Rare Forms Of Cancer To Be Aware Of

Small Blue Round Cell Tumors

The name might sound non-threatening or even a type to scoff at. However, small-blue-round-cell-tumor, also known as SBRCT, is any one of a group of malignant, and often fatal, neoplasms that appear under a microscope. For instance, this disease consists of small round cells that stain blue on routine Hematoxylin & Eosin stain (H&E) sections, a principle stain in histology. These tumors, unfortunately, develop more often in children than in adults, and they usually represent undifferentiated cells. The significance of the blue staining represents the cells found in the nucleus, where cancer can be detected.

Small blue round cell tumors often lead to Desmoplastic small round cell tumors, which can lead to a multitude of cancers including Neuroblastoma, Mesothelioma, Small cell lung cancer, Wilms’ tumor, Merkel cell carcinoma, and Small-cell lymphoma. Although a majority of these rare types of cancer happen to adults, they can occur in children if small blue round cell tumors occur, due to the primitive cells found in childhood.

The Deadly Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumor

This aggressive and rare form of cancer predominantly occurs in the abdomen and can affect other areas of the body including the lining of the abdomen, lymph nodes, diaphragm, spleen, liver, and chest wall. It also affects the skull, spinal cord, brain, large and small intestines, bladder, lungs, testicles, ovaries, and the pelvis. This type of tumor is categorized as a soft tissue sarcoma and is considered a childhood cancer that usually affects boys and young male adults, as the disease rarely occurs in females. There are no known causes of the disease, and it is often misdiagnosed as other forms of tumors within the abdomen due to its rarity. Symptoms include abdominal masses that can grow to enormous sizes and are often hard and round, abdominal distention, abdominal or back pain, gastrointestinal obstruction, lack of appetite, ascites, anemia, cachexia, and masses appearing in other areas of the body.

Similar to small blue round cell tumors, Desmoplastic small round cell tumors can be treated at a sarcoma center due to how rapidly this type of cancer spreads, and there is no standard treatment protocol. Recent research has indicated patients have responded well to chemotherapy, surgery to remove the tumor, and radiation therapy following surgery.