Tumor development in three patients with Noonan syndrome

The diagnosis of Noonan syndrome is essentially clinical, based upon the distinct phenotype and the involvement of the cardiovascular system. Tumor development is a rare manifestation of Noonan syndrome but can be explained by the molecular pathophysiology involved in the disorder. We present three Noonan patients who developed solid tumors. The first patient, a 4-year-old girl, developed granular cell tumors as did her mother in childhood. The second patient, a 1-year-old boy, had a low grade pilocytic astrocytoma, the clinical expression of which was persistent headache. MRI showed a pituitary mass in the posterior lobe. It was surgically removed. The third patient, a 7-year-old boy was found to have Sertoli tumors in his right cryptorchid testis. All three patients fulfilled the clinical criteria for Noonan syndrome. However, genetic testing was negative in patients 1 and 3. The diagnosis of Noonan syndrome was made based on distinct phenotypic findings in three patients who had different types of tumors.