Neuroblastoma in an adult: Case report

Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid malignancy in children but rarely described in adults, being 10% of all cases diagnosed after the first decade of life. We report a 23 year-old black woman with a mass at paravertebral region of T3-T5, multiple lesions in vertebral bodies and expanding skull-brain lesion at the right parietal region. Immunohistochemical analysis (negative for CD99, CD20, CD3 and desmin; and positive chromogranin, synaptophysin and NB84) confirmed the diagnosis of neuroblastoma. The patient was submitted to 12 cycles of chemotherapy receiving VAC (vincristine/doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide) interspersed with ICE (ifosfamide/mesna/etoposide) and doxorubicin was replaced by actinomycin in the 7th cycle. She had good tolerance to this therapy, and has been clinically stable.Original Abstract: El neuroblastoma es el tumor maligno solido extracraneal mas comun en ninos. Solo el 10% de los casos se diagnostican despues de la primera decada de vida. Presentamos una paciente afroamericana de 23 anos, con una masa paravertebral en T3-T5, multiples lesiones en los cuerpos vertebralesy una lesidn expansiva en la region parietal derecha. El estudio inmmunohistoquimico (negativo para CD99, CD20, CD3 y desmina y positivo para cromogranina, sinaptofisina y NB84), confirmo el diagnostico de neuroblastoma. La paciente fuesometida a 12 ciclos de quimioterapia recibiendo VAC (vincristina/doxorubicinal/cyclofosfamida) intercalada con ICE (ifosfamida/mesnaletoposido). Ladoxorubicina fue reemplazada por actinomicina en el septimo ciclo. La paciente tolero bien la quimioterapia y esta clinicamente estable.