The utility of arterial spin labeling imaging for predicting prognosis after a recurrence of high-grade glioma in patients under bevacizumab treatment.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Currently, the antiangiogenic agent bevacizumab (BVZ) is used as a treatment option for high-grade glioma (HGG) patients. However, BVZ restores disruptions of the blood-brain barrier, which leads to the disappearance of contrast enhancement during radiological examinations and therefore complicates evaluations of treatment efficacy. This study aimed to investigate the radio-morphological features of recurrent lesions that newly appeared under BVZ therapy, as well as the utility of arterial spin labeling (ASL) perfusion imaging for evaluating treatment response and prognosis in HGG patients receiving BVZ. METHODS: Thirty-two patients (20 males, 12 females; age range, 35-84 years) with HGG who experienced a recurrence under BVZ therapy were enrolled. We measured the relative cerebral blood flow (rCBF) values of each recurrent lesion using ASL, and retrospectively investigated the correlation between rCBF values and prognosis. RESULTS: The optimal rCBF cut-off value for predicting prognosis was defined as 1.67 using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. The patients in the rCBF < 1.67 group had significantly longer overall survival (OS) and post-progression survival (PPS) than those in the rCBF ≥ 1.67 group (OS: 34.0 months vs. 13.0 months, p = 0.03 and PPS: 13.0 months vs. 6.0 months, p < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: The ASL-derived rCBF values of recurrent lesions may serve as an effective imaging biomarker for prognosis in HGG patients undergoing BVZ therapy. Low rCBF values may indicate that BVZ efficacy is sustainable, which will influence BVZ treatment strategies in HGG patients.

Cost of medical care for malignant brain tumors at hospitals in the Japan Clinical Oncology Group brain-tumor study group.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate what treatment are selected for malignant brain tumors, particularly glioblastoma (GBM) and primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL), in real-world Japan and the costs involved. METHODS: We conducted a questionnaire survey regarding treatment selections for newly diagnosed GBM and PCNSL treated between July 2021 and June 2022 among 47 institutions in the Japan Clinical Oncology Group-Brain Tumor Study Group. We calculated the total cost and cost per month of the initial therapy for newly diagnosed GBM or PCNSL. RESULTS: The most used regimen (46.8%) for GBM in patients aged ≤74 years was 'Surgery + radiotherapy concomitant with temozolomide'. This regimen's total cost was 7.50 million JPY (Japanese yen). Adding carmustine wafer implantation (used in 15.0%), TTFields (used in 14.1%), and bevacizumab (BEV) (used in 14.5%) to the standard treatment of GBM increased the cost by 1.24 million JPY for initial treatment, and 1.44 and 0.22 million JPY per month, respectively. Regarding PCNSL, 'Surgery (biopsy) + rituximab, methotrexate, procarbazine, and vincristine (R-MPV) therapy' was the most used regimen (42.5%) for patients of all ages. This regimen incurred 1.07 million JPY per month. The three PCNSL regimens based on R-MPV therapy were in ultra-high-cost medical care (exceeding 1 million JPY per month). CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of malignant brain tumors is generally expensive, and cost-ineffective treatments such as BEV are frequently used. We believe that the results of this study can be used to design future economic health studies examining the cost-effectiveness of malignant brain tumors.

A case of intracranial myxoid mesenchymal tumor with EWSR1:CREM fusion in an adult female: Extensive immunohistochemical evaluation.

Intracranial myxoid mesenchymal tumor (IMMT) is a recently described, extremely rare group of neoplasms characterized by fusions between the female-expressed transcript (FET) family genes and the cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) family genes. Controversy persists regarding whether the tumor is a myxoid variant of angiomatoid fibrous histiocytoma or a completely distinct clinicopathological entity. Here, we report a case of IMMT arising in the posterior fossa in a 65-year-old woman with a history of breast cancer. We performed total removal of the tumor, which histologically demonstrated features characteristic of IMMT but also bore a partial resemblance to conventional angiomatoid fibrous histiocytoma. Immunohistochemically, tumor cells were diffusely positive for desmin, vimentin, cluster of differentiation (CD) 99 (CD99), glucose transporter-1, and cytokeratin (CK) 8/18 (CK8/18), and focally positive for CK7, epithelial membrane antigen, mucin 4, anaplastic lymphoma kinase, calponin, and CD68. Molecular genetic analysis revealed a fusion between the Ewing sarcoma breakpoint region 1 (EWSR1) gene (EWSR1) and the cAMP-responsive element modulator (CREM) gene (CREM) called EWSR1:CREM fusion, which confirmed the diagnosis. The overlap of the pathological features of IMMTs and angiomatoid fibrous histiocytomas may support the recent theory that these tumors are two manifestations of a single entity. Moreover, our study indicated the broad spectrum of immunohistochemical phenotypes of these tumors, which should be noted during diagnosis. Further studies are needed to elucidate the histopathological concept, long-term prognosis, optimal treatment strategy, and factors associated with the prognosis and therapeutic options of this condition.

Utility of intravoxel incoherent motion magnetic resonance imaging and arterial spin labeling for recurrent glioma after bevacizumab treatment.

Background Detecting recurrence of glioma on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is getting more and more important, especially after administration of new anti-tumor agent. However, it is still hard to identify. Purpose To examine the utility of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) MRI and arterial spin labeling-cerebral blood flow (ASL-CBF) for recurrent glioma after initiation of bevacizumab (BEV) treatment. Material and Methods Thirteen patients (7 men, 6 women; age range = 41-82 years) with glioma (high grade, n = 11; low grade, n = 2) were enrolled in the study. IVIM parameters including apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), true diffusion coefficient (D), and perfusion fraction (f) were obtained with 14 different b-values. We identified tumor progression during BEV therapy by MRI monitoring consisting of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) imaging, and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted (CE-T1W) imaging by measuring tumor area. We also measured each parameter of IVIM and ASL-CBF, and calculated relative ADC (rADC), relative D (rD), relative f (rf), and relative CBF (rCBF) by obtaining the ratio between each area and the contralateral cerebral white matter. We calculated the rate of change (Δ) by subtracting values from those from the preceding MRI study, and obtained Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (rs). Results Tumor progression was identified in nine patients (high grade, n = 7; low grade, n = 2). Negative correlations were identified between ΔrD and ΔDWI area (rs = -0.583), and between ΔrD and ΔCE-T1W imaging area (rs = -0.605). Conclusion Tumor progression after BEV treatment can be identified by decreasing rD.

