Pediatric Surgery International
May 2016, Volume 32, Issue 5, pp 451-457
Primary lung tumors in children: 24 years of experience at a referral center
Carlos Giuseppucci , Aixa Reusmann, Verónica Giubergia, Carolina Barrias
, Anahi Krüger,Mónica Siminovich
Abstract
Purpose
Primary lung tumors are rare during childhood and encompass a wide variety of histological types. Each has a different biology and a different therapeutic approach. The aim of this article is to review the experience of a pediatric referral center with this kind of tumors during the last 24 years.
Methods
A retrospective chart review was performed for patients with diagnosis of primary lung tumor between the years 1990–2014. The variables analyzed were age, sex, course of the disease, symptoms, localization, surgery, histology and outcome.
Results
Between 1990 and 2014, 38 patients with primary lung tumors were treated at our institution. Age at presentation was 6.6 ± 5.2 years (r 0.91–16.58) and the female:male relationship was 1.37. Inflammatory myofibroblastic lung tumor (n = 13), carcinoid tumor (n = 6) and pleuropulmonary blastoma (n = 6) were the most frequent histological types. Persistent radiographic abnormality was the most frequent presenting sign (34 %). Global mortality was 15.8 % varying according to histology.
Conclusion
Although the diagnosis of primary lung tumor is rare, the persistence of a radiographic abnormality in spite of adequate treatment for inflammatory processes forces us to evaluate further. The age of the patient is an important factor in the decision of the diagnostic work-up.