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Soft tissue tumors in first year of life: a report of 190 cases.

A comprehensive review of soft tissue tumors in children and adolescents disclosed the presence of 190 neoplasms in 183 patients, which were diagnosed in infants between birth and 12 months of age; these infants represented approximately 20% of our entire pediatric soft tissue tumor series. In excess of 75% of cases were pathologically benign with the hemangioendothelioma, lymphangioma, and fibromatosis-myofibromatosis constituting the majority of cases in this category. Fibrous histiocytoma and lipoblastoma were the other two benign entities. Congenital-infantile fibrosarcoma was considered a borderline tumor because of its infrequently manifested potential for metastasis; none of the 13 cases in the present study behaved in a malignant fashion. Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma and peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor were the two principal types (17 of 27 cases) of malignant soft tissue tumors. In contrast to soft tissue tumors in the first two decades, those in the first year of life were more often benign despite their cellularity and presence of mitotic activity. Fibroblastic-myofibroblastic tumors were more frequent in this young age group, whereas neurogenic and myogenic tumors were relatively more common in children older than 1 year of age. The trunk and head and neck region were the preferred topographic sites rather than the extremities, which was the case in children beyond the first year of life.

Female↗

Monoclonal antibody NB84 in the differential diagnosis of neuroblastoma and other small round cell tumors.

Two hundred fifty-five well-characterized formaldehyde-fixed and paraffin-embedded small round cell tumors mainly from children and young adults including 105 neuroblastomas were immunohistochemically analyzed with the NB84 monoclonal antibody raised to neuroblastoma cells. Most of the undifferentiated neuroblastomas (21 of 22) and all 83 differentiated neuroblastomas reacted with NB84, but none of these tumors were CD99 positive. Compared with synaptophysin, NB84 was more sensitive, although less specific, in the identification of neuroblastoma in formaldehyde-fixed tissue. In addition to neuroblastoma, skeletal and extraskeletal Ewing's sarcoma and medulloblastoma showed NB84 reactivity in approximately 20% of cases, and 50% of desmoplastic small round cell tumors showed positive cells, usually in smaller numbers than the neuroblastomas. The NB84 reactivity was seen slightly more commonly in morphologically defined (rosette-positive) cases of peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumors than in Ewing's sarcoma. However, the NB84 positivity did not correlate with the expression of other neural markers (neurofilament proteins, CD57, and synaptophysin) in these tumors. All other small round cell tumors including rhabdomyosarcomas, Wilms' tumors, and lymphomas were NB84 negative. In the case of NB84-positive tumors other than neuroblastoma, their specific reactivity for other markers was useful (Ewing's sarcoma CD99 positive, desmoplastic small round cell tumor desmin and keratin positive). The NB84 monoclonal antibody is a useful reagent to separate neuroblastoma from other small round cell tumors. In problem cases it is best used in a panel together with other markers that address the significant differential diagnostic alternatives.

Adolescent↗

Congenital supratentorial and infratentorial peripheral neurogenic tumor: a clinical, ultrastructural, and immunohistochemical study.

Congenital neoplasms of the central nervous system are extremely rare, although they have been well documented since the earliest reports from the mid-19th century. Medulloblastoma, other primitive neuroectodermal tumors, and various types of gliomas have comprised the majority of cases. This report describes a highly unusual infratentorial and supratentorial tumor presenting as a scalp mass in a neonate who experienced in utero distress. The supratentorial mass extended through a defect in the skull to the parietooccipital lobe, and the infratentorial aspect involved the 9th and 10th cranial nerves in the region of the cerebellopontine angle. A complex spindle cell neoplasm incorporating peripheral nerve sheath and vascular characteristics was further characterized by electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry. Based upon these studies, the tumor was interpreted as a congenital schwannoma with divergent vascular differentiation. The child has been tumor-free for approximately 2 years after the initial operative procedure.

Brain Neoplasms↗

Cutaneous neural heterotopias and related tumors relevant for the dermatopathologist.

