Uncommon reasons of the digestive tract-related paraneoplastic syndromes in children with neuroblastic tumors: three case reports

AIM OF THE STUDY: presentation of the uncommon paraneoplastic syndromes related to the gastrointestinal tract that may occur in children with neuroblastic tumors and their impact on the disease course. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of three cases of patients mainly with digestive tract-related symptoms, who were originally admitted to the gastroenterology department from 2013 to 2016 and were finally diagnosed with neuroblastic tumors. RESULTS: The clinical data analysis showed that the symptoms from gastrointestinal tract were dominant in analyzed subjects. The first case is a girl with weight loss, bloating and severe diarrhea, admitted to the hospital in a state of dehydration. The laboratory tests revealed severe hypokalemia. Finally, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) secreting ganglioneuroblastoma was diagnosed and effective surgery was performed. The second case was also a girl who suffered from the incidents of watery diarrhea and flatulence. The tumor was detected by computerized tomography scan. The 3(rd) stage of ganglioneuroblastoma was diagnosed. The patient required chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery treatment. The third child was a boy, hospitalized due to abdominal pain, constipation and weakness. During the diagnostic process, the 4(th) stage of neuroblastoma was recognized. The chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy and immunotherapy were applied. CONCLUSIONS: In children with common abdominal symptoms as chronic flatulence, diarrhea or severe constipation of unknown etiology, the neuroblastic tumors should be considered.