An Anterior Midline Skull Base Epidermoid Cyst Presenting With Spontaneous Intraparenchymal Rupture: A Case Report.

Intracranial epidermoid cysts (ECs) are rare, benign lesions typically found in the cerebellopontine angle, suprasellar spaces, and middle cranial fossa. While these cysts are congenital, originating from ectodermal cell remnants during embryogenesis, it is not until middle age that patients present with symptoms secondary to local mass effect. Here, we present an interesting case of an EC arising from the midline anterior skull base in a 69-year-old male, presenting with symptoms ensuing from the spontaneous rupture of cyst contents into the brain parenchyma. As this is a highly unusual location and presentation for intracranial ECs, this report provides valuable information to the literature on ECs.

Proximity of percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation needle insertion to surrounding anatomic structures: a cadaveric study.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation is a third-line treatment for overactive bladder and urgency urinary incontinence. During the procedure, a needle is inserted cephalad to the medial malleolus and posterior to the tibia. In recent years, permanent implants and leads have been developed for insertion into the medial ankle via a small incision. There are many important structures present in the medial compartment of the ankle, including the great saphenous vein, saphenous nerve, tibial nerve, posterior tibial vessels, and tendons of the posterior compartment leg muscles. OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this study was to identify the proximity of the percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation needle placed per Food and Drug Administration-approved device instructions to nearby important anatomic structures. The secondary objectives were to identify the proximity of the tibial nerve to the needle site, identify clinically relevant ankle anatomic structures, and confirm the tibial nerve and posterior tibial vasculature by histologic analysis. STUDY DESIGN: Detailed medial ankle dissections were performed bilaterally on 10 female lightly embalmed anatomic donors (cadavers) obtained from the Willed Body Program at the University of Louisville. A pin was inserted at the percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation needle site, and the medial ankle was minimally dissected so the surrounding anatomic structures were visible but not disrupted. The shortest distance from the pin to the selected structures of the medial ankle region was measured. On completion of each dissection and set of measurements, tissue was harvested for histologic examination. The distances between the pin and each structure were assessed using means and standard deviations. A paired t test was used to assess the difference in the locations between the left and right ankles. Statistical analysis was performed on left-sided, right-sided, and combined measurements. An 80% prediction interval was found to represent the expected range of values for the measurement of a new cadaver or patient, and the 95% confidence interval of the mean was computed to characterize the average distance across all cadavers or patients. RESULTS: The medial ankle of 10 adult female lightly embalmed cadavers were examined bilaterally. Dissections were completed from October 2021 to July 2022. Of note, 80% prediction intervals for the tibial nerve, the posterior tibial artery or vein, and the flexor digitorum longus tendon had a lower range of 0.0 mm from the pin and extending to 12.1, 9.5, and 13.9 mm, respectively. Moreover, 2 of the structures were found to be asymmetrical between the right and left ankles. The great saphenous vein was further from the pin on the left (20.5 mm [standard deviation of 6.4 mm] on the left vs 18.1 mm [standard deviation of 5.3 mm] on the right; P=.04). The calcaneal (Achilles) tendon was further from the pin on the right side (13.2 mm [standard deviation of 6.8 mm] vs 7.9 mm [standard deviation of 6.7 mm]; P=.04). Tibial neurovascular structures were confirmed with microscopic analysis. CONCLUSION: The anatomic structures within the medial ankle lie unexpectedly close to the percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation needle site as noted per Food and Drug Administration-approved device instructions. There is a possibility that some medial ankle structures are not symmetrical. It is crucial that practitioners understand medial ankle anatomy when performing percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation or permanent device insertion.

Astroblastomas exhibit radial glia stem cell lineages and differential expression of imprinted and X-inactivation escape genes.

