Dysembryoplastic Neuroepithelial Tumor: A Case Report

ABSTRACT

We report the case of a 12 year old boy with a dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor(DNT) of the left frontal lobe. Only recently recognized, this tumor is an uncommon neurosurgical lesion of adolescents and young adults, one with a benign clinical course and a long history of intractable partial complex seizures. DNT was first proposed by Daumas-Duport et al. and in the revised WHO histological classification, has recently been incorporated into the category of neuronal and mixed neuronal-glial tumors. Since the first description, there have been a few additional case reports of DNTs, including histological and radiological findings. Owing to the supratentorial and intracortical location of this tumor, and its association with cortical dysplasia, the onset of seizure is often early, either in childhood or adolescence. Unlike other dysgenetic lesions and some glial tumors, the prognosis after resection is thought-as far as seizure control is concerned-to be excellent. Identification of these neoplasms is of obvious therapeutic importance because it spares these young patients the deleterious long term effects of radio-or chemotherapy.