Clinical Outcome of Pipeline Embolization Device with and without Coil to Treat Intracranial Aneurysm: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The use of a Pipeline Embolization Device (PED) in combination with coils (PEDC) to treat intracranial aneurysms remains unclear as to whether it offers significant benefits for the patients since the results have varied. PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the clinical outcome of PEDC compared to PED in treating intracranial aneurysms. DATA SOURCES: We systematically searched the articles from PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library databases published before January 25, 2024. STUDY SELECTION: We selected studies comparing PEDC vs. PED to treat intracranial aneurysms. Patients treated with PEDC but using dense coiling were excluded from the study. DATA ANALYSIS: The clinical outcomes observed in this meta-analysis were intraprocedural complications, postoperative complications (stenosis, stroke, hemorrhage, mortality), favorable outcome (mRS ≤ 2), complete occlusion rate, and retreatment rate. Forest plot was used to analyze pooled Odds Ratio (OR) of clinical outcomes. DATA SYNTHESIS: A total of 3001 subjects from nine observational studies were included. PEDC was mainly used to treat larger aneurysms. PEDC has a significantly higher complete occlusion rate at 6 months [OR= 2.66, 95% CI(1.26, 5.59), p= 0.01], a lower retreatment rate [OR= 0.18, 95% CI(0.05, 0.07), p= 0.010], higher stroke-related complications [OR= 1.66, 95% CI(1.16, 2.37), p= 0.005], and higher hemorrhage-related complications [OR= 1.98, 95% CI(1.22, 3.21), p = 0.005]. There was no significant difference in intraprocedural complications, stenosis-related complications, mortality, favorable outcomes, and complete occlusion at the end of the study. LIMITATIONS: No randomized controlled trials have been performed comparing PEDC and PED. Considering that all the included studies were observational, the patients' baseline characteristics were not completely balanced. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis study showed that PEDC in large intracranial aneurysms induces a faster complete occlusion rate at 6 months and a lower retreatment rate. However, it increases the risk of stroke-related postoperative complications, and the faster complete aneurysm occlusion rate found in this study did not correlate with a reduction in long-term aneurysm or distal artery ruptures. Thus, this study suggests the need to find a better strategy to improve long-term hemorrhage-related complications in large intracranial aneurysms. ABBREVIATIONS: F = female; FDDs = flow-diverter devices; M = male; NOS = Newcastle-Ottawa Scale; PED = pipeline embolization device; PEDC = pipeline embolization device in combination with coils.

Proteasome inhibitor MG132 induces NAG-1/GDF15 expression through the p38 MAPK pathway in glioblastoma cells.

The expression of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-activated gene-1 (NAG-1) is regulated by the p53 and Egr-1 tumor suppressor pathways. Many anti-cancer drugs and chemicals induce NAG-1 expression, but the mechanisms are not fully understood. Transgenic mice expressing human NAG-1 are resistant to intestinal and prostate cancer, suggesting that NAG-1 is a tumor suppressor. Proteasome inhibitors exhibit anti-glioblastoma activities in preclinical studies. Here, we show that the proteasome inhibitors MG132 and bortezomib induced NAG-1 expression and secretion in glioblastoma cells. MG132 increased NAG-1 expression through transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms. At the transcriptional level, the induction of NAG-1 required the -133 to +41 bp region of the promoter. At post-transcriptional levels, MG132 stabilized NAG-1 mRNA by increasing the half-life from 1.5 h to >8 h. Because of the dramatic increase in mRNA stability, this is likely the major contributor to MG132-mediated NAG-1 induction. Further probing into the mechanism revealed that MG132 increased phosphorylation of the p38 MAPK pathway. Consequently, inhibiting p38 phosphorylation blocked activation of the NAG-1 promoter and decreased mRNA stability, indicating that p38 MAPK activation mediates both MG132-dependent promoter activation and mRNA stabilization of NAG-1. We propose that the induction of NAG-1 by p38 MAPK is a potential contributor to the anti-glioblastoma activity of proteasome inhibitors.

Papillary Glioneuronal Tumor Masquerading as Malignant Brain Tumors: A Case Report.

Papillary glioneuronal tumor (PGNT) is a low-grade biphasic tumor that is composed of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-positive glial cells and synaptophysin-positive neurons. We report a case of PGNT occurring in the right occipital lobe of a 48-year-old woman who presented with acute headache and left homonymous hemianopsia, the latter of which was difficult to distinguish from malignant brain tumors because of peritumoral brain edema, intratumoral hemorrhage, and intraoperative fluorescence staining. PGNT should be included as one of the differential diagnoses in cases where the tumor shows hemorrhagic change despite decreased perfusion in arterial spin labeling MRI.

Multidrug chemotherapy, whole-brain radiation and cytarabine therapy for primary central nervous system lymphoma in elderly patients with dose modification based on geriatric assessment: study protocol for a phase II, multicentre, non-randomised study.

