Blanching subcutaneous nodules in neonatal neuroblastoma

Summary Persistent blanching in and around the cutaneous metastases of a neuroblastoma was observed in a newborn infant girl. Catecholamines were demonstrated in the tumor cells from a skin metastasis by electron microscopy and fluorescence histochemistry. The blanching is believed to result from local vasoconstriction following release of catecholamines from the tumor cells. The blanching phenomenon may be a useful diagnostic sign characteristic of the skin metastases of neuroblastoma.