Abstract:
Neuroblastoma is a rare neoplasm whose prognosis becomes poor as age advances. It is a tumour of neural crest cell origin, primarily occurring in abdomen. Due to its poor morbidity and poor survival, there is no standard protocol. We report three cases of Neuroblastoma which were resistant to treatment. A 5-year boy who presented with swelling on the back and fever. He was treated initially as a cold abscess secondary to tuberculosis. Subsequent imaging revealed it to be a metastatic lesion and biopsy along with urinary Vaninyllmandelic acid (VMA) proved it to be a Neuroblastoma. Second case was a 6-month-old girl with progressively increasing abdominal lump. Imaging and VMA levels diagnosed neuroblastoma. The third case was a 5-year-old boy presented with anasarca and respiratory distress. Initially the boy was diagnosed as Pott’s spine and was treated for the same. On further imaging and investigation, it was diagnosed as abdominal Neuroblastoma with bone and pulmonary metastasis. In all these cases neoadjuvant chemotherapy (OPEC) was started but none of them responded. All the babies died of non-response and fast deterioration of the malignancy. The rising incidence of non-responsive Neuroblastoma and other malignancy is a matter of global concern and needs proper research to identify the cause and its prevention thereafter.
Keywords: Neuroblastoma, Pediatric Neuroblastoma, Non-responsive chemotherapy
