Synchronous Hepatoblastoma and Neuroblastoma in Two Chinese Infants

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Oncology
• Cancer Genetics
• Tumorigenesis

Background:

• Pediatric solid tumors typically arise independently.
• Synchronous occurrence of hepatoblastoma (HBL) and neuroblastoma (NBL) is exceptionally rare, with only two prior reported cases.
• This report details two new cases of synchronous HBL and NBL in infants.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report two new cases of synchronous hepatoblastoma and neuroblastoma in infants.
• To investigate the genetic basis of synchronous pediatric tumors.
• To contribute to understanding rare tumor co-occurrences.

Main Methods:

• Case report of two infants presenting with abdominal masses.
• Diagnostic imaging including computed tomography (CT) scans.
• Histopathological confirmation of tumors.
• Next-generation sequencing (NGS) for germline mutation analysis.
• Surgical resection and chemotherapy treatment protocols.

Main Results:

• Two Chinese infants (10 and 8 months old) presented with synchronous hepatoblastoma and neuroblastoma.
• Imaging revealed hepatic masses with concurrent mediastinal or adrenal masses.
• Pathology confirmed HBL in the liver and NBL in the mediastinum/adrenal glands.
• NGS analysis detected no significant germline mutations in either patient.
• Both patients underwent successful surgical resection and chemotherapy, with good recovery.

Conclusions:

• Synchronous hepatoblastoma and neuroblastoma are exceedingly rare pediatric malignancies.
• These cases highlight the potential for co-occurrence without identifiable significant germline genetic alterations.
• Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms behind such rare tumor pairings.