Surgical treatment of congenital rhabdoid tumor in a 10-day-old newborn

BACKGROUND:Malignant rhabdoid tumors are rare and aggressive tumors of pediatric age. The primary tumor can occur in different localizations, but it mainly involves kidney, soft tissue, or central nervous system. It has been associated to a poor diagnosis.METHODS:The authors present the case of a 10-day-old newborn affected by a bulky nasofronto-orbitary neoplasm. The patient underwent radical surgical treatment and further excision of a preauricular metastasis combined with postoperative chemotherapy treatment.RESULTS:The authors adopted a diagnostic and therapeutic protocol according to international guidelines, not without difficulty because the first histological report showed esthesioneuroblastoma. The rarity and aggresivity of rhabdoid tumor and the precocity of onset in our patient presented a difficulty to define prognostic factors and survival rates, as well as therapeutic plan of treatment.CONCLUSIONS:The authors underline the importance of a correct prenatal diagnosis and an early surgical treatment to reach the complete healing of the patient.