PATTERN OF CHEMOTHERAPY INDUCED TOXICITIES IN CHILDREN WITH EWING SARCOMA: A CASE SERIES

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Oncology
• Cancer Research
• Clinical Toxicology

Background:

• Ewing sarcoma is a rare, aggressive pediatric cancer affecting bone and soft tissues.
• Incidence rates vary, with approximately 1.2-2.9 per million in England and 1 per million in the US.
• Understanding chemotherapy toxicities is crucial for managing this challenging disease in children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the patterns of chemotherapy-induced toxicities in pediatric Ewing sarcoma patients.
• To determine the influence of patient age and gender on the occurrence and severity of these toxicities.
• To identify key factors associated with mortality in this cohort.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive case series involving 59 children diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma.
• All patients received VIDE (vincristine, ifosfamide, doxorubicin, etoposide) chemotherapy.
• Statistical analysis, including the Chi-square test, was used to assess the impact of age and gender on toxicity and mortality.

Main Results:

• Younger age, particularly under 5 years, was significantly associated with a higher incidence of chemotherapy toxicities (p<0.05).
• The most frequent adverse events included neutropenia (89.9%), nausea/vomiting (62.7%), thrombocytopenia (61.0%), and diarrhea (61.0%).
• Neutropenic sepsis and diarrhea were identified as significant predictors of mortality.

Conclusions:

• Common toxicities in pediatric Ewing sarcoma chemotherapy include neutropenia, nausea/vomiting, mucositis, thrombocytopenia, and diarrhea.
• Younger children (<5 years) face increased risks of chemotherapy-induced toxicities, while gender did not significantly influence toxicity patterns.
• Aggressive management of infections, especially neutropenic sepsis, is critical for improving survival rates in pediatric Ewing sarcoma patients.