Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy: case report

Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy: a case report

BACKGROUND

Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy (MNTI) is a rare clinically benign, pigmented, tumor of neural crest origin which commonly occurs in the maxilla. It is a rare tumor that may pose difficulty in differentiating from other malignant round cell tumors.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 5-month-old Ethiopian infant presented with a mass on his forehead. A wide excision of the lesion was done and subjected to histopathologic evaluation. The histologic and immunohistochemistry for synaptophysin studies confirmed that the infant was having MNTI. The patient was followed and there was no sign of recurrence at the 6th and 9th months of follow-up.

CONCLUSION

MNTI should be considered as a differential diagnosis for tumors occurring in the head region in infants and prolonged follow-up may be needed to check for possible recurrence of the tumor.

A Rare Melanotic Neuroectodermal Tumor of Infancy in a 3-month-old Child: A Case Report

A rare case of melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy (MNTI) occurring in a 3-month-old male child affecting the left maxilla is described. Computed tomography showed the benign expansile type of lesion affecting the left maxilla. The lesion was surgically excised completely. Histopathology confirmed the diagnosis of melanotic neuroectodermal tumor. Almost 6 months of follow-up showed no recurrence.

How to cite this article

Patankar SA, Pawar SR, Sharma R, et al. A Rare Melanotic Neuroectodermal Tumor of Infancy in a 3-month-old Child: A Case Report. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2024;17(1):79-81.

Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy: Case report and literature review

Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy (MNTI) is a rare benign tumor. Here, we report the diagnosis and treatment of 1 case of MNTI in the maxilla and discuss its clinical and pathological features, imaging features, treatment, and prognosis.

Melanotic Neuroectodermal Tumor of Infancy: A Rare Case Report

A rare case melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy occurring in 2-year-old girl affecting left maxilla is described. Computed tomography showed benign expansile type of lesion affecting left maxilla. The lesion was surgically excised completely. Histopathology confirmed the diagnosis of melanotic neuroectodermal tumor. Four months' follow-up showed no recurrence.

Giant melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy (melanotic progonoma) of the head and neck: report of a malignant case

Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy is a rare congenital pigmented neoplasm of neural crest origin, locally aggressive, growing rapidly and developing during the 1st year of life. It most commonly arises from the maxilla, cranial vault, and mandible. Occasionally, it exhibits malignant behavior with local lymph nodes involvement. Cases misdiagnosed and left untreated for a long time can present challenges due to the tumor mass and infiltration. In these cases, adjuvant chemotherapy can be extremely helpful before radical excision. Authors of this report describe a 4-year-old boy from a developing country who was referred to their hospital with an ulcerated bulging lesion in the midline/right parietooccipital region, extending to the right laterocervical and parotid regions, resulting in significant craniofacial deformation. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed a highly enhancing tumor with intracranial and extracranial development extending mainly at the level of the right parietooccipital region, with lytic and hypertrophic alterations of the skull. The patient was managed with neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy and radically resective surgery on metastatic lymph nodes and the primary tumor of the skull. Scheduled radiotherapy was not performed, according to the parents' wishes. The patient returned to his native country where the lesion recurred, and he ultimately died approximately 10 months after the end of the treatment. The literature indicates that tumor removal alone has been the treatment of choice in most isolated cases, but in cases of highly advanced tumor with involvement of the skull and cervical lymph nodes, it is preferable to proceed with preoperative chemotherapy with the aim of reducing the tumor volume, allowing better technical conditions for complete surgical removal, and decreasing the risk of local recurrence or metastasis.

Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy: A case report and review of the surgical treatment

Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy (MNTI) is a rare, fast-growing, benign tumor originating from the neural crest. The tumor most often occurs during the first year of life. The predilection site of MNTI is the anterior maxilla, whereas lesions of the mandible are uncommon and account for only 6% of all cases. At present, the most common treatment for MNTI is surgical resection, however, tumor recurrence arises in 10-60% of cases. The optimal extent of surgical resection is a matter of debate; rapid growth and the possibilities of malignant transformation and metastasis indicate aggressive surgical resection. However, extensive resection may interfere with post-operative growth and development. The procedure should therefore preserve as much of the surrounding tissue as possible. The present case study examines a rare case of right-sided mandibular MNTI in a two-month-old female. The association between the tumor and the surrounding sclerotin, affected dental germ and the condition of the inferior alveolar nerve, were observed during the operative and post-operative periods. In addition, previous cases of MNTI were reviewed to evaluate the optimal scope of surgical resection.

Melanotic neuroectodermal tumour of infancy

Melanotic neuroectodermal tumour of infancy is an extremely rare neoplasm arising in newborns and young children, typically involving the face or cranium. A case arising from the maxilla, requiring extensive resection with a near-total maxillectomy, is presented. A thorough review of the literature on this unusual tumour is provided, with emphasis on prognostic factors and appropriate treatment.

Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy (MNT1) arising in the skull. Short review of two cases

INTRODUCTION

Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy (MNT1) is a rare congenital pigmented neoplasm of neural crest origin, locally aggressive, and rapidly growing that develops during the first year of life. It most commonly arises from the maxilla, the cranial vault, and the mandible. Early diagnosis and radical surgery are critical for a long-term outcome.

METHODS

A literature search through PUBMED revealed 43 cases of MNT1 arising in the skull. We reviewed the available literature and studied the presenting symptoms, diagnostic procedures, treatment, rates of recurrences, malignancy, and data of follow-up. We report two further cases of infants aged 4 and 10 months, respectively, with MNT1 arising from the cranial vault who underwent radical excision of the lesion.

CONCLUSION

Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy should be included in the differential diagnosis of skull lesions in infants. Radical surgery must be considered as the treatment of choice and close follow-up for at least 2 years is necessary.

Slow-growing lambdoid melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy

Melanotic neuroectodermal tumors of infancy are rare neoplasms that occasionally may involve the skull. Usually such lesions present as an anterior fontanelle mass that grows rapidly. Very rarely, skull lesions are located at different sites and have an indolent course, thus making the diagnosis more difficult. To illustrate this latter presentation, we present a case of a slowly growing melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy located on the right lambdoid suture.