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Background: Most children with cancer live in resource-limited countries where malnutrition is often prevalent. We identified the relationship between malnutrition and treatment-related morbidity (TRM), abandonment of therapy, and survival of children with cancer in Nicaragua to better inform targeted nutritional interventions. vs. 5.58 years; P = 0.049), and abandoned therapy more frequently (P = 0.015). Conclusions:In Nicaragua, pediatric oncology patients with malnutrition at diagnosis experienced increased TRM, abandoned therapy more frequently, and had inferior EFS. Standardized nutritional evaluation of patients with newly diagnosed cancer and targeted provision of nutritional support are essential to decrease TRM and improve outcomes.

Pediatric cancer programs in low-income countries (LIC) can improve outcomes. However, treatment must be tailored to the patient's living conditions and the availability of supportive care. In some cases, a more intense regimen will decrease survival since the increase in death from toxicity may exceed any decrease in relapse. Attempts to practice evidence-based pediatric oncology are thwarted by the lack of evidence derived from local experience in LIC to determine optimal therapy. This report summarizes treatment regimens used by pediatric oncologists from 15 countries of the Caribbean, Central and South America who participate in the Monza International School of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology (MISPHO). Patients with hepatoblastoma, Wilms tumor, and histiocytosis treated on unmodified published protocols had outcomes comparable to those in high-income countries (HIC). Those with rhabdomyosarcoma, osteosarcoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, and acute myeloid leukemia treated with unmodified regimens had event-free survival estimates 10%-20% lower than those reported in HIC due to higher rates of toxic death, abandonment of therapy, and relapse. Treatment of retinoblastoma is complicated by advanced stages and extraocular disease at diagnosis; improved outcomes depend on education of pediatricians and the public to recognize early signs of this disease. Use of unmodified protocols for Burkitt lymphoma and acute lymphoblastic leukemia have been associated with unacceptable toxicity in LIC, so MISPHO centers have modified published regimens by giving lower doses of methotrexate and reducing use of anthracyclines. Despite the use of all-trans-retinoic acid during induction for acute promyelocytic leukemia, the incidence of fatal hemorrhage remains unacceptably high.

Background Delivery of effective treatment for pediatric solid tumors poses a particular challenge to centers in middle-income countries (MIC) already vigorously addressing pediatric cancer. This study aimed to improve our understanding of barriers to effective treatment of pediatric solid tumors in MICs. Methods An ecological model centering in pediatric sarcoma and expanding to country as the environment were used as benchmark for studying delivery of solid tumor care in MICs. Data on resources was gathered from seven centers members of the Central American Association of Pediatric Hematologists and Oncologists (AHOPCA) using an infrastructure assessment tool. Pediatric sarcoma outcomes data was available and retrieved from hospital-based cancer registries for six of the seven centers and analyzed by country. Patients diagnosed from 1/1/2000-12/31/2009 with osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, and other soft tissue sarcomas were included in the analysis. In order to explore correlations between resources and outcomes a pilot performance-index was created. Findings Results identified specific human resources, communication, quality and infrastructure deficits. Treatment abandonment rate, metastatic disease at diagnosis, relapse rate and 4-year abandonment-sensitive overall survival (AOS) varied considerably by country (1-38%, 15-54%, 24-52%, 21-51%, respectively). Treatment abandonment rate correlated inversely with health economic expenditure per capita (r= −0.86, p=0.03) and life expectancy at birth (r = −0.93, p=0.007). Four-year AOS correlated inversely with under-5 mortality rate (r= −0.80, p=0.05) and directly with the pilot performance-index (r =0.98, p=0.005). Interpretation Initiatives to improve treatment effectiveness of pediatric solid tumor care in MIC and pediatric sarcoma in particular are warranted. Building capacity and infrastructure, improving supportive care and communication, and fostering comprehensive multidisciplinary teams are identified as keystones in Central America. A measure that meaningfully describes performance in delivering pediatric cancer care is feasible and needed to advance comparative prospective analysis of pediatric cancer care and define resource-clusters internationally.

