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CC BY 4.0 · Indian J Med Paediatr Oncol
DOI: 10.1055/s-0044-1795092
Case Report with Review of Literature

Small-Cell Lung Carcinoma in an 8-Year-Old Boy: A Rare Case Report with Review of Literature

Manashi Ghosh
1   Department of Medical Oncology, NIMS Hospital, National Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
,
Sourav Debnath 
2   Department of Pharmacy Practice, NIMS Institute of Pharmacy, National Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
,
Gul Mohammad Bhat
1   Department of Medical Oncology, NIMS Hospital, National Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
,
Sandeep Bairwa 
1   Department of Medical Oncology, NIMS Hospital, National Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
,
Rejil Rajan
1   Department of Medical Oncology, NIMS Hospital, National Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
› Author Affiliations Funding None.
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Abstract

Lung cancer typically affects older adults, with occurrences in children being extremely rare. In adolescents, metastatic lung disease is more common than primary lung cancers. The pathological spectrum of lung cancer in children varies, with small-cell carcinoma being a rare type, accounting for around 4.5% of cases. An 8-year-old boy, previously healthy, presented with moderate-intensity, short-duration chest pain on the left side. Histomorphology, immunohistochemistry characteristics, and fluorescence in situ hybridization confirmed the diagnosis of extensive-stage small-cell lung carcinoma (SCLC). The patient responded positively to six cycles of chemotherapy with etoposide and carboplatin, resulting in the resolution of symptoms. This case underscores the rare instance of SCLC in the pediatric population, emphasizing the diagnostic challenges due to nonspecific symptoms and the necessity for aggressive treatment. It highlights the importance of adapting adult SCLC treatment protocols for pediatric patients to enhance prognosis, given the limited specific guidelines available.

Keywords

small-cell lung carcinoma - pediatric - metastatic lung disease - histomorphology - chemotherapy

Ethics Approval and Consent to Participate

The current study was approved by the institutional review board (IEC/P-835/2024) at the NIMS University, Rajasthan, Jaipur. Written informed consent for publication of this case report and any accompanying images was obtained from the patient's legal guardians.


Patient Consent

Informed consent was provided by the guardian's of the patient.


Authors' Contributions

M.G., S.B., and G.M.B. worked toward managing and following up with the patient. M.G. and R.R. had the inception of the idea of writing the case. S.D. and M.G. wrote the manuscript. G.M.B. edited and fine-tuned the manuscript. S.B. helped in the diagnosis of the disease.




Publication History

Article published online:
19 December 2024

© 2024. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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