[A huge malignant degenerating neurofibroma of the lower leg coexistent with type 1 Recklinghausen disease]. / Monströses, maligne entartetes Neurofibrom am Unterschenkel bei Morbus Recklinghausen.

ABSTRACT

HISTORY A 65-year-old man had noted a tumor of the right lower leg that had progressively grown over the last twenty years. He had a dyspnoea on insignificant movement and was relatively immobile because of the extent of the tumor. The tumor had been diagnosed as a Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome. INVESTIGATIONS Laboratory investigations suggested a hypochromic and microcytic anaemia and an inflammatory constellation. The tumor had no av-fistulas on ultrasonography and angiography, but there were many pathological arteries and tumor nodes. The tumor nodes had been seen also on MRI-biopsy suggested a neurogenic sarcoma. DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT Amputation of the leg was necessary. The histological diagnosis was neurofibrosarcoma with extensive necrotic areas and Recklinghausen disease. Investigation did not reveal any metastasis. Postoperatively the anaemia regressed and the patient learned to walk with a prosthesis. CONCLUSIONS: This history shows the problem of separating clearly the two hereditary diseases. Often there is a different clinical picture in everyday life. One must consider the definitely higher risk of malignant tumors of patients with neurofibromatosis. Ultrasonography is a non-invasive method that can provide morphological information on soft parts and pathology of the vessels. It facilitates the classification of such.