title: Metastatic adrenal neuroblastoma in an adult.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neuroblastoma (NB) is a common malignancy in children, but rarely occurs in adults. Accepted unfavourable prognostic factors include age > 1 year, low histologic grade and advanced stage, MYCN amplification, chromosomal aberrations, elevations of neuron specific enolase and lactate dehydrogenase, and increased catecholamine metabolites in urine or serum. In adults, abdomen/retroperitoneum are the primary sites and in children the adrenal gland.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 51- year-old man was admitted to our hospital with hypertension and a large right retroperitoneal mass. Clinically, phaeochromocytoma was suspected. Tumour resection revealed adrenal NB grade III. Chemotherapy according to the paediatric German Neuroblastoma Trial (NB97) was started. Follow-up computed tomography showed regression of the enlarged mediastinal and retroperitoneal lymph nodes. Because of local and systemic progression palliative radiochemotherapy was started. The patient died 9 months after diagnosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To the best of our knowledge this is the oldest NB patient registered so far in Germany. Currently there are no standard treatment guidelines for patients with NB in adulthood. Collection and evaluation of data in adult patients with this tumour are warranted in order to optimise treatment strategies.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Hämatologie/Onkologie, Germany. fuhse@web.de
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schalk
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohren
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koenigsmann
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Buhtz
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Franke
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jentsch-Ullrich
mesh_terms: D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary*; D035583:Rare Diseases / Q000473:pathology