Heterotopic neural tumors are rare in the skin; however, when encountered, they often pose a diagnostic problem. While the clinicopathologic features of most neuroaxis abnormalities are well-documented in the neuropathologic literature, their significance in cutaneous pathology as well as the associated nonneural dermatopathologic findings have not received enough attention. This report offers a comprehensive review of the most common cutaneous neural heterotopic abnormalities and their related tumors. The clinicopathologic features of the following entities along with their histogenetic considerations are discussed: classical and rudimentary meningocele, primary cutaneous meningioma, heterotopic brain tissue (nasal glioma), peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor, metastatic neuroblastoma, and ganglioneuroma. Familiarity with the associated dermatopathologic changes and with the differential diagnosis should assist in arriving at the correct diagnosis even without special training in dermatopathology or neuropathology.

Choristoma↗

Epidemiology and etiology of gliomas.

Gliomas of astrocytic, oligodendroglial and ependymal origin account for more than 70% of all brain tumors. The most frequent (65%) and most malignant histological type is the glioblastoma. Since the introduction of computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, the incidence rates of brain tumors have been rather stable, with a tendency of higher rates in highly developed, industrialized countries. Some reports indicate that Caucasians have higher incidence than black or Asian populations, but to some extent, this may reflect socio-economic differences and under-ascertainment in some regions, rather than a significant difference in genetic susceptibility. With the exception of pilocytic astrocytomas, the prognosis of glioma patients is still poor. Less than 3% of glioblastoma patients are still alive at 5 years after diagnosis, higher age being the most significant predictor of poor outcome. Brain tumors are a component of several inherited tumor syndromes, but the prevalence of these syndromes is very low. Several occupations, environmental carcinogens, and diet (N-nitroso compounds) have been reported to be associated with an elevated glioma risk, but the only environmental factor unequivocally associated with an increased risk of brain tumors, including gliomas, is therapeutic X-irradiation. In particular, children treated with X-irradiation for acute lymphoblastic leukemia show a significantly elevated risk of developing gliomas and primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET), often within 10 years after therapy. TP53 mutations are frequent in low-grade gliomas and secondary glioblastomas derived therefrom. Approximately 60% of mutations are located in the hot spot codons 248 and 273, and the majority of these are G:C-->A:T transitions at CpG sites. TP53 mutations are significantly more frequent in low-grade astrocytomas with promoter methylation of the O(6)-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase repair gene, suggesting that, in addition to deamination of 5-methylcytosine, exogenous or endogenous alkylation in the O(6) position of guanine may contribute to the formation of these mutations.

Age Factors↗

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors arising from ganglioneuromas.

Two typical malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (PNST) arising in preexisting ganglioneuromas are described. To the best of our knowledge, this association of tumors has not been reported in detail previously. Neither patient had the stigmata nor family history of Von Recklinghausen's neurofibromatosis. In both cases, the ganglioneuromas evolved from more primitive neuroectodermal tumors (one neuroblastoma, one ganglioneuroblastoma) and both patients developed their malignant PNST at previously irradiated sites. Both patients died within 2 years of the diagnosis of their malignant PNST. The origin of these malignant PNSTs from Schwann cells is supported by an ultrastructural analysis of 27 neuroblastomas, ganglioneuroblastomas, and ganglioneuromas.

Adolescent↗

[Cell kinetic analysis of human brain tumors by bivariate flow cytometric measurement of cellular DNA content and amount of incorporated bromodeoxyuridine].

Cell kinetics of 91 human brain tumors obtained from 88 patients were analyzed with the following two methods, 1) bivariate (two-color) flow cytometric measurement of cellular DNA content and amount of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporated into cellular DNA, in 66 specimens, 2) immunohistochemical detection of BrdU incorporated S-phase cells, in 34 specimens. Patients were given an intravenous 1 hour infusion of 200 mg/sq. m. of BrdU 1-2 hours before the surgical removal. The excised tumor specimen was divided into several portions. One was fixed with 70% ethanol and embedded in paraffin, and another was digested mechanically and/or chemically to obtain a single cell suspension, and fixed in 70% ethanol. Paraffin-embedded tissue sections were stained by the peroxidase-antiperoxidase immunohistochemical method using anti-BrdU monoclonal antibody (MoAb). Single cell suspensions were reacted with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) conjugated anti-BrdU MoAb, or anti-BrdU MoAb and FITC-conjugated second antibody successively by the staining with propidium iodide, for flow cytometry (FCM). Rates of S-phase fraction in single cell suspensions calculated by bivariate FCM were correlated well with labeling indexes (LI, i.e. the percentage of BrdU incorporated cells) calculated in tissue sections, but not with the result of analysis of DNA histogram by Dean's method. This discrepancy is probably due to large coefficient value in several samples. Histological malignancy of the tumors was reflected both in the proliferating index (PI, i.e. % S+G2M phase) calculated by bivariate FCM and the LI by immunohistochemical method. PI tended to be high in primitive neuroectodermal tumors and metastatic carcinomas, moderately high in gliomas, and low in benign tumor groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Decreased N-myc expression in human medulloblastoma cell lines during differentiation.

Medulloblastoma is the most common primitive neuroectodermal tumor of the central nervous system, and shares some biochemical and immunological features with neuroblastoma. It could be suggested that N-myc expression in medulloblastoma is correlated with primitiveness or cell differentiation, as in neuroblastoma. N-myc expression in two human medulloblastoma cell lines (ONS-76 and -81) was investigated during drug-induced differentiation by immunocytochemistry and Western blotting. The growth rates of the two medulloblastoma cell lines showed a marked decrease and morphological differentiation occurred after treatment with 1 mM dibutyryl cyclic-adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (dbt-cAMP). The decrease in N-myc expression with differentiation of cells was confirmed by immunocytochemistry and Western blotting. We believe that decreased N-myc expression is correlated with cell differentiation, and a decrease in the primitiveness of medulloblastoma cells.

Cell Differentiation↗

Metalloproteinase disintegrins ADAM8 and ADAM19 are highly regulated in human primary brain tumors and their expression levels and activities are associated with invasiveness.

Patients with primary brain tumors have bleak prognoses and there is an urgent desire to identify new markers for sensitive diagnosis and new therapeutic targets for effective treatment. A family of proteins, the disintegrin and metalloproteinases (ADAMs or adamalysins), are cell surface and extracellular multidomain proteins implicated in cell-cell signaling, cell adhesion, and cell migration. Their putative biological and pathological roles make them candidates for promoting tumor growth and malignancy. We investigated the expression levels of 12 cerebrally expressed ADAM genes in human primary brain tumors (astrocytoma WHO grade I-III, glioblastoma WHO grade IV, oligoastrocytoma WHO grade II and III, oligodendroglioma WHO grade II and III, ependymoma WHO grade II and III, and primitive neuroectodermal tumor WHO grade IV) using real-time PCR. The mRNAs of the five ADAMs 8, 12, 15, 17, and 19 were significantly upregulated. The ADAM8 and ADAM19 proteins were mainly located in tumor cells and in some tumors in endothelia of blood vessels. In brain tumor tissue, ADAM8 and ADAM19 undergo activation by prodomain removal resulting in active proteases. By using specific peptide substrates for ADAM8 and ADAM19, respectively, we demonstrated that the proteases exert enhanced proteolytic activity in those tumor specimens with the highest expression levels. In addition, expression levels and the protease activities of ADAM8 and ADAM19 correlated with invasive activity of glioma cells, indicating that ADAM8 and ADAM19 may play a significant role in tumor invasion that may be detrimental to patients survival.

ADAM Proteins↗

Thallium-201 scintigraphy in pediatric soft-tissue tumors.

UNLABELLED: Thallium-201 has been used as a tumor imaging agent in adults with lymphoma, brain tumors, thyroid carcinoma and bone sarcomas. The application of 201Tl in pediatric oncology has been very limited. METHODS: Whole-body 201Tl studies were incorporated into the imaging protocols of 45 children with solid soft-tissue tumors. Bone and 67Ga scans as well as 131I-MIBG scans for patients with neuroblastoma were obtained. RESULTS: Seventeen children with lymphoma, five with Hodgkin's disease and twelve with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) were studied. All of the patients with Hodgkin's disease showed avid uptake of 201Tl and 67Ga. The six patients with B-cell NHL had positive 67Ga scans and four had positive 201Tl scans. There was variable uptake in T-cell and undifferentiated lymphoma with an overall sensitivity of 69% for 201Tl and 85% for 67Ga. In 14 patients with rhabdomyosarcoma, 10 (71%) had positive 201Tl scans and 11 (79%) had positive 67Ga images. Gallium and thallium scans detected lesions equally. There was poor uptake of 201Tl in the six children with neuroblastoma. Primary tumor and metastases were detected more readily with the bone and MIBG scans. Three children with Wilms' tumor had poor or no uptake on 201Tl images, two of three patients with histocytosis had no significant uptake and one patient had mild uptake of 201Tl. One patient with primitive neuroectodermal tumor had positive 201Tl and 67Ga images and one patient with a neurofibrosarcoma had negative 201Tl and 67Ga images. There was no correlation with histological types of tumor or disease staging. CONCLUSION: This study shows significant uptake of 201Tl in many pediatric solid soft-tissue tumors. Additional study is needed to determine 201Tl effects on treatment response and tumor viability. Also, more studies are needed to assess 201Tl delayed images to determine if there is more tracer concentration in the tumors.

