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Rhabdomyosarcoma, Wilms tumor, and deletion of the patched gene in Gorlin syndrome

Abstract

Background A 5-year-old year girl with a medical history of mental retardation, physical abnormalities and a known interstitial deletion of chromosome 9q22–q32 presented with a palpable suprapubic mass. During ultrasound investigation, a left renal mass was also detected. The patient underwent surgical removal of both neoplasms, which were diagnosed as a rhabdomyosarcoma and a Wilms tumor. Seven years later, she presented with macroglossia and a benign mandibular cyst.

Investigations Physical examination, karyotyping, abdominal and pelvic ultrasound, brain CT scan, anatomic pathology analysis with immunohistochemistry, and typing of polymorphic markers in the patched (PTCH) gene region.

Diagnosis Gorlin syndrome with synchronous rhabdomyosarcoma and Wilms tumor.

Management Left nephrectomy, excision of paravesical tumor, excision of mandibular cysts, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy.

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Figure 1: Gross and microscopic appearance of the patient's paravesical rhabdomyosarcoma.
Figure 2: Gross and microscopic appearance of the patient's Wilms tumor and keratocyst.
Figure 3: Genotyping of chromosome 9q markers in the proband and her parents.

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Correspondence to Miguel Reyes-Múgica.

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Cajaiba, M., Bale, A., Alvarez-Franco, M. et al. Rhabdomyosarcoma, Wilms tumor, and deletion of the patched gene in Gorlin syndrome. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 3, 575–580 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncponc0608

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ncponc0608

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