Primary malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor of the cauda equina in a child case report.
METHODS
A case report of primary malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) of the cauda equina in a child is presented, and the literature is reviewed.


OBJECTIVE
To discuss the problems involved in the treatment of primary intradural MPNSTs.


METHODS
A department of orthopaedic surgery in Japan.


METHODS
A 4-year-old boy complained of low-back pain radiating to the left calf. MRI revealed an intradural tumor at L3-L5 level. Following laminectomy of L3, L4 and L5, the tumor was removed en bloc. Based on pathological and immunohistological findings, the tumor was diagnosed as an MPNST.


RESULTS
Although adjuvant chemotherapy was administered local recurrence and cerebral and spinal metastases of the tumor were found 6 months after the operation. Following additional incomplete removal of the recurrent tumor, radiation therapy was administered. Although recurrent and metastatic tumors disappeared or diminished in size by radiation, tumors increased in size thereafter, despite additional adjuvant chemotherapy. At 21 months after the first operation, he died of pneumonia.


CONCLUSIONS
Reported clinical outcomes for patients with primary intradural MPNST are very poor. Although no gold standard for the treatment of tumors has been established yet, surgical removal of tumors combined with postoperative high-dose radiation may be recommended.
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kagoshima Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima, Japan.
K
K
Yone
K
K
Ijiri
K
K
Hayashi
M
M
Yokouchi
T
T
Takenouchi
K
K
Manago
Y
Y
Nerome
O
O
Ijichi
N
N
Ikarimoto
S
S
Komiya
D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D002420:Cauda Equina / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D018317:Nerve Sheath Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy; D010524:Peripheral Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary