ABSTRACT
The co-occurrence of different histological tumors in the nervous system is rare and is mainly associated with phakomatoses or radiation exposure. A 72-year-old man underwent surgery for a frontal convexity meningioma. Four years after the surgery, a new lesion was detected in the attached region where the meningioma had been removed. The second tumor exhibited a high degree of cellularity, atypical mitosis, pseudo-palisading and microvascular proliferation, and was immunohistologically positive for GFAP and was diagnosed as a glioblastoma. Wild-type isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 was found in the second specimen. A genetic analysis using comparative genomic hybridization showed a DNA copy number loss on 1p35, 9pter-21, 10, 11q23, 13q, 14q, 20q, 22q and a gain on 7 in the second specimen. Although the mechanism responsible for the consecutive occurrence of meningioma and glioblastoma has not been elucidated, five hypotheses are feasible: (i) the lesions occurred incidentally; (ii) a low-grade astrocytoma present at the time of the first operation transformed into a high-grade glioma during the next 4 years; (iii) radiation received during the endovascular treatment induced glioblastoma; (iv) a brain scar created at the time of the first operation for meningioma led to the occurrence of a glioblastoma; and (v) the previous meningioma affected the surrounding glial cells, causing neoplastic transformation.
Subject(s)
Brain Neoplasms/pathology , Glioblastoma/pathology , Meningeal Neoplasms/pathology , Meningioma/pathology , Neoplasms, Second Primary/pathology , Aged , Brain Neoplasms/genetics , Brain Neoplasms/metabolism , Comparative Genomic Hybridization , Glioblastoma/genetics , Glioblastoma/metabolism , Humans , Immunohistochemistry , Male , Meningeal Neoplasms/metabolism , Meningioma/metabolism , Neoplasms, Second Primary/genetics , Neoplasms, Second Primary/metabolismABSTRACT
Cystic cavernous angiomas are rarely found in patients. We have reviewed 25 cases of cystic cavernous angiomas, including our case. The patients were predominantly women (15 women and 10 men). The patients' ages ranged from 4 months to 75 years (mean age, 44.0 years). The most frequent symptoms were headache (32%) and cerebellar signs (32%), followed by papilledema (24%), hemiparesis (20%), and seizures (20%). The cystic cavernous angiomas were located in the supratentorial region in 16 (64%) cases, the cerebellopontine angle in 4 (16%) cases, and the cerebellum in 5 (20%) cases. Multiple cystic lesions were observed in only two cases (8%). The typical magnetic resonance images of these patients showed a mixed-intensity nodule on the T1- and T2-weighted images, iso- to high-intensity cysts on the T1-weighted images, and high-intensity cysts on the T2-weighted images. In some of the images, the nodules and cyst walls were enhanced. On the T2-weighted images, the periphery of the cyst showed low intensity. The approach involving total removal of the nodule, partial resection of the cyst, and drainage of the content of the cyst is considered a preferable strategy. Histologically, the nodule showed a network of thin-walled vascular channels lined by endothelium. Hemosiderin deposits and calcification were observed in some cases, and neural tissue was absent. The cyst wall was composed of neocapillary-containing fibrous tissue and showed a proliferation of inflammatory cells and hemosiderin deposits. The etiology of cyst formation remains unclear; however, recurrent hemorrhage from the sinusoids of the vascular malformation or from the neocapillary of the cyst wall and the osmotic transport of water into the cyst are thought to induce the growth of the cyst.
