Erythrocyte Agglutination in a Child with Neuroblastoma

Oytun Portakal,Bilgehan Yalcin

doi:10.5171/2014.297206

Abstract

Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor in children. Here we present a 4- year-old boy diagnosed with neuroblastoma, showing erythrocyte agglutination on blood smear six days after intensive chemotherapy. Total blood count showed a significant discrepancy between hemoglobin and hematocrit values. Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) values were elevated. Erythrocyte agglutination was disappeared after the sample was warmed at 37 0 C. Cold agglutination reaction was found to be positive whereas direct Coombs test was found to be negative. Follow-up total blood counts were back to reference range after cyclophosphamide, etoposide and cisplatin therapy. To our knowledge, this is the first report in the literature in which erythrocyte (red blood cell) agglutination due to cold agglutinins was detected in a child diagnosed with neuroblastoma.

Highlights

Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor of children deriving from neural crest tissues
Follow-up total blood counts were back to reference range after cyclophosphamide, etoposide and cisplatin therapy. This is the first report in the literature in which erythrocyte agglutination due to cold agglutinins was detected in a child diagnosed with neuroblastoma
We present here a 4-year-old-boy who was diagnosed with neuroblastoma along with erythrocyte agglutination on blood smear during his second chemotherapy cycle

Summary

Introduction

Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor of children deriving from neural crest tissues. We present a 4year-old boy diagnosed with neuroblastoma, showing erythrocyte agglutination on blood smear six days after intensive chemotherapy. Total blood count showed a significant discrepancy between hemoglobin and hematocrit values. Follow-up total blood counts were back to reference range after cyclophosphamide, etoposide and cisplatin therapy.

Results

Conclusion