INTRODUCTION: Multidrug chemoimmunotherapy with rituximab, high-dose methotrexate, procarbazine and vincristine (R-MPV) is a standard therapy for younger patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL); however, prospective data regarding its use in elderly patients are lacking. This multi-institutional, non-randomised, phase II trial will assess the efficacy and safety of R-MPV and high-dose cytarabine (HD-AraC) for geriatric patients with newly diagnosed PCNSL. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Forty-five elderly patients will be included. If R-MPV does not achieve complete response, the patients will undergo reduced-dose, whole-brain radiotherapy comprising 23.4 Gy/13 fractions, followed by local boost radiotherapy comprising 21.6 Gy/12 fractions. After achieving complete response using R-MPV with or without radiotherapy, the patients will undergo two courses of HD-AraC. All patients will undergo baseline geriatric 8 (G8) assessment before HD-AraC and after three, five and seven R-MPV courses. Patients with screening scores of ≥14 points that decrease to <14 points during subsequent treatment, or those with screening scores <14 points that decrease from the baseline during subsequent treatment are considered unfit for R-MPV/HD-AraC. The primary endpoint is overall survival, and the secondary endpoints are progression-free survival, treatment failure-free survival and frequency of adverse events. The results will guide a later phase III trial and provide information about the utility of a geriatric assessment for defining chemotherapy ineligibility. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study complies with the latest Declaration of Helsinki. Written informed consent will be obtained. All participants can quit the study without penalty or impact on treatment. The protocol for the study, statistical analysis plan and informed consent form have been approved by the Certified Review Board at Hiroshima University (CRB6180006) (approval number: CRB2018-0011). The study is ongoing within nine tertiary and two secondary hospitals in Japan. The findings of this trial will be disseminated through national and international presentations and peer-reviewed publications. TRIAL REGISTRATION: jRCTs061180093.

Endovascular Mechanical Thrombectomy with a Large-Bore Aspiration Catheter and Stent Retriever for Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis in Pregnancy: A Case Report.

Objective: A case of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) during pregnancy effectively recanalized by endovascular mechanical thrombectomy with the combined use of an aspiration catheter and a stent retriever is reported. Case Presentation: A 27-year-old woman at eight weeks' gestation developed sudden onset of right hemiparalysis and seizures and was referred to our hospital. Her National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score on admission was 23. On MRI, diffusion-weighted imaging showed a hyperintensity area in the left frontal lobe, and T2* imaging showed hemorrhagic infarction in the same area. MR venography showed obstruction of the anterior two-thirds of the superior sagittal sinus (SSS). Anticoagulant therapy with heparin was started, but since the venous return was expected to be severely impaired, mechanical thrombectomy by endovascular surgery was selected, hoping to resolve symptoms early. Using a large-bore aspiration catheter in combination with a stent retriever, it was possible to safely guide the aspiration catheter into the anterior half of the SSS. The use of a large-bore aspiration catheter enabled retrieval of a large amount of thrombus in a short time, and complete recanalization was achieved. The patient's hemiplegia and aphasia improved significantly within a week after the procedure, and she was discharged without sequelae. Conclusion: Mechanical endovascular therapy of CVST performed with a combination of a large-bore aspiration catheter and a stent retriever should be considered particularly for patients with severe neurological symptoms or intracranial hemorrhage and for those who do not respond to anticoagulation therapy.

