilitation.