Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) in children is relatively rare, and more so among those with cancer. In this study, we report the characteristics and outcomes of children with cancer-associated thrombosis.Methods: We reviewed institutional databases for all children with cancer and a diagnosis of VTE at King Hussein Cancer Center in Jordan. Variables reviewed are patients' clinical characteristics, treatment for cancer, and anticoagulation therapy.Results: Between January 2011 and December 2018, a total of 45 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria, and the median age was 10.4 (0.8-17.9) years. The most common underlying diagnosis was acute lymphoblastic leukemia (n = 13, 29%). At the time of VTE, 29 (64.4%) patients were receiving chemotherapy, and eight (17.8%) had a central venous catheter (CVC). The majority of patients (n = 37, 82%) developed VTE within 30 days of hospitalization. Thrombosis mostly involved the extremities (n = 23, 51%) and sagittal vein (n = 12, 26.7%). All patients were treated with low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH), complicated by bleeding in three (6.6%) patients. Conclusion:In contrast to adults, VTE in pediatric cancer patients is more associated with chemotherapy and recent hospitalization. LMWH is a safe and effective therapy for children with cancer who develop VTE.

No abstract

Background The optimal timing of initiating granulocyte-colony stimulating factor following chemotherapy in pediatric patients has not been clearly defined. This study aimed to compare the administration of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor on day 1 versus day 3 postchemotherapy in pediatric patients with Ewing sarcoma. Method A retrospective study of pediatric patients with Ewing sarcoma who received granulocyte-colony stimulating factor following chemotherapy between January 2016 and September 2018 at a comprehensive cancer center. The institution’s chemotherapy protocol for Ewing sarcoma was modified in April 2017 to include granulocyte-colony stimulating factor initiation on day 3 instead of day 1 post-chemotherapy. Febrile neutropenia requiring hospitalization, duration of hospital stay, and chemotherapy delay were compared for patients before and after the protocol change. Results Over the study period, 250 cycles were evaluated with day 1 granulocyte-colony stimulating factor and 221 cycles with day 3 granulocyte-colony stimulating factor. There were no differences between the day 1 and day 3 groups in the number of cycles associated with Febrile neutropenia requiring hospitalization (34 vs. 19, p = 0.086), and the length of Febrile neutropenia-related hospitalization (mean 4 ± 2.1 vs. 4.6 ± 1.8, p = 0.123). However, delay in chemotherapy due to neutropenia was reported in significantly more cycles in the day 1 group, compared to the day 3 group (37 vs. 16, p = 0.01). Conclusions Febrile neutropenia resulting in hospital admission and the length of hospital stay was not different between pediatric patients with Ewing sarcoma who received granulocyte-colony stimulating factor on day 1 or day 3 post-chemotherapy. Chemotherapy delay due to neutropenia was higher in patients who received granulocyte-colony stimulating factor on day 1. Larger studies are required to fully determine the impact of delayed initiation of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor.