Clinical Trial: Calcium Absorption in Patients With Rothmund-Thomson Syndrome

Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Unknown status
Study Type: Observational

Official Title: Evaluation of Calcium Absorption in Patients With Rothmund-Thomson Syndrome

Brief Summary: Osteosarcoma is the most common malignant bone tumor in children and adolescents. Because cure rates for osteosarcoma have remained stagnant for the past several decades despite numerous trials of chemotherapy agents, novel therapies based on the understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of osteosarcoma are needed. Rothmund-Thomson Syndrome (RTS) is a genetic disorder affecting many parts of the body and resulting in major skeletal abnormalities. This disease also has the propensity to increase the risk of developing cancer, particularly osteosarcoma. Two-thirds of RTS patients have a high risk of developing osteosarcoma. Therefore, it is important to understand the impact of RTS on the skeletal phenotype (as measured by calcium absorption and bone mineralization) in order to develop effective therapies to battle osteosarcoma.

Detailed Summary:

This is a laboratory experiment to evaluate bone calcium deposition in patients with Rothmund-Thomson Syndrome (RTS).

This study includes one study visit during which subjects will be admitted to the inpatient unit in the Pediatric GCRC at TCH where they will undergo comprehensive clinical evaluations by a team of physicians familiar with RTS as well as bone-specific studies divided into four parts. Procedures for this study may be combined with procedures for H-9106, another protocol for patients with RTS by Dr. Wang.

Subjects will arrive at the GCRC at TCH after an overnight fast. Per TCH pain management protocols, numbing creams and sprays will be offered to the subject prior to the blood draw. Tylenol per TCH pain protocol is allowed. All food and beverages consumed at the GCRC will be pre-arranged by the study dietitian and weighed by the GCRC nutrition staff. Additional food is not allowed unless approved by the study dietitian.

Subjects will be asked to provide a 3-day written dietary history as well as food preferences for the GCRC study day. For the first meal of the study day, subjects will consume 180 mL of low-fat milk or orange juice to which 20 micrograms of 46Ca will have been added. (If milk is used as the vehicle for the isotope, the 46Ca will be added 18-24 hours in advance.)

Immediately after breakfast, subjects will receive 5 mg of 42Ca intravenously over 2-3 minutes. The beginning of this infusion will serve as Time 0. After the infusion is complete, the catheter hub will be changed in preparation for the subsequent blood draws. Samples for calcium isotope ratio measurement (0.5 ml of whole blood) will be obtained at 6, 12, 20, 40, 120, 180, 240, and 480 minutes after the infusion.

To characterize the human skeletal phenotype of RTS through detailed clinical evaluation of Rothmund-Thomson patients by examining them and performing bone specific studies including IV calcium bone deposition studies.