Abdominal Mass In Children - A Simple Approach

Oncology

Abdominal Mass In Children - A Simple Approach

Abdominal Mass In Children - A Simple Approach Sep 14, 2023

4-year-old boy with left sided abdominal lump, which was gradually increasing in size for the last 1 month. No complaints of bowel or bladder disturbance, fever, weight loss, or abdominal pain. Child is otherwise well. Systemic examination is otherwise normal

Diagnostic approach depends on

Location of Mass
Organ of Origin
Description of Mass

1-Location of mass:

Right upper quadrant (RUQ) contains liver, right kidney, gallbladder, colon, pancreas.

Left upper quadrant (LUQ) contains Stomach, left kidney, spleen, colon, pancreas.

Right lower quadrant (RLQ) contains Colon, appendix, small intestine, ureter, major arteries and veins to right leg.

Left lower quadrant(LLQ) contains small intestine, colon, ureter, major arteries and veins to left leg.

2-Organ of origin:

Organ/Site of origin	Malignant	Benign
Liver	Hepatoblastoma, HCC	Hemangioma
Adrenal	Neuroblastoma	Adrenal cyst/haemorrhage
Kidney	Wilms tumor	Polycystic kidney, hydronephrosis
Bowel	Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma	Mesenteric cyst, duplication cyst
Pelivs	RMS, GCT, Neuroblastoma, lymphoma	Ovarian cyst
Retroperitonium	Neuroblastoma, Sarcoma	Teratoma

Differential diagnosis:

Neuroblastoma	Wilms tumor
Younger age (<2 year age)	Slightly older age (3-4year age)
Poorly marginated	Well circumscribed
Crosses midline more often	Less common to cross midline
Calcification 90%	Uncommon calicification:10-15%
Encases vascular structures	Displaces adjacent structures, extends into IVC/renal vein

Diagnosis:

It is a case of Wilms tumor also known as nephroblastoma, it is the most common primary renal tumor of childhood. In 80% of cases, it is diagnosed before age of 5 years. Peak age of presentation is 2.5-3.5 years. Presents as painless upper abdominal mass (70-80%), haematuria (20%), hypertension (25%). It can be associated with congenital anomalies like WAGR and Beckwith Weidman syndrome. It can metastasis to lungs, liver, regional lymph nodes.

Management:

Multimodality, stage and risk adopted approach is the standard of care. It is a highly chemo and radiosensitive tumor. Surgery + Chemotherapy+/- radiotherapy forms the basis of treatment.

Underwent left radial nephrectomy and lymph node sampling, intraoperative tumor rupture

HPR – epithelial predominant Wilms tumor, St III
Completed radiotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy 3 drugs for 24 weeks; Vincristine, actinomycin D, adriamycin

Doing well at present

Authored By – Dr Anand Kumar K (MD Pediatrics),Consultant, Pediatric Hematologist, Oncologist and BMT physician, Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta road, Bengaluru.