The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics 2014 , Vol 56 , Num 1
Alpha-fetoprotein-producing hepatoid gastric adenocarcinoma in a child presenting with spontaneous gastric perforation
Divisions of 1Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, 4Pediatric Gastroenterology, 2Department of Pathology, and 3Department of Pediatric Surgery, SB Ankara Children’s Hematology Oncology Training and Research Hospital, and 5Division of Pediatric Pathology, Department of Pediatrics, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. E-mail: neslihankarakurt@ gmail.com Gastric adenocarcinoma is a rare entity in the pediatric population. Gastric hepatoid adenocarcinoma with elevated serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is seen extremely rarely in children.

A 12-year-old boy was admitted to the hospital with complaint of abdominal pain. X-ray revealed free air density below the diaphragm. Emergent laparotomy showed perforated stomach. Four weeks after the operation, he was readmitted with severe gastrointestinal obstruction symptoms. He underwent an explorative laparotomy, which revealed intestinal edema and diffuse small solid nodules covering the peritoneum. Serum AFP level was mildly elevated. Endoscopic evaluation of the upper gastrointestinal tract was performed, and a gastric mass was detected. All pathological findings were compatible with gastric carcinoma showing hepatoid differentiation.

We report an unusual case of AFP-producing hepatoid gastric adenocarcinoma presenting with gastric perforation. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the first reported case of AFP- producing hepatoid gastric adenocarcinoma presenting with gastric perforation in a child. Keywords : alpha-fetoprotein-producing gastric carcinoma, children, hepatoid adenocarcinoma, gastric perforation.

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