Malignant gastrointestinal neuroectodermal tumor

Abstract

Malignant gastrointestinal neuroectodermal tumor (GNET) is a rare, aggressive, highly malignant mesenchymal tumor of the gastrointestinal tract. It commonly arises within the gastrointestinal tract, mostly involving the small intestine. The molecular features of GNET include chromosomal translocations t(12;22)(q13;q12) and t(2;22)(q34;q12) resulting in EWSR1–ATF1 and EWSR1–CREB1 gene fusions, respectively. Only a few cases of GNET in children and adolescents have been described in the international literature. Here, we report a case of metastatic GNET in a 6-year-old boy. The patient's parents gave their consent to the use of their child's data, including photographs, for research purposes and in publications. The diagnosis was confirmed histologically and by high-throughput RNA exome sequencing which revealed the typical EWSR1–ATF1 fusion transcript. In this article, we give the details of the patient's treatment that included intensive chemotherapy and the administration of the c-Met/ ALK inhibitor crizotinib with a transient antitumor effect. We also provide a literature review describing the clinical features and pathogenesis of GNET, its differential diagnosis and treatment approaches.