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Lipoblastoma of the Labia: A Case Report
Krista J Childress1, John Hicks2, Hao Wu3
1Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children's Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas; Division of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.
Insights
Vulvar lipoblastomas, rare benign tumors in children, present as fatty masses. Complete surgical excision is the recommended treatment for these pediatric vulvar masses, with long-term follow-up crucial due to recurrence risk.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Pediatric Oncology
- Dermatology
Background:
- Vulvar masses are uncommon in prepubertal girls.
- Lipoblastomas are rare, benign adipose tumors typically seen in infants and children.
Observation:
- An 18-month-old female presented with a mobile vulvar mass.
- Imaging confirmed a 4.5 cm fatty mass in the labia.
- Microscopic examination and cytogenetic analysis identified a maturing lipoblastoma with a near-triploid clone.
Findings:
- Lipoblastoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of pediatric vulvar masses.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is valuable for surgical planning and assessing tumor extent.
- Complete surgical excision is the primary treatment modality.
Implications:
- Early diagnosis and surgical management are essential for pediatric vulvar lipoblastomas.
- Close follow-up for at least 5 years is recommended due to the high recurrence rate.
- This case highlights the importance of considering rare tumors in pediatric vulvar masses.
Background:
Vulvar masses are rare in prepubertal girls. Lipoblastomas are benign adipose tumors that arise from embryonic white fat and occur almost exclusively in infants and children.
Case:
An 18-month-old female infant presented with a 2-cm mobile mass in the left labia majora. Imaging and examination revealed normal prepubertal gynecologic structures and a 4.5 cm fatty mass in the left labia. Surgical excision revealed a 3.8 cm well circumscribed adipose tissue mass consistent with maturing lipoblastoma on microscopic examination. Cytogenetic analysis revealed 79,XXX [7]/46,XX[13], a near-triploid clone.
Summary And Conclusion:
The differential diagnosis of vulvar masses in children should include lipoblastoma. Although preoperative imaging has limited ability to differentiate lipomatous tumors, magnetic resonance imaging is the modality of choice for evaluating tumor extension and for surgical planning. Treatment is complete surgical excision with close follow-up for at least 5 years because of the high recurrence rate.
