ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Central nervous system (CNS) hemangioblastoma (HB) is one of the most common manifestations in von Hippel-Lindau disease (VHL), but large-scale studies on clinical features of CNS HB in VHL are scarce. METHODS: On the basis of the results of a questionnaire, we collected data of VHL patients with CNS HB. RESULTS: The total number of CNS HBs in 111 VHL patients (male 59, female 52) was 264 with the following distributions: cerebellar, 65.4 %; brainstem, 9.9 %; spinal cord, 23.9 %; and pituitary, 1. 1 %. The follow-up period was 0.6 to 39.2 years, with the mean 12.5 years. Patients bearing brainstem or spinal cord HB also had another HB significantly more frequently than those bearing cerebellar HBs (P < 0.05). The mean onset age of CNS HB was 29.1 years, and that of patients bearing a single HB (mean 34.4 years) was significantly greater than that of multiple HBs (mean 25.7 years). Patients with multiple HBs under 40 years are more dominant than those with a single HB. The distribution rate of brainstem HB is significantly smaller in patients below 30 years than patients above 29 years. Although ECOG PS score increased along with number of operations, the onset age decreased with increasing number of operations. The mean ECOG PS score of patients below 20 years is significantly smaller than patients above 19 years. CONCLUSIONS: When the onset age of CNS HB is under 40 years, and CNS HB is located at the brainstem or spinal cord HB, the probability of multiple occurrence can be predicted. Since patients with an onset age under 20 years old preserve a high performance status, early detection of CNS HB would be important. In addition, since a multiple operations aggravate performance status, number of operations should be reduced.
Subject(s)
Central Nervous System Neoplasms/epidemiology , Central Nervous System Neoplasms/pathology , Hemangioblastoma/epidemiology , Hemangioblastoma/pathology , von Hippel-Lindau Disease/complications , Adolescent , Adult , Age of Onset , Aged , Central Nervous System Neoplasms/therapy , Child , Cohort Studies , Female , Health Status Indicators , Hemangioblastoma/therapy , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Quality of Life , Young Adult , von Hippel-Lindau Disease/pathology , von Hippel-Lindau Disease/therapyABSTRACT
von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease is a hereditary tumor disease in which tumors develop in multiple organs, not only as hemangioblastomas (HBs) in the central nervous system, but also as kidney tumors, pheochromocytomas, and so on. Much about the epidemiology of VHL disease remained unknown until fairly recently in Japan, leading to calls for the establishment of a VHL disease epidemiological database in Japanese. To elucidate its epidemiology in Japan, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare created the VHL Disease Study Group, which was put in charge of carrying out a nationwide epidemiological survey. The survey found close to 400 Japanese VHL disease patients throughout the country. Based on those results, the VHL Disease Study Group created the VHL Disease Treatment Guideline and also a severity classification. It is thought that the prognosis of VHL disease patients can be improved by performing genetic diagnosis and careful follow-up. Accordingly, the University of Tokyo Hospital put in place an in-hospital system for implementing genomic medicine for VHL disease based on genetic diagnosis. For that system, it was especially important to establish (I) accurate genetic diagnostic techniques, (II) genetic counseling capabilities for the patients and their families, and (III) a system of cooperation among multiple departments, including urology departments, and so on. Further elucidation of the epidemiology and the development of genomic medicine are needed to improve the treatment results of VHL disease in Japan.