Paediatric Haematologist-Oncologist Professor Udo Kontny

Children and adolescents are treated in accordance with the requirements and guidelines of the German Society for Paediatric Oncology and Haematology (GPOH) and in line with the latest advances in medical science.

The section's staff treat benign and malignant tumours, blood clotting disorders and developmental abnormalities of the blood and lymphatic vessels in children and adolescents. A new clinical area of specialisation for the section is allogeneic stem cell transplantation in children and adolescents with congenital and severe malignant bone marrow diseases. Professor Kontny's research focuses on malignant soft tissue and bone tumours as well as tumours of the lymph nodes. Its aim is to develop new, more effective treatments with fewer side effects.

The Section of Paediatric Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation at University Hospital Aachen maintains the registry of the German Society for Paediatric Oncology and Haematology (GPOH) for the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and conducts preclinical studies of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC-91, NPC-2003, NPC-2016), research into the influence of Epstein-Barr virus variants in the pathogenesis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and research into the role of innate immunity in the pathogenesis of nasopharyngeal cancer. The main focus is on translational research into malignant soft tissue and bone tumours. The aim of this research is to develop new, more effective treatments with fewer side effects by studying the characteristics of tumour cells. The hospital is also the site of Prof. Mertens' multicentre study on the diagnosis and treatment of nasopharyngeal cancer. Over the past few years this study has significantly improved treatment outcomes and tolerability.

The Section of Paediatric Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation at University Hospital Aachen specialises in the treatment of leukaemia, brain tumours, bone tumours and embryonal tumours in children and adolescents.

The hospital is part of an interdisciplinary stem cell transplantation programme for the treatment of malignant tumours such as leukaemia, lymphoid tissue hyperplasia and solid tumours, as well as benign haematological diseases such as immunodeficiencies and inborn metabolic disorders. The hospital's specialists have gained extensive experience in the use of cell transplantation in the treatment of rare immunodeficiencies and haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. In addition, the Section of Paediatric Oncology specialises in haploidentical haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The stem cell transplantation unit is one of the most respected institutions in Europe.

The Section of Paediatric Oncology at University Hospital Aachen admits more than 150 cancer patients a year — children and adolescents with primary carcinomas. The close link between clinical care and the research carried out at the Aachen hospital is the key to scientific progress and to improving the chances of a cure for children with cancer. Patients come here for treatment not only from Aachen, but also from other regions of Germany and from countries around the world.

Professor Kontny has assembled a team of outstanding medical specialists and excellently trained nursing staff in the department; the department is equipped with state-of-the-art medical technology, and full use is made of interdisciplinary cooperation with doctors from other departments of the university medical complex in Aachen.

The Department of Paediatric Oncology at University Hospital Aachen serves as the European coordinating centre for the treatment of bone tumours (Ewing sarcoma, osteogenic sarcoma). In addition, University Hospital Aachen leads international research in the field of the treatment of germ cell tumours. Treatment combines surgery, chemotherapy and high-precision radiotherapy, significantly improving patients' chances of a successful cure. To date, the bone marrow transplantation unit at the hospital has carried out bone marrow transplants in almost 300 children and adolescents, primarily with malignant diseases of the haematopoietic system (leukaemias, for example). The hospital performs allogeneic and autologous bone marrow transplants, supplemented by high-dose chemotherapy.

The highest quality of treatment in the Section of Paediatric Oncology at University Hospital Aachen is confirmed by certificates from specialist scientific oncology societies and from organisations that certify stem cell transplantation centres (KTQ, Onkozert, DIN ISO.2008, JACIE). In addition to their clinical work, the department's specialists take part in international research projects and in the development of new therapeutic concepts, such as cellular immunotherapy, the treatment of infectious complications in children with immune disorders, and the tolerability of various medicines in childhood.

Priority areas of the section's work:

• intensive chemotherapy;
• various types of haematopoietic bone marrow cell transplantation in patients with blood disorders, cancer and hereditary diseases;
• targeted and immunoadaptive therapy;
• issues relating to graft quality;
• optimisation of protocols for peripheral blood stem cell apheresis and bone marrow harvesting;
• diagnosis of leukaemias, lymphomas, myeloma, bone marrow failure of various origins and minimal residual disease.

