Paraneoplastic syndromes in ganglioneuroblastoma: contrasting symptoms of constipation and diarrhoea.
A paraneoplastic syndrome is occasionally the first clinical symptom seen with tumours. We report on two children who initially presented with paraneoplastic syndromes due to ganglioneuroblastomas: the first with severe watery diarrhoea caused by a ganglioneuroma producing vasoactive intestinal peptide, the second with non-treatable constipation, caused by ganglioneuroma-produced anti-neuronal nuclear antibodies.


CONCLUSIONS
Either severe diarrhoea or chronic constipation may represent rare paraneoplastic syndromes in ganglioneuroblastomas.
Department of Surgery, University Children's Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland. bwildhab@med.umich.edu.|Section of Pediatric Surgery, University of Michigan Hospitals, Mott F3970, 0245, MI 48109, Ann Arbor, USA. bwildhab@med.umich.edu.
Barbara
B
Wildhaber
Department of Oncology, University Children's Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland.
Felix
F
Niggli
Department of Oncology, University Children's Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland.
Eva
E
Bergsträsser
Department of Pathology, University Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Thomas
T
Stallmach
Department of Surgery, University Children's Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland.
Peter
P
Sacher
D000293:Adolescent; D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003248:Constipation / Q000209:etiology*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D018305:Ganglioneuroblastoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D010257:Paraneoplastic Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000378:metabolism; D014839:Vomiting / Q000209:etiology*
D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide