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Epithelioid malignant mesothelioma presenting with features of gastric tumor in a child
Qihan You1, Jing Zhao1, Genming Shi2
1Department of Pathology, The First Hospital Affiliated to Medical School of Zhejiang University Hangzhou, China.
Abstract:
Localized malignant mesothelioma is very uncommon and mainly arises in pleura and peritoneum, and preferentially occurs in older adults. In this article, we report a case of a Localized malignant mesothelioma that was developed in the stomach of a 6-year-old boy. This boy was admitted to hospital for anemia. An epigastric mass was palpated through systemic physical examination and MR scanning demonstrated an 8×6 cm-sized, well-defined elliptic mass at gastric corpus. Partial resection of the stomach was performed for this boy and no nodules were found on the liver, peritoneum, and other abdominal sites in surgery. In view of the morphological and immunohistochemical findings, a diagnosis of localized malignant mesothelioma, epithelial type was made. This is the first case report of localized malignant mesothelioma arising in the stomach of a child. Accumulation of more cases of malignant mesothelioma involving gastrointestinal tract and longer follow-up of the patients are necessary to further characterize the features of this rare disease.
Insights
This case report details a rare instance of localized malignant mesothelioma in a 6-year-old boy
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Oncology
- Gastrointestinal Pathology
Background:
- Localized malignant mesothelioma is a rare neoplasm, typically affecting serosal surfaces like the pleura and peritoneum.
- It predominantly occurs in older adults, making pediatric cases exceptionally uncommon.
Observation:
- A 6-year-old boy presented with anemia and an epigastric mass.
- Diagnostic imaging revealed an 8x6 cm well-defined mass in the gastric corpus.
- Surgical exploration found no evidence of metastasis to the liver or peritoneum.
Findings:
- Histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses confirmed a diagnosis of localized malignant mesothelioma, epithelial type.
- This represents the first reported case of gastric localized malignant mesothelioma in a child.
Implications:
- This case highlights the possibility of gastric mesothelioma in pediatric patients.
- Further research with more cases and extended follow-up is crucial for understanding gastrointestinal mesothelioma in children.
