Second Malignant Neoplasms Following the Treatment of Brain Tumors in Children

Abstract

We investigated retrospectively 992 children with central nervous system tumors who were treated at our center between 1970 and 2004. All of the patients were treated by surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiotherapy. Six patients developed second malignant neoplasms, and their clinical and histopathologic characteristics are reviewed in this article. The second malignant neoplasms were diagnosed as non-Hodgkin lymphoma, myelodysplastic syndrome, basal cell carcinoma, malignant melanoma, Kaposi sarcoma, and high-grade neuroectodermal tumor. The initial diagnoses were ependymoblastoma in one, medulloblastoma in three, and low-grade astrocytoma in two patients. The median latency time was 3.03 years (range 0.39-22.93 years). The outcome varied according to the histopathologic type of the second tumor. The patients who developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma and myelodysplastic syndrome died of progressive disease. The patients with second skin neoplasms are alive as of the time of this writing. The patient with Kaposi sarcoma developed one of the rare reported second malignant neoplasms following a primary brain tumor in childhood. A wide spectrum of second malignant neoplasms was detected after treatment of primary brain tumors with surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. Long-term follow-up is therefore necessary for the child who has survived a primary central nervous system tumor.

Subcutaneous malignant melanoma of the scalp surgical flap after brain irradiation for anaplastic astrocytoma

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“…Radio-chemotherapy is a standard adjuvant treatment for malignant brain gliomas (BGs) [1][2][3][4][5][6][7], although arteritis, radionecrosis, leukoencephalopathy, and secondary malignant tumours (SMTs) originating from surrounding tissues, which inevitably absorb ionizing radiation (IR), are possible late effects [8][9][10][11][12][13][14].…”

Long-Term Effects of Childhood Cancer Therapy on Growth and Fertility

“…Brain tumors are the most common solid tumor of childhood, and SMNs following them are well recognized [ 117 ]. The incidence is variable and there can be a wide variety of neoplasms including non-Hodgkins lymphoma, basal cell carcinoma, malignant melanoma, and Kaposi sarcoma.…”

Atrial Myxoma Occurring 15 Years After Subtotal Resection of Cerebellar Hemangioblastoma -Case Report-

“…6,13) Children who undergo chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy tend to develop leukemia, breast cancer, soft tissue sarcoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, myelodysplastic syndrome, basal cell carcinoma, malignant melanoma, Kaposi sarcoma, high-grade neuroectodermal Neurol Med Chir (Tokyo) 48, January, 2008 Cerebellar Hemangioblastoma and Atrial Myxoma tumor, and meningioma. 2,4) Our patient had undergone focal irradiation for residual tumor as an adult, but was not HIV positive. The second tumor was not one of the common types mentioned above.…”