Up-To-Date Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings for the Diagnosis of Hypothalamic and Pituitary Tumors.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the preferred imaging technique for the sellar and parasellar regions. In this review article, we report our clinical experience with MRI for hypothalamic and pituitary lesions, such as pituitary adenomas, craniopharyngiomas, Rathke cleft cysts, germinoma, and hypophysitis with reference to the histopathological findings through a review of the literature. Our previous study indicated that three dimensional-spoiled gradient echo sequence is a more suitable sequence for evaluating sellar lesions on postcontrast T1 weighted image (WI). This image demonstrates the defined relationship between the tumor and its surroundings, such as the normal pituitary gland, cavernous sinus, and optic pathway. We demonstrated the characteristic MRI findings of functioning pituitary adenoma. In growth hormone-producing adenoma, signal intensity on T2WI is important to differentiate densely from sparsely granulated somatotroph adenomas. In prolactin-producing pituitary adenomas, distinct hypointense areas in early phase on T2WI, possibly owning to diffuse hemorrhage, indicate pronounced regressions of invasive macroprolactinomas during cabergoline therapy. The two histopathological subtypes, adamantinomatous and squamous papillary craniopharyngioma, differ in genesis. Calcified tumors are mostly adamantinomatous type. On MRI, these lesions have a heterogenous appearance with a solid portion and cystic components. The solid portions and cyst wall enhance heterogeneously. Although cyst fluid of Rathke cleft cysts show variable intensities on MRI, intracystic waxy nodule can be hypointense on T2WI. The enhancing cyst wall may contain the squamous metaplasia. Cystic lesions of the sellar and parasellar areas may be difficult to differentiate on a clinical, imaging, or even histopathological basis.

Primary Intracranial Neuroendocrine Tumor of the Skull Base Complicated with Tension Pneumocephalus after Radiotherapy.

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are neoplasms that originate from cells of the endocrine and nervous systems, and are commonly found in the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts. Primary intracranial NETs are extremely rare and have been the focus of only a few studies thus far. Herein, we report the case of a primary intracranial NET of the skull base complicated with tension pneumocephalus after radiotherapy. An 84-year-old woman visited a local hospital for a head injury, and CT revealed a skull base tumor. MRI showed that the tumor was located mainly on the clivus and extended into the paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity. We biopsied the tumor via the nasal cavity, and the pathological diagnosis was NET, WHO grade 2. We subsequently administered focal intensity-modulated radiation therapy, but the patient developed tension pneumocephalus 1 year after radiotherapy. We therefore performed endoscopic transnasal cerebrospinal fluid leak closure with a nasoseptal flap. The postoperative course was successful, and the patient returned home but died of an unknown cause 2 years after discharge. The optimal postoperative management of primary intracranial NETs remains controversial. Tension pneumocephalus related to radiotherapy is a rare complication. Assessing skull bone erosion before radiotherapy and performing regular radiological follow-up examinations are essential to prevent this rare complication.

So-called bifocal tumors with diabetes insipidus and negative tumor markers: are they all germinoma?

BACKGROUND: The Delphi consensus statements on the management of germ cell tumors (GCTs) failed to reach agreements on the statement that the cases with (i) pineal and neurohypophyseal bifocal lesion, (ii) with diabetes insipidus, and (iii) with negative tumor markers can be diagnosed as germinoma without histological verification. To answer this, multicenter retrospective analysis was performed. METHODS: A questionnaire on clinical findings, histological diagnosis, and details of surgical procedures was sent to 86 neurosurgical and 35 pediatrics departments in Japan. RESULTS: Fifty-one institutes reported 132 cases that fulfilled the 3 criteria. Tissue sampling was performed in 91 cases from pineal (n = 44), neurohypophyseal (n = 32), both (n = 6), and distant (n = 9) lesions. Histological diagnosis was established in 89 cases: pure germinoma or germinoma with syncytiotrophoblastic giant cells in 82 (92.1%) cases, germinoma and mature teratoma in 2 cases, and granulomatous inflammation in 2 cases. Histological diagnosis was not established in 2 cases. Although no tumors other than GCTs were identified, 3 (3.4%) patients had non-germinomatous GCTs (NGGCTs). None of the patients developed permanent complications after endoscopic or stereotactic biopsy. Thirty-nine patients underwent simultaneous procedure for acute hydrocephalus without permanent complications, and hydrocephalus was controlled in 94.9% of them. CONCLUSION: All patients who fulfilled the 3 criteria had GCTs or granulomatous inflammation, but not other types of tumors. However, no fewer than 3.4% of the patients had NGGCTs. Considering the safety and the effects of simultaneous procedures for acute hydrocephalus, biopsy was recommended in such patients.

