Neuroendocrine tumor discovered in a teenager following asthma misdiagnosis

Sophie Denamur; Erik Hervieux; Elora Peulier-Maitre; Francois Chalard; Aurore Coulomb; Nadia Nathan; Harriet Corvol

doi:10.1016/j.arcped.2024.11.002

Neuroendocrine tumor discovered in a teenager following asthma misdiagnosis

Arch Pediatr. 2024 Dec 22:S0929-693X(24)00210-0. doi: 10.1016/j.arcped.2024.11.002. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Sophie Denamur¹, Erik Hervieux², Elora Peulier-Maitre¹, Francois Chalard³, Aurore Coulomb⁴, Nadia Nathan⁵, Harriet Corvol⁶

Affiliations

¹ Sorbonne Université, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Hôpital Trousseau, Service de Pneumologie Pédiatrique, Centre de Référence des Maladies Respiratoires Rares RespiRare, Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, Inserm U938, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine (CRSA), Paris, France.
² Sorbonne Université, AP-HP, Hôpital Trousseau, Service de Chirurgie Viscérale Pédiatrique et Néonatale, Paris, France.
³ Sorbonne Université, AP-HP, Hôpital Trousseau, Service de Radiologie Pédiatrique, Paris, France.
⁴ Sorbonne Université, AP-HP, Hôpital Trousseau, Service d'Anatomie et Cytologie pathologiques, Paris, France.
⁵ Sorbonne Université, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Hôpital Trousseau, Service de Pneumologie Pédiatrique, Centre de Référence des Maladies Respiratoires Rares RespiRare, Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, Laboratory of Childhood Genetic Diseases, Inserm UMR_S933, Paris, France.
⁶ Sorbonne Université, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Hôpital Trousseau, Service de Pneumologie Pédiatrique, Centre de Référence des Maladies Respiratoires Rares RespiRare, Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, Inserm U938, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine (CRSA), Paris, France. Electronic address: harriet.corvol@aphp.fr.

PMID: 39718478
DOI: 10.1016/j.arcped.2024.11.002

Abstract

Although relatively rare, neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) represent the most common type of endobronchial tumors in pediatric patients. Their clinical presentation lacks specificity, often leading to delayed diagnosis due to limited clinical suspicion. Mainly classified as low-grade malignant tumors (grade 1), they typically demonstrate favorable outcomes following surgical removal. However, local recurrence and/or metastases may occur in both low- and high-grade NET. We present the case of a 17-year-old girl initially misdiagnosed with asthma, later found to have a low-grade NET obstructing the left main bronchus. Surgical resection enabled complete tumor removal, and subsequent follow-up confirmed the postsurgical recovery. This case emphasizes the importance of familiarizing pediatricians and GP with the need for chest X-rays in all initial asthma diagnosis in order to eliminate differential diagnoses such as bronchial NET. This underscores the importance of a prompt diagnosis and follow-up care in similar cases.

Keywords: Asthma misdiagnosis; Endobronchial neuroendocrine tumor; Lung; Pediatric; Surgery.