3-Iodobenzylguanidine↗

Brain tumors diagnosed in the first year of life in five Far-Eastern countries. Statistical analysis of 307 cases.

A statistical survey is presented of brain tumors diagnosed in the first year of life (from five Far-Eastern countries) in relation to the racial differences in tumor types, congenital factors, and general clinical features. Of the 307 cases collected, 262 were verified histologically, and astrocytomas comprised 23.3%, medulloblastomas 17.2%, ependymomas 11.1%, choroid plexus papillomas 10.7%, teratomas 8.4%, primitive neuroectodermal tumors 4.2%, meningiomas 2.3%, and others 22.9%. There were statistically significant racial differences in comparison with the worldwide survey done by the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery Education Committee (1987) on the same subject. In the Far-Eastern population, medulloblastoma and teratoma were more common (P less than 0.05), whereas astrocytoma was less frequent (P less than 0.01) than reported in the worldwide survey. The malformative factors were suggested in 18 cases in which various associated congenital anomalies were observed. Vascular anomalous lesions, mostly in the extracranial organs, were most common, comprising 61.1% of the associated malformations. Hereditary factors were less commonly demonstrated in these tumors than were anomalies in the major congenital central nervous system. Among the 307 cases, there was one instance (0.3%) of nearly identical tumors occurring in twin brothers. The specific clinical manifestations of brain tumors involving the immature brain were again apparent in this survey, as were the poor survival rates and poor functional prognosis.

China↗

Atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor: an unusual presentation.

Atypical teratoid/ rhabdoid tumor (AT/RT) of the central nervous system is a rare, highly aggressive malignancy of infancy. Although it is reported infrequently in the literature, it has often been histologically confused with a primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET)/medulloblastoma (MB) but has a much worse prognosis. We present an infant with two AT/RT tumors, one suprasellar in location and the other within the vermis without evidence of tumor elsewhere. What makes this case unusual is that there were two separate lesions in different cranial compartments, with no evidence of subarachnoid seeding. In addition, the lesions had different magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics even though they were histologically the same.

Female↗

A review of the cytogenetics of 58 pediatric brain tumors.

We describe the cytogenetic results of 58 pediatric central nervous system (CNS) tumors of variable histology, investigated between 1992 and 2000. Successful cytogenetics were obtained for 53 patients, with clonal chromosome abnormalities demonstrated in 25. Notable findings included (1) 2p abnormality in four primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNET); (2) 1p loss in four low-grade gliomas and two PNET; (3) telomeric associations in one pilocytic astrocytoma; (4) chromosome 7 gain in four astrocytomas and two PNET; (5) 17p loss in four PNET; (6) double minutes in one PNET and three glioblastomas; and (7) chromosome 10 loss in four PNET. Higher grade tumors demonstrated greater karyotype complexity. Low-grade tumors showed either minimal simple chromosome changes or a normal karyotype. Chromosome abnormalities were more frequent in supratentorial tumors than their infratentorial counterparts. Our results add weight to the limited existing body of cytogenetic documentation for pediatric CNS tumors and provide further evidence that 2p loss is a consistent region of chromosome involvement in PNET. We advocate further studies of CNS tumors, in particular, to evaluate the importance of 2p changes and to compare cytogenetic results for supratentorial tumors and their infratentorial counterparts.

Astrocytoma↗

Extrarenal rhabdoid tumors of soft tissue: a clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical study of 18 cases.

