Preoperative chemotherapy for mesoblastic nephroma

A neonate with extensive stage III mesoblastic nephroma was confirmed at operation to have a tumor that was too infiltrative and too advanced for primary excision. The abdomen was closed after multiple biopsies. Vincristine (1.1 mg/m2) was given intravenously once a week for a total of eight doses. Repeat CT scan confirmed shrinkage of the tumor and a nephrectomy could be performed safely and the tumor removed at the second laparotomy. CT scan repeated 1 year later showed no recurrence. This case illustrates the effective use of a single drug pre-excision chemotherapy which allowed a nephrectomy for extensive stage III mesoblastic nephroma to be carried out safely.