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Long-Term Survival after Surgical Resection and Radiotherapy for Anterior Mediastinal Neuroblastoma in an Older
Ayako Hirai1, Kiryoku Kanekatsu1, Tomoya Kato2
1Department of Thoracic Surgery, Fukushima Rosai Hospital, Iwaki, Fukushima, Japan.
Introduction:
Neuroblastoma is commonly seen in children younger than 5 years but is extremely rare in adults. There are only 23 reported cases of mediastinal neuroblastoma in adults, and no standard treatment strategy has been established.
Case Presentation:
A 79-year-old man was referred to our hospital for the investigation of an abnormal shadow observed on a routine chest radiograph. CT revealed a 5.5 × 5.0-cm mass in the anterior mediastinum, and fluorodeoxyglucose-PET demonstrated increased fluorodeoxyglucose uptake. Surgical resection was performed to obtain a definitive diagnosis and local control. Histopathological examination confirmed that the mass was a poorly differentiated neuroblastoma with invasion into the surrounding mediastinal fat. Postoperative radiotherapy was administered. The patient remains alive without recurrence at more than 5 years after surgery.
Conclusions:
Neuroblastoma arising in the anterior mediastinum of adults is extremely rare and the long-term prognosis remains unclear. Complete resection followed by radiotherapy may contribute to prolonged disease-free survival in selected adult patients.
