Ectopic neuroblastoma in monozygotic twins with different ages of onset: possible twin-to-twin metastasis in utero with distinct genetic alterations after birth

J Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 2014 Mar;36(2):166-8. doi: 10.1097/MPH.0b013e318290c686.

Abstract

We describe neuroblastoma (NB) in monozygotic twins whose ages at the onset of the disease had a 3-year interval. The primary tumor site of twin 1 was the adrenal gland, whereas that of twin 2 was the jejunum/mesentery. MYCN amplification, DNA index, ALK mutation, and copy number alterations of DNA were different between each primary tumor. NB in ectopic sites may have resulted from twin-to-twin metastasis through vascular anastamoses in the placenta. The pathogenesis of this NB involved a premalignant stage of NB during the fetal development and subsequent molecular alterations after birth, resulting in NBs that were phenotypically similar but genetically different.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / pathology
  • Age of Onset
  • Child, Preschool
  • Diseases in Twins / genetics*
  • Female
  • Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutation
  • Neuroblastoma / genetics*
  • Neuroblastoma / pathology
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
  • Pregnancy
  • Twins, Monozygotic / genetics*