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Peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumour of the orbit
  1. Ricardo Romero1,
  2. Ananda Castano2,
  3. Jose Abelairas1,
  4. Jesus Peralta1,
  5. Miguel A Garcia-Cabezas3,
  6. Margarita Sanchez-Orgaz1,
  7. Alvaro Arbizu1,
  8. Jose Vallejo-Garcia1
  1. 1Department of Paediatric Ophthalmology, University Hospital La Paz, Madrid, Spain
  2. 2Department of Paediatric Ophthalmology, University Hospital Puerto de Hierro, Madrid, Spain
  3. 3Department of Pathology, University Hospital La Paz, Madrid, Spain
  1. Correspondence to Dr Ricardo Romero, Urbanizacion Quinta del Sol 32, Las Rozas 28231, Madrid, Spain; romeromartinricardo{at}hotmail.com

Abstract

Peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumours (pPNETs) are a group of soft-tissue tumours of neuroepithelial origin that arise outside the central and sympathetic nervous system. Orbital location is infrequent, and to the best of the authors' knowledge only 16 cases have been reported in the literature. With this article, the authors report the demographics and clinical characteristics, diagnostic features, differential diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic options of primary orbital peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumour, based on their patients and on the cases reported in the literature to date. A differential diagnosis should be made with other small round cell tumours; immunohistochemical and ultrastructural techniques are essential for this purpose. Although bone invasion and extraorbital extension are possible, systemic metastases are uncommon in the cases of orbital pPNETs. Surgery has been the initial treatment in most cases; chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy is considered the best additional treatment. The orbital pPNET could be less aggressive than other forms of pPNETs, since most of the patients reported were alive after the follow-up period (at least 6 months).

  • Peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumour of the orbit
  • orbital primitive neuroectodermal tumour
  • orbital pPNET
  • orbit

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Footnotes

  • Competing interests None.

  • Patient consent Obtained.

  • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.