Astroblastomas (ABs) are rare brain tumors of unknown origin. We performed an integrative genetic and epigenetic analysis of AB-like tumors. Here, we show that tumors traceable to neural stem/progenitor cells (radial glia) that emerge during early to later brain development occur in children and young adults, respectively. Tumors with MN1-BEND2 fusion appear to present exclusively in females and exhibit overexpression of genes expressed prior to 25 post-conception weeks (pcw), including genes enriched in early ventricular zone radial glia and ependymal tumors. Other, histologically classic ABs overexpress or harbor mutations of mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway genes, outer and truncated radial glia genes, and genes expressed after 25 pcw, including neuronal and astrocyte markers. Findings support that AB-like tumors arise in the context of epigenetic and genetic changes in neural progenitors. Selective gene fusion, variable imprinting and/or chromosome X-inactivation escape resulting in biallelic overexpression may contribute to female predominance of AB molecular subtypes.

Molecular Biomarker Testing for the Diagnosis of Diffuse Gliomas.

CONTEXT.­: The diagnosis and clinical management of patients with diffuse gliomas (DGs) have evolved rapidly over the past decade with the emergence of molecular biomarkers that are used to classify, stratify risk, and predict treatment response for optimal clinical care. OBJECTIVE.­: To develop evidence-based recommendations for informing molecular biomarker testing for pediatric and adult patients with DGs and provide guidance for appropriate laboratory test and biomarker selection for optimal diagnosis, risk stratification, and prediction. DESIGN.­: The College of American Pathologists convened an expert panel to perform a systematic review of the literature and develop recommendations. A systematic review of literature was conducted to address the overarching question, "What ancillary tests are needed to classify DGs and sufficiently inform the clinical management of patients?" Recommendations were derived from quality of evidence, open comment feedback, and expert panel consensus. RESULTS.­: Thirteen recommendations and 3 good practice statements were established to guide pathologists and treating physicians on the most appropriate methods and molecular biomarkers to include in laboratory testing to inform clinical management of patients with DGs. CONCLUSIONS.­: Evidence-based incorporation of laboratory results from molecular biomarker testing into integrated diagnoses of DGs provides reproducible and clinically meaningful information for patient management.

Trends in the Management Paradigms of Intracranial Meningioma.

Objective Intracranial meningiomas are the most common primary brain tumor. Treatment paradigms have evolved over time. There are limited number of population-based studies that examine this modern evolution. Here, we describe the trends of management of intracranial meningiomas using a national database. Methods The data were obtained from the National Cancer Database for the years 2004 to 2015, the collected variables included: patients' age, gender, insurance type, income, comorbidity score, the tumor size and grade, and treatment modality (observation, surgery, radiotherapy, or combination therapy). We performed statistical analyses to detect association between unique variables and outcomes. In addition, we performed mortality analyses for various treatment modalities. Results A total of 199,096 patients with a diagnosis of intracranial meningioma were included, the majority of patients were white females, mean age of 61 years, and half of the tumors were ≤ 3 cm. Observation was the most commonly used management modality followed by surgical resection, radiotherapy, and combination therapy. For the entire time period, there was an increased use of observation as a primary management method. Predictors of mortality included increased age, larger tumor size, higher tumor grade, treatment at a community hospital, and higher comorbidity scores. Conclusion Population-based studies of intracranial meningiomas are uncommon; our study is one of the few reports that examine the changes in the modern management paradigms of meningioma in the United States over time. Additionally, we shed light on the factors that affected survival of patients with this condition.

Intraoperative Mass Spectrometry Platform for IDH Mutation Status Prediction, Glioma Diagnosis, and Estimation of Tumor Cell Infiltration.

