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International News - Spring 2005

In this issue:

Physicians, researchers hope to minimize late effects of cancer treatments

Cardiologist performs rare catheter intervention on teen

14th annual International Colloquium wraps up

Education for health care professionals
Texas Children's physicians, researchers hope to minimize late effects of pediatric cancer treatments

Physicians and researchers at Texas Children's Cancer Center® and Hematology Service are working to determine whether they can predict which cancer patients will develop learning disorders later in life using genetic markers.

"Research has found that treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the most common cancer among children, may potentially cause cognitive disabilities in long-term survivors after chemotherapy and/or radiation is completed. Patients often struggle with attention and concentration difficulties, they may experience academic problems in school and occasionally they may even have problems with short-term memory," said Dr. Mehmet Okcu, research director of Texas Children's Cancer Center's Long-term Survivor Program.

Okcu, who is also a pediatric oncologist with Texas Children's Cancer Center and assistant professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, said that these cognitive disorders have long-ranging consequences for pediatric cancer survivors. These patients experience difficulties with standardized tests, getting into colleges and finding jobs.

This is why Okcu and his research team are extracting DNA from blood samples obtained from long-term survivors - patients who have been off therapy for at least five years - who are willing to participate in this study. DNA from blood samples is studied extensively for specific genetic coding or "markers" to allow researchers to identify which markers are present in long-term survivors with cognitive disorders. This data will then be applied to newly diagnosed leukemia patients to determine if they are at risk for developing learning disorders after their treatment is completed, possibly allowing early intervention strategies for prevention of learning issues or modifying the course of therapy planned.

Texas Children's Cancer Center is the only pediatric cancer center in the United States to conduct research into which genetic codes may be associated with learning disorders.

Cognitive disorders are only one late effect of pediatric cancer treatment. Patients also can develop other late effects including heart problems, kidney damage, hearing and vision loss, as well as infertility.
 

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Cardiologist performs rare liver catheter intervention on teen

Through an innovative catheterization procedure, a pediatric cardiologist at Texas Children's Heart Center® repaired a severe liver condition in a 14-year-old male using a catheter and septal occluder device that is generally used to close holes in children's hearts. Similar procedures have been reported only six times in medical literature. This is the first time the procedure has been performed with this particular device.

"Sammy was born with a hole in his liver about the size of a garden hose that has caused him complicated health problems," said Dr. Henri Justino, an interventional cardiologist at Texas Children's Heart Center and an assistant professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine. "Since we successfully perform a wide variety of interventional cardiac procedures in the catheterization lab every day, we consulted with colleagues in the Liver Center, and decided to apply the same procedure in Sammy's case."

Read more about this innovative procedure on Texas Children's Web site.

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14th annual International Colloquium wraps up

More than 140 physicians from 14 Latin American countries joined Texas Children's Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine pediatric specialists and subspecialists to discuss the latest developments in pediatric medicine and research at the 14th Annual International Colloquium. Participants toured Texas Children's and Baylor and spent time with Texas Children's physicians in areas of medicine of their choice.

Dr. Mark Kline, chief of Retrovirology at Texas Children's and director of the International Pediatric AIDS Initiative at Baylor College of Medicine, received the Texas Children's International Recognition Award for his humanitarian efforts in working with children around the world who have AIDS.

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Education for health care professionals

July 17-22, 2005, First Mesoamerican Pediatric Conference
For more information, visit http://www.mesoamericano.com/.

Bookmark our professional education page to get regular updates to the Texas Children's professional education calendar.

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The largest pediatric hospital in the United States, Texas Children's is ranked among the top four children's hospitals by U.S. News & World Report and Child magazine. Texas Children's is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine. To learn more about Texas Children's, visit www.texaschildrens.org.

Texas Children's International News e-newsletter provides educational information for those interested in children's health topics and news about Texas Children's Hospital. It is not the intention of this e-newsletter to provide specific professional medical advice. If a user is experiencing any symptoms of ill health, he or she should contact a licensed medical doctor to diagnose, treat and professionally address his or her medical needs.

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