Neuroblastoma presenting like a Wilms’ tumor with thrombus in inferior vena cava and pulmonary metastases: a case series

Neuroblastomas and Wilms' tumors are frequent pediatric solid tumors. The first is frequently detected in the adrenal gland and the second develops in the kidneys. The extension through the vena cava and the lung metastases are frequent in Wilms' tumors and are rarely seen in neuroblastoma. We present the cases of three children with abdominal tumors with thrombus in the inferior vena cava and pulmonary metastases demonstrating a stage 4 neuroblastoma. The three male patients were between 23 to 48 months old. They presented an abdominal mass, near the superior pole of the kidney. Thrombus of the vena cava was showed on imaging studies in all cases and pulmonary metastases were always found. Catecholamine metabolites were present in the first case and negative in the two others. Two out of three patients had a radical nephrectomy. The pathological analysis always found a poorly differentiated or undifferentiated neuroblastoma without MYCN amplification and confirmed the vein tumoral thrombus in the second case. The evolution of the first two patients was unfavorable and the third is alive. Invasion of the inferior vena cava and pulmonary metastases in children with neuroblastoma is uncommon and can modify the surgical management.