Translocation kidney cancer after chemotherapy in childhood

http://www.news-medical.net/?id=23993

Translocation kidney cancer after chemotherapy in childhood
This article out of Johns Hopkins reviewed the risk of renal cell carcinoma
occurring as a secondary malignancy after chemotherapy in childhood.
It is known that children who survive cancer are at the risk of developing
another malignancy 20 times more likely than the general population. This
study described the clinical, pathologic, cytogenetic, and molecular data on
six translocation renal cell carcinomas that arose in five patients who had
received chemotherapy.

At the time of diagnosis, the children were between the ages of 6-22 years.
Histologically, the tumor showed typical features that are described for
translocation renal cell carcinomas. At the molecular level, three of the
tumors contained the ASPL-TFE3 fusion; two contained Alpha-TFEB and one
contained PRCC-TFE3. The time span between chemotherapy and the diagnosis of
these renal cell carcinomas ranged from 4-13 years. The indications varied
and including acute promyelocytic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia,
bilateral Wilms' tumor, systemic lupus erythematosus, and a conditioning
regimen of bone marrow transplantation secondary to Hurler's syndrome. This
latter patient also received radiation.

The group had 39 genetically confirmed translocation renal cell carcinomas
in their experience with six (15%) of these arising in patients who received
cytotoxic chemotherapy. They make the conclusion that cytotoxic chemotherapy
may predispose patients to the development of renal translocation
carcinomas.

Argani P, Lae M, Ballard ET, Amin M, Manivel C, Hutchinson B, Reuter VE,
Ladanyi M.

Urological Oncology: Seminars and Original Investigation 24 (6): 558-559,
December 2006.

By Pasquale Casale, MD

http://www.urotoday.com

Interesting Jan...sadly so...good to be aware of though....