Necessity for craniospinal irradiation of germinoma with positive cytology without spinal lesion on MR imaging-A controversy.

BACKGROUND: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytology and spinal MR imaging are routinely performed for staging before treatment of intracranial germinoma. However, the interpretation of the results of CSF cytology poses 2 unresolved clinical questions: (1) Does positive CSF cytology correlate with the presence of spinal lesion before treatment? and (2) Is craniospinal irradiation (CSI) necessary for patients with positive CSF cytology in the absence of spinal lesion? METHODS: Multicenter retrospective analyses were performed based on a questionnaire on clinical features, spinal MR imaging finding, results of CSF cytology, treatments, and outcomes which was sent to 86 neurosurgical and 35 pediatrics departments in Japan. Pretreatment frequencies of spinal lesion on MR imaging were compared between the patients with positive and negative cytology. Progression-free survival (PFS) rates were compared between patients with positive CSF cytology without spinal lesion on MR imaging treated with CSI and with whole brain or whole ventricular irradiation (non-CSI). RESULTS: A total of 92 germinoma patients from 45 institutes were evaluated by both CSF cytology and spinal MR images, but 26 patients were excluded because of tumor markers, the timing of CSF sampling or incomplete estimation of spinal lesion. Of the remaining 66 germinoma patients, spinal lesions were equally identified in patients with negative CSF cytology and positive cytology (4.9% and 8.0%, respectively). Eleven patients treated with non-CSI had excellent PFS comparable to 11 patients treated with CSI. CONCLUSION: CSI is unnecessary for germinoma patients with positive CSF cytology without spinal lesions on MR imaging.

Unusual Manifestation of Spinal Epidural Arteriovenous Fistula as Sudden Paraplegia.

BACKGROUND: Spinal epidural arteriovenous fistulas (SEDAVFs) are a rare entity that cause gradual progression of neurological dysfunction. We present a case of SEDAVF with acute exacerbation of paraplegia that was successfully treated with emergency transarterial embolization. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 73-year-old man presented with low back pain, numbness in the lower extremities, and gait disturbance. T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging revealed edema of the thoracolumbar spinal cord. Computed tomography angiography showed that the SEDAVF was fed by an expanded left L1 artery, epidural venous plexus at the left L1-2 intervertebral foramen, and intradural venous drainage. The patient suddenly developed severe paraplegia 2 days later. We performed emergency spinal angiography followed by transarterial embolization. The postoperative course was uneventful, and his preoperative symptoms improved. CONCLUSIONS: SEDAVFs may result in acute exacerbation that can be treated with an endovascular intervention-a rapid and effective means of obliterating shunts.

A dedifferentiated intracranial solitary fibrous tumor with osteosarcoma components: rapid tumor progression and lethal clinical course.

Solitary fibrous tumor/hemangiopericytoma is a mesenchymal tumor that originates from a common NAB2-STAT6 fusion gene and is known to very rarely demonstrate dedifferentiation in the pattern of local recurrence or distant metastasis. Here we describe for the first time a rare case of intracranial dedifferentiated solitary fibrous tumor/hemangiopericytoma with osteosarcoma components that developed in an 84-year-old man after frequent gamma knife radiosurgery over a 14-year period. We performed tumor-debulking and gamma knife radiosurgery, but unfortunately the patient died shortly after the development of dedifferentiation. There is no established treatment for dedifferentiated cases due to the rare histology and limited published data, and therefore further accumulation of histological and genetic profiles is necessary to develop novel target gene therapies.

Regulation of EP4 expression via the Sp-1 transcription factor: inhibition of expression by anti-cancer agents.

