Childhood Lymphomas
Close to 200 children and adolescents are diagnosed with lymphoma each year in France. These are cancers of the lymphatic system where tumor cells originate from lymphocytes, commonly known as “white blood cells.”
There are two main types of lymphomas:
- Hodgkin lymphomas (HL), which predominantly affect adolescents and adults.
- Non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL), more common in children under 15 years old, subdivided into four main subtypes.
About the Project
Pediatric lymphomas represent only 4% of lymphomas diagnosed in France but are the 3rd leading cause of cancer in children and adolescents, with nearly 200 new cases per year. Despite an overall good prognosis, some cases relapse and have an unfavorable outcome. Diagnosis relies on conventional microscopic analysis, but increasingly, genomic/genetic analyses are used to better classify them, understand their biology, and propose the most suitable treatment. Therefore, it is important in this context to correlate molecular data with the clinical and evolutionary data of patients included in therapeutic protocols.
Advancements in terms of diagnosis, treatment, and relapse prevention require excellent cooperation among various healthcare providers: clinicians, biologists, pathologists, as well as researchers. The aim of this project is to create a network, called RELYE (REseau des LYmphomes de l’Enfant), aimed at improving the diagnosis and management of the four main types of pediatric lymphomas (Hodgkin lymphomas, diffuse large B-cell lymphomas/Burkitt lymphomas, T-cell lymphoblastic lymphomas, and anaplastic large cell lymphomas), organized around 4 reference centers. Through centralized and optimized collection of clinical and biological data, managed at the national level, interactions among clinicians, biologists, pathologists, and researchers will be facilitated, as well as the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic tools. The creation of this network has also improved collaboration with existing cooperative groups, not only in France in the field of adult lymphomas but also European and international ones for childhood lymphomas.
Project Follow-up:
- Between 01/01/19 and 15/07/2020, 82 lymphoma cases were recorded in the RELYE database with centralization of 40 samples at Necker.
- Development of Just Prescription Guides (GJP). These guides are shared in RELYE and SFCE centers.
- Centralization of 40 samples in the RELYE database.
- Consent and information forms are GDPR compliant.
- Evolution of result structuring: creation or integration into a database (Share4kids).
- Thanks to this work, RELYE is requested to consolidate other studies retrospectively or prospectively (CODICA, EINCHL’s lymphoblastic lymphomas project, etc.).
- Regular meetings are held within the RELYE network.
- 1 publication: Toward Pediatric T Lymphoblastic Lymphoma Stratification Based on Minimal Disseminated Disease and NOTCH1/FBXW7 Status – PMC (nih.gov)
Project Summary
- Promoter: Necker – Enfants Malades Hospital
- Principal Investigator: Dr. Elizabeth Macinthyre
- Program Duration: July 2018 – January 2021
- Number of patients: 82
- Countries involved: France
- Funding from Imagine for Margo: €80,000
