Purpose: In this report, we characterize the timing and behavior of malignant ovarian germ cell tumors (GCTs) in pediatric patients with dysgenetic gonads compared to those with normal gonadal development. Patients and methods: Patients from the Children's Oncology Group AGCT0132 with malignant ovarian GCTs were included. Within this population, we sought to identify patients with gonadoblastoma, streak ovaries, or other evidence of gonadal dysgenesis (GD). Patients with malignant GCTs containing one or more of the following histologies—yolk sac tumor, embryonal carcinoma, or choriocarcinoma—were included. Patients were compared with respect to event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: Nine patients with GD, including seven with gonadoblastoma (mean age, 9.3 years), were compared to 100 non-GD patients (mean age, 12.1 years). The estimated 3-year EFS for patients with GD was 66.7% (95% CI 28.2–87.8%) and for non-GD patients was 88.8% (95% CI 80.2–93.8%). The estimated 3-year OS for patients with GD was 87.5% (95% CI 38.7–98.1%) and for non-GD patients was 97.6% (95% CI of 90.6–99.4%). Conclusion: Patients presenting with nongerminomatous malignant ovarian GCTs in the context of GD have a higher rate of events and death than counterparts with normal gonads. These findings emphasize the importance of noting a contralateral streak ovary or gonadoblastoma at histology for any ovarian GCT and support the recommendation for early bilateral gonadectomy in patients known to have GD with Y chromosome material. In contrast to those with pure dysgerminoma, these patients may represent a high-risk group that requires a more aggressive chemotherapy regimen.

Purpose To investigate whether event-free survival (EFS) can be maintained among children and adolescents with intermediate-risk (IR) malignant germ cell tumors (MGCT) if the administration of cisplatin, etoposide, and bleomycin (PEb) is reduced from four to three cycles and compressed from 5 to 3 days per cycle. Patients and Methods In a phase 3, single-arm trial, patients with IR MGCT (stage II-IV testicular, II-III ovarian, I-II extragonadal, or stage I gonadal tumors with subsequent recurrence) received three cycles of PEb. A parametric comparator model specified that the observed EFS rate should not be significantly < 92%. As recommended for trials that test a reduction of therapy, a one-sided P value ≤ .10 was used to indicate statistical significance. In a post hoc analysis, we also compared results to the EFS rate of comparable patients treated with four cycles of PEb in two prior studies. Results Among 210 eligible patients enrolled from 2003 to 2011, 4-year EFS (EFS 4 ) rate was 89% (95% confidence interval, 83% to 92%), which was significantly lower than the 92% threshold of the comparison model (P = .08). Among 181 newly diagnosed patients, the EFS 4 rate was 87%, compared with 92% for 92 comparable children in the historical cohort (P = .15). The EFS 4 rate was significantly associated with stage (stage I, 100%; stage II, 92%; stage III, 85%; and stage IV, 54%; P < .001). Conclusion The EFS rate for children with IR MGCT observed after three cycles of PEb was less than that of a prespecified parametric model, particularly for patients with higher-stage tumors. These data do not support a reduction in the number of cycles of PEb from four to three. However, further investigation of a reduction in the number of cycles for patients with lower-stage tumors is warranted.

Background. Ezrin is a membrane-cytoskeleton linker protein that has been associated with metastasis and poor outcomes in osteosarcoma and high-grade soft tissue sarcomas. The prognostic value of ezrin expression in Ewing sarcoma is unknown. Methods. The relationship between ezrin expression and outcome was analyzed in a cohort of 53 newly diagnosed Ewing sarcoma patients treated between 2000 and 2011. The intensity and proportion of cells with ezrin immunoreactivity were assessed in diagnostic tumor tissue using a semiquantitative scoring system to yield intensity and positivity scores for each tumor. Results. Ezrin expression was detected in 72% (38/53) of tumor samples. The proportion of patients with metastatic disease was equal in the positive and negative ezrin expression groups. There was no significant difference in the 5-year event-free survival (EFS) between patients with positive versus negative ezrin expression. Patients whose tumor sample showed high ezrin intensity had significantly better 5-year EFS when compared to patients with low/no ezrin intensity (78% versus 55%; P=0.03). Conclusions. Ezrin expression can be detected in the majority of Ewing sarcoma tumor samples. Intense ezrin expression may be correlated with a favorable outcome; however further investigation with a larger cohort is needed to validate this finding.

