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Cerebral Fungal Infection in Pediatric Cancer Patients

  • Pediatric Fungal Infections (T Lehrnbecher, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Invasive fungal disease (IFD) significantly contributes to morbidity and mortality in pediatric cancer patients, especially in those with acute leukemia and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Cerebral fungal infections are a particular severe form of IFD, as they are difficult to diagnose and require aggressive treatment, and cure rates are still unacceptably low. Here, we review the current data on epidemiology, diagnosis, and the management of cerebral fungal infection in pediatric cancer patients and outline important questions which have to be addressed by further research.

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Conflict of Interest

Angela Haßler and Luciana Porto have no disclosures. Thomas Lehrnbecher served in the speaker’s bureau of Astellas, Gilead Sciences, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck/MSD, and Pfizer; he also received a research grant from Gilead Sciences and is a consultant to Astellas, Gilead Sciences, and Merck/MSD.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany

    Angela Haßler & Thomas Lehrnbecher

  2. Neuroradiology Department, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany

    Luciana Porto

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  1. Angela Haßler
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  2. Luciana Porto
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  3. Thomas Lehrnbecher
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Correspondence to Thomas Lehrnbecher.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Pediatric Fungal Infections

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Haßler, A., Porto, L. & Lehrnbecher, T. Cerebral Fungal Infection in Pediatric Cancer Patients. Curr Fungal Infect Rep 9, 6–14 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12281-014-0213-y

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