Management of Uncommon Neck and Axillary Lipoblastomas in Children

İngilizce (OpenAlex)

Objective: Lipoblastomas are benign tumors developing from embryonic fat tissue with few cases reported in the head and neck region. Herein, we aim to present the management of a rare type of lipoblastoma in childhood. Material and Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed on all patients who were admitted due to a mass in the neck and axillary region between January 2015 and December 2019. Data were collected on demographics, comorbidities, preoperative characteristics, operative interventions, and postoperative complications and outcomes. The patients with lipoblastoma were further analyzed. Results: There were 52 patients operated on due to a mass in the neck or axillary region during the study time. The mean age was 5.42±4.16. The majority of the patients (40/52) were diagnosed with enlarged lymph nodes of which 32 (80%) were diagnosed with lymphoma. Among these populations, only two (3.8%) of them were diagnosed with lipoblastoma. Both cases were asymptomatic other than a painless mass. The histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of lipoblastoma after surgical excision. Both cases have been uneventful for four years postoperatively. Conclusion: In conclusion, lipoblastomas emerge as a slowly growing mass in early childhood and are mostly seen on the trunk and extremities. Although benign, they have the potential to increase in size and invade adjacent tissues. The gold standard treatment is complete surgical excision. Due to the possibility of recurrence, regular follow-up is strongly recommended after surgery.