BACKGROUND: Surgical tumor resection is the primary treatment option for diffuse glioma, the most common malignant brain cancer. The intraoperative diagnosis of gliomas from tumor core samples can be improved by use of molecular diagnostics. Further, residual tumor at surgical margins is a primary cause of tumor recurrence and malignant progression. This study evaluates a desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (DESI-MS) system for intraoperative isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation assessment, estimation of tumor cell infiltration as tumor cell percentage (TCP), and disease status. This information could be used to enhance the extent of safe resection and so potentially improve patient outcomes. METHODS: A mobile DESI-MS instrument was modified and used in neurosurgical operating rooms (ORs) on a cohort of 49 human subjects undergoing craniotomy with tumor resection for suspected diffuse glioma. Small tissue biopsies (ntotal = 203) from the tumor core and surgical margins were analyzed by DESI-MS in the OR and classified using univariate and multivariate statistical methods. RESULTS: Assessment of IDH mutation status using DESI-MS/MS to measure 2-hydroxyglutarate (2-HG) ion intensities from tumor cores yielded a sensitivity, specificity, and overall diagnostic accuracy of 89, 100, and 94%, respectively (ncore = 71). Assessment of TCP (categorized as low or high) in tumor margin and core biopsies using N-acetyl-aspartic acid (NAA) intensity provided a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 91, 76, and 83%, respectively (ntotal = 203). TCP assessment using lipid profile deconvolution provided sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 76, 85, and 81%, respectively (ntotal = 203). Combining the experimental data and using PCA-LDA predictions of disease status, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy in predicting disease status are 63%, 83%, and 74%, respectively (ntotal = 203). CONCLUSIONS: The DESI-MS system allowed for identification of IDH mutation status, glioma diagnosis, and estimation of tumor cell infiltration intraoperatively in a large human glioma cohort. This methodology should be further refined for clinical diagnostic applications.

Zika virus infects pericytes in the choroid plexus and enters the central nervous system through the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier.

Zika virus (ZIKV) can infect and cause microcephaly and Zika-associated neurological complications in the developing fetal and adult brains. In terms of pathogenesis, a critical question is how ZIKV overcomes the barriers separating the brain from the circulation and gains access to the central nervous system (CNS). Despite the importance of ZIKV pathogenesis, the route ZIKV utilizes to cross CNS barriers remains unclear. Here we show that in mouse models, ZIKV-infected cells initially appeared in the periventricular regions of the brain, including the choroid plexus and the meninges, prior to infection of the cortex. The appearance of ZIKV in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) preceded infection of the brain parenchyma. Further the brain infection was significantly attenuated by neutralization of the virus in the CSF, indicating that ZIKV in the CSF at the early stage of infection might be responsible for establishing a lethal infection of the brain. We show that cells infected by ZIKV in the choroid plexus were pericytes. Using in vitro systems, we highlight the possibility that ZIKV crosses the blood-CSF barrier by disrupting the choroid plexus epithelial layer. Taken together, our results suggest that ZIKV might exploit the blood-CSF barrier rather than the blood-brain barrier to invade the CNS.

Ectopic sympathetic ganglia cells of the ventral root of the spinal cord: an anatomical study.

The sympathetic trunk ganglia contain the cell bodies of neurons. However, some patients who undergo sympathectomy can develop compensatory hyperhidrosis. To evaluate for ectopic pathways, the present anatomical study was performed. Ten adult cadavers underwent dissection of the spinal canal and removal of randomly selected ventral roots, which were submitted for histological analysis. Random ventral root samples were taken from cervical, thoracic, and lumbosacral regions in each specimen. Each histological section was then analyzed and the presence or absence of sympathetic cells documented for level and position within the ventral root. Of all samples, a sympathetic nerve cell was found in 80% of ventral roots. At least one sympathetic cell was found in these 80%. Most sympathetic cells were found in the proximal one-third of the ventral root. Such cells were found at all spinal levels and no specific level within a vertebral region was found to house a greater concentration of these cells. No statistical significance was found when comparing sides or sex. Our study confirmed that sympathetic cells exist in the majority of human ventral roots. Such data might better explain various clinical presentations and postoperative complications/findings.

Data Sets for the Reporting of Tumors of the Central Nervous System: Recommendations From The International Collaboration on Cancer Reporting.

