Challenges in DICER1-Associated Lung Disease

Pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB) is a tumor occurring almost exclusively in infants and young children. This is the most common primary-lung malignancy in childhood. There is age-associated progression through a distinctive sequence of pathologic changes, from a purely multicystic lesion type I to a high-grade sarcoma type II and III. While complete resection is the cornerstone treatment for type I PPB, aggressive chemotherapy with a less favorable prognosis is associated with type II and III. DICER1 germline mutation is positive in 70% of children with PPB. Diagnosis is challenging, as it resembles congenital pulmonary airway malformation (CPAM) in imaging. Although PPB is an extremely rare malignancy, over the past five years we have encountered several children diagnosed with PPB in our medical center. Herein, we present some of these children and discuss diagnostic, ethical, and therapeutic challenges.