Areas of expertise of the Section of Paediatric Haematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation:

• aplastic anaemia
• Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome
• haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis
• Langerhans cell histiocytosis
• Diamond-Blackfan anaemia
• leukodystrophies
• lymphogranulomatosis (Hodgkin lymphoma)
• lymphomas
• non-Hodgkin lymphomas
• myelodysplastic syndromes
• neuroblastoma
• nephroblastoma
• tumours of the central nervous system
• osteosarcoma
• acute biphenotypic leukaemia, acute bilineal leukaemia
• acute lymphoblastic leukaemia
• acute megakaryocytic leukaemia
• acute myeloid leukaemia
• acute myelomonocytic leukaemia
• acute monocytic leukaemia
• acute promyelocytic leukaemia
• acute erythroid leukaemia
• primary immunodeficiencies
• Pearson syndrome
• rhabdomyosarcoma
• retinoblastoma
• Ewing sarcoma and PNET
• Hurler syndrome
• thalassaemias
• thrombocytopenic purpura
• severe combined immunodeficiencies
• Fanconi anaemia
• chronic myeloid leukaemia
• juvenile myelomonocytic leukaemia

Laboratory of Transplantation and Molecular Haematology

• RT-PCR (Real-Time). Detection of chromosomal aberrations t(9;22) BCR-ABLp190, t(8;21) AML1-ETO, inv (16) CBFB-MYH11, t(4;11) MLL-AF4, t(1;19) E2A-PBX1, t(15;17) PML-RARα, t(12;21) TEL-AML1, del (1) SIL-TAL1 JAK2, WT1, FLT3, NPM1, MLL, CEBPA, ELA2, G-CSFR

Laboratory of Cytogenetics and Genetic Disease Diagnostics

• standard cytogenetic testing — karyotyping of cells from blood, bone marrow, lymph nodes and spleen using the GTG method;
• molecular cytogenetic testing — fluorescence in situ hybridisation using commercial locus-specific and centromeric DNA probes to detect the chromosomal aberrations most commonly found in haematological oncology;
• mFISH method — multicolour fluorescence hybridisation using DNA probes for complete staining of all chromosomes in the karyotype;
• mitomycin test for the diagnosis of Fanconi anaemia.

Cryopreservation Unit

• determination of CD34+ cell concentration by flow cytometry;
• assessment of the viability of haematopoietic stem cell precursors by culture in methylcellulose.

Laboratory of Transplantation Immunology:

• assessment of lymphocyte subpopulations in patients at various time points after allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation;
• phenotypic assessment of the leukaemia subtype;
• determination and longitudinal monitoring of "minimal residual disease" in patients with acute leukaemias;
• determination and longitudinal monitoring of "minimal residual disease" in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia;
• immunophenotyping of cerebrospinal fluid for the diagnosis of neuroleukaemia;
• examination of cerebrospinal fluid and peripheral blood in patients with multiple sclerosis; detection of a paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria clone.

Tissue Typing Laboratory

• typing of bone marrow recipients and potential (related) donors for HLA class I and II antigens using molecular genetic methods with sequence-specific primers (SSP), sequence-specific oligonucleotides (SSO) and sequencing (SBT);
• determination of blood group and of erythrocyte antigens of the Rhesus, Kell and other systems;
• determination of individual compatibility between donor and recipient blood using the indirect Coombs test;
• detection of auto- and iso-antibodies to red blood cells.

Clinical Diagnostics Laboratory

• blood cell counts across 18 parameters;
• extended routine haemostasis testing;
• determination of the acid-base balance of the blood;
• determination of blood glucose concentration;
• rapid biochemical testing.

Pathomorphology Laboratory

• histological examination of bone marrow, lymph node biopsies and other organs;
• immunohistochemical studies.
  

Treatment

The Section of Paediatric Haematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation is a leader in bone marrow transplantation in Germany. The section specialises in providing high-tech medical care to patients diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, acute myeloblastic leukaemia, chronic leukaemias, myelodysplastic syndromes, non-Hodgkin lymphomas, Hodgkin lymphoma, multiple myeloma, aplastic anaemia and solid tumours, which includes all forms of cytostatic, targeted and immunosuppressive therapy and various types of bone marrow transplantation. The hospital specialises in treating hereditary and congenital diseases by means of bone marrow transplantation.

The section has an international reputation and is certified as a centre for the collection of haematopoietic cells and for transplantation from autologous and allogeneic donors, including unrelated donors.

The section has 16 specialised beds with continuous air filtration and modern medical equipment for treating patients with haematological, oncological and hereditary diseases.