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The TD for childhood lymphomas and solid tumors was related to patient age, tumor type and location, the presence of distance metastases, first health professional, and center contacted. All physicians, especially other specialists seeing pediatric patients, need to be further sensitized to the signs and symptoms of childhood cancer.

Background/Aims: To evaluate the protective effects of acetyl L-carnitine (ALCAR) on cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats, and to gain insights into the possible protective mechanisms of ALCAR against nephrotoxicity. Methods: Twenty-eight Wistar rats were divided into four groups. Group 1 was administered saline only, group 2 was administered ALCAR, group 3 was administered cisplatin, and group 4 was administered ALCAR prior to cisplatin. Rats were sacrificed after 72 h of cisplatin/saline infusion. Serum creatinine and glomerular filtration rate values were obtained, and kidney samples were examined by light and electron microscopy. Apoptotic cell death and caspase-3, 8 and 9 activities were studied immunohistochemically. Results: In group 4, ALCAR administration resulted in an improvement in kidney function tests. Histopathological findings confirmed the biochemical data. Whilst the fusion of the foot processes of podocytes was observed in group 3, they were intact in group 4 on electron-microscopic examination. Apoptotic cell death and caspase-3, 8 and 9 activities were also decreased in group 4 compared to group 3. Conclusions: Antioxidative, antiapoptotic and anti-inflammatory properties of ALCAR were supported by the findings that this agent improves kidney function tests and has the effects of tissue protection and inhibition of apoptosis in cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity.

Since a large variety of disorders may lead to lymph node enlargement determining the cause of peripheral lymphadenopathy (LAP) in children can be difficult. This retrospective study evaluated 200 children who were admitted to an Oncology-Hematology department because of lymphadenopathy and aimed to determine the clinical and laboratory findings that were valuable for differential diagnosis. A specific cause for lymphadenopathy was documented in 93 (46.5%) cases. One hundred forty (70%) children were classified as having a benign cause for lymph node enlargements. Fourteen (10%) of these cases underwent an excisional lymph node biopsy, and histopathological examination showed a reactive hyperplasia. Sixty (30%) cases were classified as having a malignant disease-causing lymphadenopathy. In terms of differential diagnosis, some associated systemic symptoms, physical findings, and laboratory investigations showed significant difference between benign and malignant lymphadenopathy groups. The following findings were determined as being important to alert the physician about the probability of a malignant disorder: location of the lymphadenapathy (supraclavicular and posterior auricular), duration of the lymph node enlargement (>4 weeks), size of the lymph node (>3 cm), abnormal complete blood cell findings, abnormalities in chest X-ray, and abdominal ultrasonography.