Neuroblastoma, pheochromocytoma, and renal cell carcinoma. Occurrence in a single patient

A 26-year-old woman had a neuroblastoma during infancy; an extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma at age 16 years, with hepatic recurrences during the next ten years; and multifocal renal cell carcinoma. Neuroblastoma and pheochromocytoma, despite their common embryologic origin, to our knowledge have not been previously reported as separate tumors in the same patient. Although many attributes of the patient's tumors suggest a hereditary disorder, thorough investigation disclosed no evidence of heritable conditions associated with any of these tumors in the patient or her family members. Long-term observation of persons surviving after treatment of neuroblastoma will be necessary to determine whether this case represents a previously unidentified tumor predisposition or a sporadic occurrence.