Clinical Studies of Abdominal Tumors in Infants and Chi1dren: Ten Year Review

ABSTRACT

We have clinically observed 39 patients with abdominal tumors who were admitted in Severance Hospital during the past 10 years from April 1960 to March 1970. Unfortunately follow-up study couldn't be made. The following results were obtained. 1) Of the total number observed, 25 patients were male and 14 patients female. 2) The majority of the patients, 34 (87%) were under 6 years of age and 20 (51%) were between 1 to 3 years of age. The youngest patient was a 3-month-old female with Wilms' tumor. 3) In our series, Wilms' tumor (15 cases, 38.5%) was the most common and neuroblastoma (8 cases) was next most common tumor in the abdominal cavity. In addition we found another 4 cases of neuroblastoma in other sites. We observed hepatoma (8cases), ovarian tumor (3cases), lymphosarcoma (2cases), mesenteric cyst (one case) and adenoma of the left adrenal gland (one case) in that order of frequency. 4) In 15patients with Wilms' tumor, hypertension was observed in 8 patients and hematuria in 4 patients. Compared with Wilms' tumor, no hematuria was noted in the cases with neuroblastoma and hypertension occurred in 3 of these. 5) On abdominal X-ray, calcification was present in 4 cases with neuroblastoma (50%) and was present in only one of 15 patients with Wilms' tumor. 6) Comparing the sites of metastasis between Wilms' tumor and neuroblastoma, 4 of 15 patients with Wilms' tumor had lung metastasis and 4 of 8 patients of neuroblastoma had bony metastasis. Liver metastasis was found at autopsy in one case of neuroblastoma. 7) Three cases of hepatoblastoma were under 2 years of age and three cases of hepatocarcinoma were over 12 years of age. 8) Three cases of ovarian tumor were benign cystic teratoma. Tortion of the ovarian pedicle occurred in one of 3 patients with severe low abdominal pain. All patients were discharged in good condition after salphingo-oophorectomy. 9) One case of lymphosarcoma of the ileum was associated with intussusception. 10) A one year o1d female with adenoma of the left adrenal gland had typical Cushing's syndrome.