CONTEXT.­: Standards for pathology reporting of cancer are foundational to national and international benchmarking, epidemiology, and clinical trials, with international standards for pathology reporting of cancer being undertaken through the International Collaboration on Cancer Reporting (ICCR). OBJECTIVE.­: To develop standardized templates for brain tumor diagnostic pathology reporting. DESIGN.­: As a response to the 2016 updated 4th edition of the WHO (World Health Organization) Classification of Tumours of the Central Nervous System (2016 CNS WHO), an expert ICCR committee developed data sets to facilitate reporting of brain tumors that are classified histologically and molecularly by the 2016 CNS WHO; as such, this represents the first combined histologic and molecular ICCR data set, and required a novel approach with 3 highly related data sets that should be used in an integrated manner. RESULTS.­: The current article and accompanying ICCR Web site describe reporting data sets for central nervous system tumors in the hope that they provide easy-to-use and highly reproducible means to issue diagnostic reports in consort with the 2016 CNS WHO. CONCLUSIONS.­: The consistent use of these templates will undoubtedly prove useful for patient care, clinical trials, epidemiologic studies, and monitoring of neuro-oncologic care around the world.

The microRNA-200 family acts as an oncogene in colorectal cancer by inhibiting the tumor suppressor RASSF2.

This study aimed to determine whether manipulation of the microRNA-200 (miR-200) family could influence colon adenocarcinoma cell behavior. The miR-200 family has a significant role in tumor suppression and functions as an oncogene. In vitro studies on gain and loss of function with small interfering RNA demonstrated that the miR-200 family could regulate RASSF2 expression. Knockdown of the miR-200 family in the HT-29 colon cancer cell line increased KRAS expression but decreased signaling in the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway through reduced ERK phosphorylation. Increased expression of the miR-200 family in the CCD-841 colon epithelium cell line increased KRAS expression and led to increased signaling in the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway but increased ERK phosphorylation. Functionally, knockdown of the miR-200 family led to decreased cell proliferation in the HT-29 cells; therefore, increased miR-200 family expression could increase cell proliferation in the CCD-841 cell line. The present study included a large paired miR array dataset (n=632), in which the miR-200 family was significantly found to be increased in colon cancer when compared with normal adjacent colon epithelium. In a miR-seq dataset (n=199), the study found that miR-200 family expression was increased in localized colon cancer compared with metastatic disease. Decreased expression was associated with poorer overall survival. The miR-200 family directly targeted RASSF2 and was inversely correlated with RASSF2 expression (n=199, all P<0.001). Despite the well-defined role of the miR-200 family in tumor suppression, the present findings demonstrated a novel function of the miR-200 family in tumor proliferation.

Management trends for anaplastic meningioma with adjuvant radiotherapy and predictors of long-term survival.

OBJECTIVEThe purpose of this study was to describe effects of adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) for anaplastic meningiomas (AMs) on long-term survival, and to analyze patient and RT characteristics associated with long-term survival.METHODSThe authors queried a retrospective cohort of patients with AM from the National Cancer Database (NCDB) diagnosed between 2004 and 2015 to describe treatment trends. For outcome analysis, patients with at least 10 years of follow-up were included, and they were stratified based on adjuvant RT status and propensity matched to controls for covariates. Survival curves were compared. A data-driven approach was used to find a biologically effective dose (BED) of RT with the largest difference between survival curves. Factors associated with long-term survival were quantified.RESULTSThe authors identified 2170 cases of AM in the NCDB between 2004 and 2015. They observed increased use of adjuvant RT in patients treated with higher doses. A total of 178 cases met the inclusion criteria for outcome analysis. Forty-five percent (n = 80) received adjuvant RT. Patients received a BED of 80.23 ± 16.6 Gy (mean ± IQR). The median survival time was not significantly different (32.8 months for adjuvant RT vs 38.5 months for no RT; p = 0.57, log-rank test). Dichotomizing the patients at a BED of 81 Gy showed maximal difference in survival distribution with a decrease in median survival in favor of no adjuvant RT (31.2 months for adjuvant RT vs 49.7 months for no RT; p = 0.03, log-rank test), but this difference was not significant after false discovery rate correction. Age was a significant predictor for long-term survival.CONCLUSIONSAMs are aggressive tumors that carry a poor prognosis. Conventional adjuvant RT improves local control. However, the effect of adjuvant radiation on overall survival is unclear. Further investigation into this area is warranted.

