Abstract
Opsoclonus-myoclonus, a rare paraneoplastic syndrome that may occur in patients with neuroblastoma, is thought to be a humorally mediated immune reaction to malignant cells that cross-react with autoantigens. This report describes the case of an occult neuroblastoma diagnosed in a 4-year-old female 2 years after presentation of opsoclonus-myoclonus. Although no mass was evident on previous imaging at an interval of 10 months, a computed tomographic scan 4 months after rituximab treatment and 20 months after presentation revealed a new left adrenal mass. Although neuroblastomas can be identified months after presentation of opsoclonus-myoclonus without treatment with rituximab, this report describes one of the longest intervals using up-to-date imaging techniques. Therefore the case raises two concerns: (1) whether the same immune process that causes opsoclonus-myoclonus may suppress neuroblastomas, and (2) whether immunosuppressive therapy with rituximab may inhibit the immune reaction to occult neuroblastomas in patients with unexplained opsoclonus-myoclonus.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 213-215 |
Number of pages | 3 |
Journal | Pediatric Neurology |
Volume | 35 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Sep 2006 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
- Neurology
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Clinical Neurology