Renal neuroblastoma is uncommon, particularly in adults, with only a few cases having been reported in studies published in the English language. The incidence is only 0.12 cases/1 million individuals in those aged >20 years. Studies of the pathogenesis, biological characteristics, treatment and prognosis of renal neuroblastoma are limited due to this low incidence. The present study reports the case of a 22-year-old adult female who was diagnosed with a left renal neuroblastoma by computed tomography (CT), bone scan and pathological examination. The patient underwent a left nephroureterectomy, ipsilateral lymph node dissection and post-operative radiotherapy, prior to discharge 60 days after admittance. At the nine-month follow-up examination, the patient showed no evidence of recurrence, progression or metastatic disease on the CT scans of the chest, abdomen and pelvis. Renal neuroblastoma is extremely uncommon in adults. The diagnosis and treatment of renal neuroblastoma is complicated by the overall low incidence, lack of specific treatment guidelines, advanced disease state due to late presentation, and its associated co-morbidities. Further study of the pathogenesis, biological and clinical characteristics, and treatment of renal neuroblastoma is required to provide an optimal treatment for patients and to improve the patient's quality of life.
Keywords: neuroblastoma; treatment.