Wilms' Tumor Presenting as Sudden Death due to Pulmonary Tumor Embolism.

Park, Yong Wook; Kim, Hyoung Joong; Seo, Joong Seok

Original article

Korean Journal of Legal Medicine 1999;23(1):88-91.
Published online May 31, 1999.

Wilms' Tumor Presenting as Sudden Death due to Pulmonary Tumor Embolism.

Yong Wook Park, Hyoung Joong Kim, Joong Seok Seo

Abstract

Wilms' tumor is the most common urinary tract neoplasm and one of the most frequent solid abdominal malignant tumors of childhood, usually diagnosed between the ages of 2 and 5 years. Typically, it is manifested as an asymptomatic unilateral or upper abdominal mass. Abdimonal pain after some traumatic incident, fever, anemia, hematuria and hypertension are other patterns of presentation. In a considerable number of these patients, pulmonary metastases are present at the time of primary diagnosis. But, the initial presentation of acute pulmonary tumor emboli without surgical manipulation is very rare. We describe a sudden unexpected infantile death case diagnosed as pulmonary tumor embolism preexisting Wilms tumor. To our knowledge, this is the initial autopsy presentation of Wilms tumor with tumor embolism as sudden and unexpected death in Korea.

Key Words: Sudden death, Pulmonary tumor embolism, Wilmsf tumor