Genomic analysis demonstrates that histologically-defined astroblastomas are molecularly heterogeneous and that tumors with MN1 rearrangement exhibit the most favorable prognosis.

Astroblastoma (AB) is a rare CNS tumor demonstrating abundant astroblastomatous pseudorosettes. Its molecular features have not been comprehensively studied and its status as a tumor entity is controversial. We analyzed a cohort of 27 histologically-defined ABs using DNA methylation profiling, copy number analysis, FISH and site-directed sequencing. Most cases demonstrated mutually exclusive MN1 rearrangements (n = 10) or BRAFV600E mutations (n = 7). Two additional cases harbored RELA rearrangements. Other cases lacked these specific genetic alterations (n = 8). By DNA methylation profiling, tumors with MN1 or RELA rearrangement clustered with high-grade neuroepithelial tumor with MN1 alteration (HGNET-MN1) and RELA-fusion ependymoma, respectively. In contrast, BRAFV600E-mutant tumors grouped with pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (PXA). Six additional tumors clustered with either supratentorial pilocytic astrocytoma and ganglioglioma (LGG-PA/GG-ST), normal or reactive cerebrum, or with no defined DNA methylation class. While certain histologic features favored one genetic group over another, no group could be reliably distinguished by histopathology alone. Survival analysis between genetic AB subtypes was limited by sample size, but showed that MN1-rearranged AB tumors were characterized by better overall survival compared to other genetic subtypes, in fact, significantly better than BRAFV600E-mutant tumors (P = 0.013). Our data confirm that histologically-defined ABs are molecularly heterogeneous and do not represent a single entity. They rather encompass several low- to higher-grade glial tumors including neuroepithelial tumors with MN1 rearrangement, PXA-like tumors, RELA ependymomas, and possibly yet uncharacterized lesions. Genetic subtyping of tumors exhibiting AB histology, particularly determination of MN1 and BRAFV600E status, is necessary for important prognostic and possible treatment implications.

Intraoperative assessment of isocitrate dehydrogenase mutation status in human gliomas using desorption electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry.

OBJECTIVE: The authors describe a rapid intraoperative ambient ionization mass spectrometry (MS) method for determining isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation status from glioma tissue biopsies. This method offers new glioma management options and may impact extent of resection goals. Assessment of the IDH mutation is key for accurate glioma diagnosis, particularly for differentiating diffuse glioma from other neoplastic and reactive inflammatory conditions, a challenge for the standard intraoperative diagnostic consultation that relies solely on morphology. METHODS: Banked glioma specimens (n = 37) were analyzed by desorption electrospray ionization-MS (DESI-MS) to develop a diagnostic method to detect the known altered oncometabolite in IDH-mutant gliomas, 2-hydroxyglutarate (2HG). The method was used intraoperatively to analyze tissue smears obtained from glioma patients undergoing resection and to rapidly diagnose IDH mutation status (< 5 minutes). Fifty-one tumor core biopsies from 25 patients (14 wild type [WT] and 11 mutant) were examined and data were analyzed using analysis of variance and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. RESULTS: The optimized DESI-MS method discriminated between IDH-WT and IDH-mutant gliomas, with an average sensitivity and specificity of 100%. The average normalized DESI-MS 2HG signal was an order of magnitude higher in IDH-mutant glioma than in IDH-WT glioma. The DESI 2HG signal intensities correlated with independently measured 2HG concentrations (R2 = 0.98). In 1 case, an IDH1 R132H-mutant glioma was misdiagnosed as a demyelinating condition by frozen section histology during the intraoperative consultation, and no resection was performed pending the final pathology report. A second craniotomy and tumor resection was performed after the final pathology provided a diagnosis most consistent with an IDH-mutant glioblastoma. During the second craniotomy, high levels of 2HG in the tumor core biopsies were detected. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the capability to differentiate rapidly between IDH-mutant gliomas and IDH-WT conditions by DESI-MS during tumor resection. DESI-MS analysis of tissue smears is simple and can be easily integrated into the standard intraoperative pathology consultation. This approach may aid in solving differential diagnosis problems associated with low-grade gliomas and could influence intraoperative decisions regarding extent of resection, ultimately improving patient outcome. Research is ongoing to expand the patient cohort, systematically validate the DESI-MS method, and investigate the relationships between 2HG and tumor heterogeneity.

