Primitive neuroectodermal tumor incidence, treatment patterns, and outcome: An analysis of the National Cancer Database

Major surgical conditions of childhood and their lifelong implications: comprehensive review

BACKGROUND

In recent decades, the survival of children with congenital anomalies and paediatric cancer has improved dramatically such that there has been a steady shift towards understanding their lifelong health outcomes. Paediatric surgeons will actively manage such conditions in childhood and adolescence, however, adult surgeons must later care for these 'grown-ups' in adulthood. This article aims to highlight some of those rare disorders encountered by paediatric surgeons requiring long-term follow-up, their management in childhood and their survivorship impact, in order that the adult specialist may be better equipped with skills and knowledge to manage these patients into adulthood.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature review was performed to identify relevant publications. Research studies, review articles and guidelines were sought, focusing on the paediatric management and long-term outcomes of surgical conditions of childhood. The article has been written for adult surgeon readership.

RESULTS

This article describes the aforementioned conditions, their management in childhood and their lifelong implications, including: oesophageal atresia, tracheo-oesophageal fistula, malrotation, short bowel syndrome, duodenal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, choledochal malformations, biliary atresia, Hirschsprung disease, anorectal malformations, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, congenital lung lesions and paediatric cancer.

CONCLUSION

The increasing survivorship of children affected by surgical conditions will translate into a growing population of adults with lifelong conditions and specialist healthcare needs. The importance of transition from childhood to adulthood is becoming realized. It is hoped that this timely review will enthuse the readership to offer care for such vulnerable patients, and to collaborate with paediatric surgeons in providing successful and seamless transitional care.

Peripheral Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumor: A Rare Case in Pediatrics

Primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNETs) are a type of malignant tumors made up of small neuroectodermal-derived round cells that affect soft tissue and bone, with a wide range of clinical symptoms and histological commonalities depending on the site of the tumor. PNETs account for 4% of all pediatric and adolescent cancers. Here we report a case of a peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor in a five-year-old boy. Two days before admission, he complained of multiple attacks of vomiting and one episode of hematemesis, associated with subjective fever, abdominal pain, and distention. He also complained of weight loss and bruises on his face and lower extremities for the last four weeks. Upon physical examination, there was hepatomegaly to the right iliac fossa. Abdominal ultrasound showed that the liver is hugely enlarged with heterogeneous echo texture and smooth borders. A computed tomography scan with contrast showed hepatomegaly to the right iliac fossa region with no focal lesion. Bone marrow aspiration and bone marrow biopsy showed heavy infiltration by monomorphic cells. Moreover, liver biopsy was done for this patient, and it showed metastatic undifferentiated neuroblastoma. Before the liver biopsy results, the patient deteriorated rapidly and dead. Therefore, peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumors (pPNETs) should be considered in the differential diagnosis of liver masses in young patients to early diagnosis and treatment, and to increase the survival rate.

18F-FDG PET/CT for Staging and Response Evaluation in a Rare Case of Childhood Ovarian Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumor

ABSTRACT

Primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) is an aggressive small cell malignancy. Apart from the central nervous system, they can arise from peripheral sites as well. Ovarian PNETs are extremely rare neoplasms. We here present a case of childhood ovarian PNET, where 18F-FDG PET/CT was efficiently used for staging and response evaluation.