Background:The purpose of this analysis is to explore whether the International Germ Cell Classification Consensus (IGCCC) tumor marker criteria, developed for adult males with metastatic malignant germ cell tumors (MGCT), are prognostic among pediatric patients and whether tumor marker data may be relevant in pediatric risk stratification. Procedure:The IGCCC was applied to 436 pediatric germ cell patients treated on Pediatric Intergroup Studies from 1990 to 1996. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards model identified prognostic variables; survival rates among IGCCC risk groups were compared using the log-rank test. Concordance and relative performance of IGCCC versus COG risk stratification was evaluated. Results:Applying the IGCCC, 21% of pediatric patients were good risk (GR), 35% intermediate risk (IR), and 44% poor risk (PR). Only modest concordance between IGCCC and COG stratification systems was noted (49%). Nonetheless, the IGCCC identified a group of PR patients who had significantly worse event-free survival (EFS) versus GR/IR patients (6-year EFS 80% vs. 91%), which was similar to the difference observed using the COG system (6-year EFS 77% vs. 90%). The IGCCC performed well within subgroups for which the IGCCC is not intended (prepubertal, female, and non-metastatic patients). Conclusions:Applying the IGCCC system to pediatric patients produces a different stratification than does the application of the COG system, although both are prognostic. Development of a de novo pediatric prognostic classification is warranted.

Since the original description of pathogenic germline DICER1 variation underlying PPB, the spectrum of extrapulmonary neoplasms known to be associated with DICER1 has continued to expand and now includes tumors of the ovary, thyroid, kidney, eye and brain among other sites. This report documents our experience with another manifestation: a primitive sarcoma that resembles PPB and DICER1-associated sarcoma of the kidney. These tumors are distinguished by their unusual location in the peritoneal cavity, associated with visceral and/or parietal mesothelium. A total of seven cases were identified through pathology review in children presenting at a median age of 13 years (range 3 to 14 years). Primary sites of origin included the Fallopian tube (4 cases), serosal surface of the colon (one case), and pelvic sidewall (2 cases). One case had pathologic features of type I PPB, another type Ir (regressed) PPB and the remaining 5 had features of type II or III PPB with a mixed primitive sarcomatous pattern with or without cystic elements. All had a pathogenic DICER1 variation identified in germline and/or tumor DNA. PPB-like peritoneal tumors represent a newly described manifestation of DICER1 pathogenic variation whose pathologic features are also recapitulated in DICER1-related renal sarcoma, cervical embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma, and some Sertoli-Leydig cell tumors with heterologous elements. Tumors arising from the Fallopian tube or elsewhere in the abdomen/pelvis, especially those with heterogeneous rhabdomyosarcomatous and/or cartilaginous differentiation, should prompt consideration of germline and tumor DICER1 testing.

During the past 35 years, survival rates for children with extracranial malignant germ cell tumors (GCTs) have increased significantly. Success has been achieved primarily through the application of platinum-based chemotherapy regimens; however, clinical challenges in GCTs remain. Excellent outcomes are not distributed uniformly across the heterogeneous distribution of age, histologic features, and primary tumor site. Despite good outcomes overall, the likelihood of a cure for certain sites and histologic conditions is less than 50%. In addition, there are considerable long-term treatment-related effects for survivors. Even modest cisplatin dosing can cause significant long-term morbidities. A particular challenge in designing new therapies for GCT is that a variety of specialists use different risk stratifications, staging systems, and treatment approaches for three distinct age groups (childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood). Traditionally, pediatric cancer patients younger than 15 years have been treated by pediatric oncologists in collaboration with their surgical specialty colleagues. Adolescents and young adults with GCTs often are treated by medical oncologists, urologists, or gynecologic oncologists. The therapeutic dilemma for all is how to best define disease risk so that therapy and toxicity can be appropriately reduced for some patients and intensified for others. Further clinical and biologic insights can only be achieved through collaborations that do not set limitations by age, sex, and primary tumor site. Therefore, international collaborations, spanning different cooperative groups and disciplines, have been developed to address these challenges.