Rhabdoid tumor is a well-accepted clincopathologic entity among childhood renal neoplasms; similar tumors have been described in extrarenal locations. We present the clinicopathologic profile and the immunohistochemical features of a series of soft tissue rhabdoid tumors. Twenty-eight cases coded as extrarenal rhabdoid tumor (ERRT), RT, possible ERRT, and "large cell sarcoma" were retrieved from the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology soft tissue registry. The tumors were reclassified according to strict criteria by light microscopy, clinical information, immunohistochemistry, and, in some cases, electron microscopy. Soft tissue rhabdoid tumor (STRT) was defined as (1) a tumor composed of noncohesive single cells, clusters, or sheets of large tumor cells with abundant glassy eosinophilic cytoplasm, an eccentric vesicular nucleus, and an extremely large nucleolus; (2) positivity for vimentin and/or cytokeratin or other epithelial markers by immunostaining; and (3) exclusion of other tumor types with rhabdoid inclusions (melanoma, other sarcomas, carcinoma). Eighteen cases met our criteria for soft tissue rhabdoid tumors. The median patient age was 13 years (range, 6 months to 56 years). Ninety-four percent of STRT cases were positive for vimentin and 59% for pan-cytokeratin. Sixty-three percent and 60% were positive for CAM 5.2 and EMA, respectively. Seventy-nine percent stained for at least one epithelial marker; 76% stained for both vimentin and epithelial markers simultaneously. Forty-two percent stained for MSA, and 14% for CEA and SMA. CD99, synaptophysin, CD57 (Leu-7), NSE, and focal S100 protein were identified in 75%, 66%, 56%, 54%, and 31% of the STRT cases, respectively. All STRT cases examined were negative for HMB-45, chromogranin, BER-EP4, desmin, myoglobin, CD34, and GFAP. Follow-up examination in 61% of the STRT patients revealed that 64% of patients died of disease within a median follow-up interval of 19 months (range, 4 months to 5 years); 82% had metastases to lung, lymph nodes, or liver; 22% had local recurrences before metastasis; and 18% were alive without known disease status (median, 5.5 years). Soft tissue rhabdoid tumor is a highly aggressive sarcoma, predominantly of childhood. Besides having nearly consistent coexpression of vimentin and epithelial markers, STRTs show positivity for multiple neural/neuroectodermal markers that overlap with those of primitive neuroectodermal tumor.

Adolescent↗

Resection of a tumor of the psoas muscle.

A 16-year-old boy presented with paresthesias and weakness of the right thigh. A computerized axial tomography scan identified a mass within the right psoas muscle, and a needle biopsy showed a primitive neuroectodermal tumor, which did not respond to two courses of chemotherapy (Adriamycin, vincristine, and cytoxan). An anatomic resection of the psoas muscle and femoral nerve was performed and radiotherapy administered. The boy remains ambulatory and free of disease 2.5 years after resection.

Adolescent↗

Ifosfamide, carboplatin, and etoposide (ICE) reinduction chemotherapy in a large cohort of children and adolescents with recurrent/refractory sarcoma: the Children's Cancer Group (CCG) experience.

BACKGROUND: The prognosis for children with recurrent/refractory sarcomas is poor. We determined the overall response rate (ORR) and overall survival (OS) of children with recurrent/refractory sarcomas who were given ifosfamide, carboplatin, and etoposide (ICE) in three Children's Cancer Group (CCG) phase I/II trials. PROCEDURE: Children with recurrent/refractory sarcoma were treated with ifosfamide (1,800 mg/m2/day on day 0-4), carboplatin (400 mg/m2/day on day 0-1), etoposide (100 mg/m2/day on day 0-4) and either rhG-CSF (10 microg/kg/day vs. 5 microg/kg/day, CCG-0894, 71 patients), PIXY321 (500-1,000 microg/m2/day, CCG-0924, 14 patients), or rhG-CSF (5 microg/kg/day) and IL-6 (2.5-5 microg/kg/day, CCG-0931, 12 patients). RESULTS: Ninety-seven patients were evaluable for tumor response, 56 male and 41 female, median age 14.1 years (range 2.8-22.5 years). Tumor types were osteosarcoma (OTS) (n = 34), rhabdomyosarcoma (n = 27), Ewing sarcoma (EWS) (n = 21), soft tissue sarcoma-not otherwise specified (n = 5), undifferentiated sarcoma (n = 6), fibrosarcoma (n = 2), peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor (n = 1), and extraosseous Ewing (n = 1). The ORR was 51% (27% complete response [CR]). OS at 1 and 2 years was 49% and 28%, respectively. Patients with CR or partial response (PR) had significantly increased 1- and 2-year OS, 71% and 41%, respectively, (P < 0.001). Rhabdomyosarcoma patients with embryonal histology had significant improvement in 1- and 2-year OS: 82% and 46%, respectively, compared with other histologies, (P < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: The ORR to ICE reinduction chemotherapy in children with recurrent/refractory sarcoma was 51%. OS of 1 and 2 years appeared significantly improved in patients who had CR or PR following ICE reinduction therapy or who had rhabdomyosarcoma with embryonal histology.

