A Neuroblastoma Case Presenting with Seizures Resistant to Anti-Epileptic Treatments

Abstract

Seizure is a rare symptom of paraneoplastic syndrome seen in neuroblastoma without a previous history. A 4-month-old male patient who was followed up with a preliminary diagnosis of an adrenal mass in pediatric oncology was admitted to hospital with a seizure. A diagnosis of undifferentiated neuroblastoma was made with a biopsy from an adrenal mass. Seizures were resistant to anti-epileptic therapy and they were completely under control with steroids on the 4th day of treatment. Electroencephalography (EEG) disturbances disappeared and no neurologic deficit was detected. This case, which presented with isolated seizure symptoms of neuroblastoma and was treated with steroids, was a very rare presentation in which symptoms and EEG disturbances disappeared. In neuroblastoma, autoimmunity may be involved in the pathogenesis of seizures, which is a rare finding of paraneoplastic syndrome and the option of immunotherapy should be considered.

Keywords

• epileptic seizure
• neuroblastoma
• autoantibody
• steroid
• paraneoplastic syndrome