Factors affecting outcomes of prenatally-diagnosed tumours

The outcomes of prenatally-diagnosed tumours affect obstetrical management and parental decisions. The present study reviews the factors affecting outcomes for fetuses with prenatally-diagnosed tumours.

Medical records of all fetuses referred to our institutions with antenatally-diagnosed tumours were reviewed for the type and location of the tumours, results of treatment and/or causes of death.

From January 1994 to May 2001, there were 15 fetuses with antenatally- diagnosed tumours: mesoblastic nephroma (MN) (n=2); neuroblastoma (NB) (n=2); cystic hygroma (CH) (n=3); intracranial germ cell tumour (IGCT) (n=2); sacrococcygeal teratoma (SCT) (n=3) and haemangioma (liver, n=2; limb, n=1). One mother had termination of pregnancy for her fetal SCT. Three mothers had Caesarean section for large fetal heads (CH, n=2; IGCT, n=1). Three fetuses died; two with IGCT and one with SCT, who died of heart failure. Two newborns with CH needed emergency intubation and, later, one of them had tracheostomy. One baby had cardiac failure resulting from a lower limb haemangioma and needed drug therapy. All solid tumours (MN, NB, SCT) of the live births had no recurrence after surgery with or without adjuvant chemotherapy.

Prenatally-diagnosed tumours without any other associated abnormality cause morbidity and mortality because of their location and vascularity. Solid tumours are relatively benign.