For glioblastomas, COX-2 expression is linked to poor survival. COX-2 effects are mediated by the receptors EP2 and EP4, whose regulation is poorly understood. The expression of EP4, and activation or inhibition of EP4 activity in human glioblastoma T98G cells, was found to correlate with growth on soft agar. Chemoprevention drugs, troglitazone (TGZ) and some COX inhibitors, significantly suppressed EP4 expression in T98G cells in a dose dependant manner. Specificity protein 1 (Sp-1) binding sites, located within region -197 to -160 of the human EP4 promoter, are important for the transcription initiation of the human EP4 gene and are responsible for the EP4 suppression by TGZ. Mutation in the Sp-1 sites altered the promoter activity of luciferase constructs and TGZ effects on the promoter. The inhibitory effect of TGZ on EP4 expression was reversed by PD98059, a MEK-1/Erk inhibitor. Immunoprecipitation-Western blot analysis detected Sp-1 phosphorylation that was dependent on TGZ-induced Erks activation. ChIP assay confirmed that Sp-1 phosphorylation decreases its binding to DNA and as a result, leads to the suppression of EP4 expression. Thus, we propose that the expression of EP4 is regulated by Sp-1, but phosphorylation of Sp-1 induced by TGZ suppresses this expression. This represents a new and unique mechanism for the regulation of the EP4 receptor expression.

High-grade Glioma Masquerading as a Small Cerebral Hemorrhage: A Case Report.

We report a rare case of a high-grade glioma masquerading as a small subcortical hemorrhage. A 71-year-old woman came to a local hospital with sudden right upper extremity numbness. Computed tomography revealed a small subcortical hemorrhage with faint perifocal edema in the left postcentral gyrus. Conservative treatment was initiated, and she was discharged from the hospital with no neurological deficits. Six months later after discharge, she suffered an acute partial seizure of the right upper extremity. Magnetic resonance imaging with gadolinium demonstrated a ring-enhancing mass surrounded by severe perifocal edema in the hemorrhagic scar. We performed complete resection of the tumor, and the histological diagnosis was anaplastic oligodendroglioma. The diagnosis of a high-grade glioma was delayed due to intratumoral hemorrhages mimicking a small subcortical hemorrhage; consequently, we suspected the hemorrhage was induced by cerebral amyloid angiopathy. It may be important to repeat radiological follow up, if necessary, and to maintain clinical observance of possible intracranial neoplasm, even when the hemorrhage is small, particularly when the cause of bleeding is unknown.

Pediatric Case of Li-Fraumeni Syndrome Complicated with Supratentorial Anaplastic Ependymoma.

BACKGROUND: Li-Fraumeni syndrome is a genetic disease that is caused by mutation of the tumor suppressor gene TP53. Patients with this syndrome may develop multiple malignant neoplasms including brain tumors. We herein report the first case of Li-Fraumeni syndrome in which development of supratentorial anaplastic ependymoma led to difficulty in terms of selecting the optimal postoperative therapeutic protocol. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 7-year-old boy experiencing a convulsive attack was brought to our institute. He underwent surgical tumor resection, and magnetic resonance imaging of the head revealed a tumor-like lesion in the right parietal lobe. Although adjuvant radiotherapy was performed after total tumor resection, a focal recurrent lesion appeared soon afterward. We initiated chemotherapy with bevacizumab after resection of the recurrent lesion, but bevacizumab was unable to control tumor progression. At this writing, he remains bedridden and requires tube feeding and artificial ventilation. CONCLUSION: Since Li-Fraumeni syndrome is a genetic disease that is caused by mutation of the tumor suppression gene TP53, patients should generally not be treated with radiotherapy or alkylating agents that induce deoxyribonucleic acid damage. However, if the prognostic benefit of postoperative adjuvant therapies is thought to surpass the risk of long-term secondary cancer, it is appropriate to consider these therapies after consultation with the patient and family. Postoperative treatment protocols are controversial, and their role should be further explored in cases of Li-Fraumeni syndrome complicated with malignant gliomas.