Related Experiment Videos
[Congenital solid tumors. A thirteen-year review].
1Servicio de Cirugía Pediátrica, Unitat Integrada Hospital Sant Joan de Déu-H. Clínic, Universitat de Barcelon, Barcelona.
Summary
Congenital tumors are rare but differ from those in older children. Surgical resection is the primary treatment, with most cases not requiring chemotherapy, indicating a generally favorable prognosis.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Oncology
- Neonatal Medicine
- Surgical Pathology
Background:
- Congenital tumors represent a small fraction (0.5-2%) of childhood neoplasms.
- These tumors exhibit distinct characteristics in terms of type, incidence, natural history, and treatment response compared to tumors in older children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report institutional experience with congenital tumors over a 13-year period.
- To analyze the types, diagnoses, treatments, and outcomes of solid tumors in neonates.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of neonates (< 31 days old) diagnosed with solid tumors between January 1990 and December 2002.
- Analysis of diagnostic methods, tumor types, staging, treatment modalities, and patient outcomes.
Main Results:
- Twenty-seven neonates were diagnosed with tumors; 48% were detected prenatally.
- Neuroblastoma (37%) and teratomas (30%) were the most common. Surgical resection was the primary treatment (68%).
- The mortality rate was 11%, with causes including surgical complications, airway obstruction, and craniopharyngioma.
Conclusions:
- Prenatal ultrasound aids in earlier diagnosis of congenital tumors.
- Congenital tumors generally have a more benign natural history than in older children, with exceptions for CNS and large/obstructing tumors.
- Complete surgical excision is the preferred treatment; adjuvant chemotherapy is often unnecessary. Histological type is not always predictive of outcome.