PURPOSE Treatment abandonment because of enucleation refusal is a limitation of improving outcomes for children with retinoblastoma in countries with limited resources. Furthermore, many children present with buphthalmos and a high risk of globe rupture during enucleation. To address these unique circumstances, the AHOPCA II protocol introduced neoadjuvant chemotherapy with delayed enucleation. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with advanced unilateral intraocular disease (International Retinoblastoma Staging System [IRSS] stage I) were considered for upfront enucleation. Those with diffuse invasion of the choroid, postlaminar optic nerve, and/or anterior chamber invasion received six cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy (vincristine, carboplatin, and etoposide). Patients with buphthalmos and those with a perceived risk for enucleation refusal and/or abandonment were given two to three cycles of chemotherapy before scheduled enucleation followed by adjuvant chemotherapy to complete six cycles, regardless of pathology. RESULTS A total of 161 patients had unilateral IRSS stage I disease; 102 underwent upfront enucleation, and 59 had delayed enucleation. The estimated 5-year abandonment-sensitive event-free and overall survival rates for the group were 0.81 ± 0.03 and 0.86 ± 0.03, respectively. The 5-year estimated abandonment-sensitive event-free survival rates for patients undergoing upfront and delayed enucleation were 0.89 ± 0.03 and 0.68 ± 0.06, respectively ( P = .001). Compared with AHOPCA I, abandonment for patients with IRSS stage I retinoblastoma decreased from 16% to 4%. CONCLUSION AHOPCA describes the results of advanced intraocular retinoblastoma treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. In eyes with buphthalmos and patients with risk of abandonment, neoadjuvant chemotherapy can be effective when followed by enucleation and adjuvant chemotherapy. Our study suggests that this approach can save patients with buphthalmos from ocular rupture and might reduce refusal of enucleation and abandonment.

Background Treating B–non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (B‐NHL) in lower‐income countries is challenging because of imprecise diagnosis, the increased risk of fatal toxicity associated with advanced disease at presentation, and limited supportive care. Procedure Central American patients with newly diagnosed stage I or II B‐NHL received a modified Berlin–Frankfurt–Münster (BFM) regimen including a prephase (prednisone, cyclophosphamide) followed by A/B/A courses (A: cytarabine, dexamethasone, etoposide, ifosfamide, methotrexate, and intrathecal therapy; B: cyclophosphamide, dexamethasone, doxorubicin, methotrexate, and intrathecal therapy). Those with stage III or IV NHL received additional courses (B/A/B), intensified for stage IV disease by additional vincristine and methotrexate doses. Patients in poor condition received a second prephase treatment before their chemotherapy courses. Results Between March 2004 and June 2016, of 405 patients with B‐NHL, 386 (109 females) were eligible for treatment. Immunohistochemistry was performed in 177 cases (47.4%) and characterized the disease as mature B‐cell lymphoma. Stage distribution was as follows: I/II, 31 (8.1%); III, 252 (65.3%); IV, 93 (24.1%); 10 (2.6%) not available. The 3‐year overall survival was 70% for the whole group (86% for stages I/II, 75% for stage III, 58% for stage IV). Events included death during induction (34 patients, 8.8%), relapse/progression (46, 11.9%), death in remission (9, 2.3%), second malignancy (1, 0.26%), and death of unknown cause (1, 0.26%). Twenty‐three (6%) patients abandoned or refused therapy. Conclusions Approximately 70% of children with B‐NHL from Central America experienced long‐term, disease‐free survival with a modified BFM schedule. Toxic death and relapse/resistant disease were the main reasons for treatment failure.

Significant strides have been made in the treatment of childhood cancer. Improvements in survival have led to increased attention toward supportive care indications; including the use of traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM). The use of T&CM among children and adolescents with cancer is well documented in both high-income countries (HICs) and low-middle income countries (LMICs). A higher incidence of the use of T&CM has been reported among children undergoing treatment in LMICs, which has elevated concerns related to drug interactions, adherence to therapy, and treatment-related toxicities. These observations have underscored the need for effective models of integrative care that are culturally sensitive yet sustainable in an LMIC setting. We present considerations inclusive of the clinical care, educational opportunities, governmental policy, and research priorities necessary for the development of models of integrative care for pediatric cancer units in an LMIC setting.

This survey study of physicians in Latin America who care for children with cancer investigates their perceptions about and comfort with pediatric palliative care and how their perceptions align with World Health Organization guidance.