BACKGROUND There is a debate regarding the management of ovarian immature teratomas(ITs). In adult women, postoperative chemotherapy is standard except for stage I, grade 1 disease, whereas surgery alone is standard in pediatric patients. To determine the role of chemotherapy, a pooled analysis of pediatric and adult clinical trials was conducted. METHODS Data from 7 pediatric trials and 2 adult trials were merged in the Malignant Germ Cell International Collaborative data set. Four trials included patients with newly diagnosed pure ovarian ITs and were selected (Pediatric Oncology Group/Children's Cancer Group Intergroup Study (INT 0106), Second UKCCSG Germ Cell Tumor Study (GC2), Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG 0078 and GOG 0090). Adult and pediatric trials were analyzed separately. The primary outcome measures were event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS One hundred seventy-nine patients were included (98 pediatric patients and 81 adult patients). Ninety pediatric patients were treated with surgery alone, whereas all adult patients received chemotherapy. The 5-year EFS and OS were 91% and 99%, respectively, for the pediatric cohort and 87% and 93%, respectively, for the adults. There were no relapses in grade 1 patients, regardless of the stage or age. Only 1 adult patient with a grade 2 IT relapsed. Among grade 3 patients, the 5-year EFS was 0.92 (0.72-0.98) for stage I/II and 0.52 (0.22-0.75) for stage III in the pediatric cohort (P =.005) and 0.91 (0.69-0.98) for stage I/II and 0.65 (0.39-0.83) for stage III/IV in the adult cohort (P =.01). Postoperative chemotherapy did not decrease relapses in the pediatric cohort. CONCLUSIONS The grade was the most important risk factor for relapse in ovarian ITs. Among grade 3 patients, the stage was significantly associated with relapse. Adjuvant chemotherapy did not decrease relapses in the pediatric cohort; its role in adults remains unresolved.

PURPOSE To investigate relapse detection methods among children and adolescents with nongerminomatous malignant germ cell tumors (MGCTs) and to determine whether tumor markers alone might be sufficient for surveillance. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed all patients enrolled in a phase III, single-arm trial for low-risk and intermediate-risk MGCTs. The method used to detect relapse was assessed based on case report forms, tumor markers, imaging, and pathology reports. Relapses were classified into one of two categories on the basis of whether they were (1) detectable by tumor marker elevation or (2) not detectable by tumor markers. RESULTS A total of 302 patients were enrolled, and 284 patients had complete data for review. Seven patients had normal tumor markers at initial diagnosis, and none experienced a relapse. At a median follow-up of 5.3 years, 48 patients (16.9%) had experienced a relapse. After central review, 47 of 48 relapses (98%) were detected by tumor marker elevation. Of the 47 patients, 16 (33.3%) had abnormal tumor markers with normal/unknown imaging, 31 patients (64.6%) had abnormal tumor markers with abnormal imaging, and one patient (2.1%) had abnormal imaging with unknown marker levels at relapse. CONCLUSION Tumor marker elevation is a highly sensitive method of relapse surveillance, at least among children and adolescents with tumor marker elevation at initial diagnosis. Eliminating exposure to imaging with ionizing radiation may enhance the safety of relapse surveillance in patients treated for MGCT.

Background. We previously showed in a prospective study that rituximab appears to be effective in some children and adolescents with severe chronic immune thrombocytopenia. Eleven of 36 patients achieved and maintained platelet counts over 50,000/mm 3 within the first 12 weeks. These patients were followed for the next year. Methods. Platelet counts were monitored monthly and all subsequent bleeding manifestations and need for further treatment was noted. Results. Eight of the 11 initial responders maintained a platelet count over 150,000/mm 3 without further treatment intervention. Three patients had a late relapse. One initial non-responder achieved a remission after 16 weeks, and two additional patients maintained platelet counts around 50,000/mm 3 without the need for further intervention. Conclusions. Rituximab resulted in sustained efficacy with platelet counts of 50,000/mm 3 or higher in 11 of 36 patients (31%).

BACKGROUND: Verification of surgical staging has received little attention in clinical oncology trials for both children and adults. Central surgical review in a study of malignant pediatric germ cell tumors provided an opportunity to assess the impact of this process. METHODS: Children’s Oncology Group study AGCT0132 data submission at study entry required operative note, surgical checklist, pathology and imaging reports. Central surgical review during the study included assessment for completeness of submitted data and confirmation of assigned stage. Review resulted in one of three conclusions: assigned status confirmed, assignment withheld pending review of additional information requested, or institutional assignment of stage disputed with reasons for recommended stage assignment explained. Changes in stage assignment based on central surgical review were left at the discretion of the enrolling institution. RESULTS: 206 patients underwent central review. Failure to submit required data elements or need for clarification was noted in 40%. Disagreement with stage assignment occurred in 10%; the highest rate of discordance was in ovarian tumors submitted as stage I (34%). 17 of 21 discordant patients were reassigned to the stage recommended by central review. 4 patients with ovarian tumors not meeting central review criteria for Stage I remained in that stratum by institutional decision. Two-year event free survival (EFS) in Stage I ovarian tumor patients was 25% (1/4) for discordant patients compared to 57% (9/21) in patients who met Stage I criteria by central review. CONCLUSIONS: Central review of stage assignment by a dedicated study surgeon improved collection of complete data and assignment of correct tumor stage at study entry, and allowed for prompt initiation of chemotherapy in patients determined not to have Stage I disease.