Gastrointestinal autonomic nerve tumour — report of a case of GANT that developed as a secondary cancer in a neuroblastoma survivor
Abstract
Gastrointestinal autonomic nerve tumours (GANT) are rare stromal tumours of the gastrointestinal tract
and retroperitoneum in adults; they are very uncommon among children. In the literature there are no
data about the occurrence of GANTs after neuroblastoma. The authors report a case of 12-year-old girl,
previously treated for neuroblastoma, who presented to the emergency room with symptoms of acute
abdomen. She developed intussusception caused by a tumour, which was subsequently diagnosed as
a GANT of the colon. No metastatic lesions were found. Surgery and subtotal resection of the colon were
performed. During 30 months of follow-up she had no signs of recurrence. To conclude, in cancer survivors
presenting to the emergency room with acute symptoms, recurrent or new cancer should always be
considered in the differential diagnosis.
Keywords: gastrointestinal autonomic nerve tumour (GANT)gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST)intussusceptionc-kitneuroblastoma
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