Determining IDH-Mutational Status in Gliomas Using IDH1-R132H Antibody and Polymerase Chain Reaction.

Determination of the isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation status, presence or absence of mutation in IDH genes (IDH1 or IDH2), has become one of the most important molecular features taken into account in the management of patients with diffuse gliomas. Tumors that are IDH-mutant have a better prognosis than their counterparts with similar histologic grade and IDH-wildtype phenotype. IDH1-R132H is the most common IDH mutation, present in ~90% of IDH-mutant cases. This mutation yields an altered protein that can be detected by immunohistochemistry. We evaluated the IDH1-R132H antibody (clone H09) to determine IDH mutation status as the first line test and compared with the results of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing that can detect more types of mutations in IDH1 or IDH2. A total of 62 gliomas were evaluated: 30 glioblastomas (including 3 gliosarcomas), 11 grade III diffuse gliomas, 17 grade II diffuse gliomas, and 4 circumscribed gliomas. Twelve of 62 cases were IDH-mutant by immunohistochemistry and 15 of 62 by PCR. PCR detected the following mutations: IDH1-R132H (11 cases), IDH1-R132C (1 case), IDH2 R172, NOS (1 case), IDH1 R132, NOS (1 case), and IDH2-R172K (1 case). The R132H antibody had high specificity (100%) and sensitivity (80%) to detect IDH mutation status; the discordant results were 3 false-negatives. IDH-R132H immunostain is suitable as a first line test. Nonimmunoreactive cases could be studied by PCR following recommendations of the 2016 World Health Organization guidelines.

An elderly patient presenting with a primary spinal multifocal intradural extramedullary pilocytic astrocytoma: a case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Pilocytic astrocytoma is a low-grade central nervous system tumor most commonly seen in children. Dissemination from a primary intracranial tumor along the neuroaxis has been described at both presentation and disease progression. However, the development of an intradural extramedullary pilocytic astrocytoma independent of a primary intraparenchymal tumor in an adult patient with no history of pilocytic astrocytoma has rarely been reported. CASE PRESENTATION: A 69-year-old woman presented with progressive myelopathic symptoms and thoracic radicular pain. MRI imaging of the whole spine showed an enhancing intradural extramedullary lesion extending from the cervical cord to T11 causing cord compression. Laminectomies were performed for surgical decompression and histopathology was consistent with pilocytic astrocytoma. Complete staging was done that included imaging of the brain and cerebrospinal fluid cytology. No other tumor was found by these methods. Postoperatively the patient was treated with large field spinal radiation and concurrent chemotherapy followed by adjuvant chemotherapy. She has thus far been clinically and radiographically stable. CONCLUSION: This is a rare case of an adult with multiple spinal pilocytic astrocytomas in an intradural extramedullary location, typically the result of cerebrospinal fluid dissemination of neoplastic cells from a primary intracranial tumor site (i.e. drop metastasis). No conventional primary tumor was identified in this patient, suggesting these tumors may arise from heterotopic gliomas.