ON THIS PAGE: You will find out more about the changes and medical problems that can be a sign of pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB). Use the menu to see other pages.

What are the symptoms and signs of PPB?

Children with PPB may experience one or more of the following symptoms or signs. Symptoms are changes that you can feel in your body. Signs are changes in something measured, like taking your blood pressure or doing a lab test. Together, symptoms and signs can help describe a medical problem. Sometimes, children with PPB do not have any of the symptoms and signs described below. Or, the cause of a symptom or sign may be a medical condition that is a not tumor. Because PPB is so rare, doctors often believe at first examination that the symptoms are caused by a common childhood illness.

There are 2 common sets of symptoms that may indicate PPB:

• Sudden, stressful breathing may be caused by air escaping from the lung cysts into the chest cavity. This is called pneumothorax, meaning there is air in the chest cavity. It is important to note that there are many other causes of pneumothorax.

• Symptoms of PPB may be exactly the same as symptoms of pneumonia, which is a lung/respiratory infection. These symptoms may include feeling generally unwell, a cough, a fever, and pain in the chest. Even when a chest x-ray is done, it may be first interpreted as pneumonia. It is common for children with PPB to have been treated for 2 to 3 weeks for pneumonia before more tests show that they likely have a tumor in the chest.

In addition, sometimes a lung cyst or tumor may be found when a chest x-ray is taken for another reason. See the Diagnosis section for more information on chest x-rays.

If you are concerned about any changes your child experiences, please talk with your child’s doctor. The doctor will try to understand what is causing your child’s symptom(s). They may do an exam and order tests to understand the cause of the problem, which is called a diagnosis.

If PPB is diagnosed, relieving symptoms remains an important part of your child’s medical care and treatment. Managing symptoms may also be called "palliative and supportive care," which is not the same as hospice care given at the end of life. This type of care focuses on managing symptoms and supporting people who face serious illnesses, such as cancer. You can receive palliative and supportive care at any time during cancer treatment. Learn more in this guide’s section on Coping with Treatment.

Be sure to talk with your child's health care team about the symptoms your child experiences, including any new symptoms or a change in symptoms.

The next section in this guide is Diagnosis. It explains what tests may be needed to learn more about the cause of the symptoms. Use the menu to choose a different section to read in this guide.