Adolescent↗

34betaE12 Cytokeratin Immunodetection in the Differential Diagnosis of Small Cell Tumors of Lung.

The group of small cell tumors of the lung includes fine following: (1) small cell carcinoma (SCC) of neuroendocrine (NE) origin, (2) poorly differentiated squamous carcinoma, (3) the rare basaloid (basal cell) carcinomas, and (4) malignant lymphomas, primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNETs), and rhabdomyosarcomas. The differential diagnosis among these entities carries a heavy therapeutic impact but may be difficult in small biopsy specimens or in cytologic material, especially if necrosis or artifactual alterations are present. The use of additional techniques such as immunostaining for NE markers is not always helpful, since immunoreactive chromogranin A is detectable in only a small percentage of small cell carcinomas. It has recently been reported that in the aerodigestive tract 34betaE12 cytokeratin (CK) immunostaining selectively labels non-NE carcinomas, including squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and the rare basaloid carcinoma. We evaluated the role of such CK immunodetection in the differential diagnosis of small cell lung tumors in cytologic and biopsy specimens. Eighty-one lung tumors diagnosed by means of endoscopic bronchial biopsy, fine needle aspirate, or bronchial washing were collected. They included 43 small cell NE carcinomas and 38 cases used as controls (comprehensive of 2 large cell neuroendocrine carcinomas, 4 carcinoid tumors, 30 cases of non-NE lung carcinomas, 2 cases of bronchial infiltration by non-Hodgkin lymphomas). 34betaE12 CK immunoreactivity was found in 29/30 cases of non-NE carcinomas, but in only 3/43 SCCs. The latter showed positivity in only a few scattered cells. The 2 cases of bronchial infiltration by malignant lymphoma as well as the 4 cases of carcinoid tumors and the 2 cases of large cell neuroendocrine carcinomas were negative. These findings were confirmed in the surgical specimens of operatedon cases. We conclude that, in lung carcinoma biopsies showing a small cell pattern, presence of 34betaE12 CK immunoreactivity favors a non-NE carcinoma, whereas its absence supports the diagnosis of SCC. Int J Surg Pathol 8(4):317-322, 2000

Journal Article↗

Peripheral neurogenic tumors of the soft tissues in children and adolescents: a clinicopathologic study of 139 cases.

A review of over 900 soft tissue neoplasms in children and adolescents revealed 139 neurogenic tumors in 122 patients from newborn to 20 years of age, which had been accessioned in a 25-year period. Based upon clinicopathologic criteria, 84 (60%) tumors were regarded as unequivocally benign or borderline and the remaining 55 (40%) were malignant. The average age at diagnosis for the entire series was 10 years; the sex distribution was approximately equal; and the trunk (66, 48%) was the most frequent topographic site, followed by the head and neck (39, 29%) and extremities (31, 23%). Eighteen tumors (13%) were recognized at birth. Twenty-one patients (17%) had the stigmata of von Recklinghausen's neurofibromatosis (VRN). Neurofibromas and cellular peripheral nerve sheath tumors accounted for 43% (60 cases) of the diagnoses; these 60 neoplasms occurred in 41 patients, 12 of whom had VRN. The second largest category of neoplasms (38 cases, 28%) was the primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) including the subset of "malignant small cell tumor of thoracopulmonary origin" or Askin tumor. The PNETs other than the Askin tumor (26 cases) presented mainly on the trunk (63%) and head and neck region (33%), showed a male predilection (58%) and had a mean age at diagnosis of 7 years. Askin tumors (12 cases) were, by definition, confined to the chest wall or thoracic cavity, showed a female predilection (71%), and presented in the second decade (82%, mean age 14 years). There were 16 (11%) malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors, seven of which occurred in children with VRN. Six other categories of neurogenic tumors constituted the remaining cases. Our findings indicate that neurogenic neoplasms are an important nosologic group of soft tissue tumors in the pediatric population.

Adolescent↗