A Giant Compressive Mesenteric Lipoblastoma Initially Suspected to Be Abdominal Malignancy: A Report of a Rare Case in a Nine-Month-Old Infant

Abstract

Lipoblastoma is a rare benign soft tissue neoplasm rising from embryonic white adipose tissue known as lipoblast that keeps proliferating during the postnatal period. Although lipoblastomas are benign, they often grow rapidly. Most lipoblastomas are asymptomatic at presentation; they can present as a growing painless palpable mass and progressive symptoms of various organ compression depending on localization. A giant mesenteric lipoblastoma is a rare case with only a few cases reported. An infant with large intraabdominal masses may present preoperative diagnostic difficulties. Differential diagnoses are broad and may include sarcomas, germ-cell tumors, lipomas, lymphomas, hepatoblastomas, Wilm's tumors, and neuroblastomas. Thorough clinical, radiological, and pathological investigations are ultimately required to obtain a definitive diagnosis. Regardless of location, the treatment of choice for lipoblastoma is complete surgical resection. All patients should be followed up for a minimum of five years We report a rare case of a giant compressive mesenteric lipoblastoma that was initially suspected as abdominal malignancy in a nine-month-old infant. As physicians, we must always consider the underlying cause as well as the malignant or benign nature of a growing mass to treat the patient appropriately.

Keywords: compressive; lipoblastoma; malignancy; mesenteric; paediatric oncology; soft tissue pathology.