Renal Ewing's sarcoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET): a case series of 7 patients and literature review

Primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) is a rare kind of sarcoma that is primarily found in the kidney and has a very poor prognosis. Here, we review and summarize the clinical data of patients with renal PNET in our center and follow up the patients for survival status. Although the current literature suggests that chemotherapy may benefit the survival of these patients, the information from our center suggests that this may not be the case.

We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of patients with renal PNET diagnosed pathologically at Peking University First Hospital from January 1, 2007, to January 1, 2018. All of the patients were followed up for survival status.

Seven patients with renal PNET were found. The ratio of males to females was 6:1. The median age was 29 years (21-72 years) at the time of diagnosis. The preoperative imaging examination showed a large renal mass protruding outwards from the renal contour, with internal necrosis and hemorrhage. Six/7 patients were diagnosed with distant metastasis or retroperitoneal lymph node metastasis. The main clinical manifestations of patients were pain (5/7) and fever (3/7). In immunohistochemistry, all patients' samples were CD99 positive. All patients died in our follow-up, with an average overall survival (OS) of 12.09 months (1.90-26.77 months).

As a rare renal tumor, renal PNET has a propensity to occur in young males. Most patients have distant metastasis when they are diagnosed, and the prognosis is very poor. Effective treatments are urgently needed.