ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Chromothripsis is characterized by a multitude of chromosomal rearrangements during a unique cataclysmic event in a cell life. Disintegration of one or several chromosomes is followed by a chaotic rearrangement of generated fragments. It might play a role in oncogenesis and tumor progression. It is observed in 2%-3% of cancers and is rarely reported in benign tumors. We report a case of massive chromothripsis in a fast growing chordoid meningioma. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 55-year-old woman was admitted for a meningeal mass developing in the right parietal parasagittal area. She underwent subtotal resection of the tumor. Histologic analysis revealed a chordoid meningioma (World Health Organization grade II). Six months later, magnetic resonance imaging showed a large bilateral tumor recurrence. After a second surgery, the patient received radiotherapy. Thereafter, the clinical course was uneventful. Comparative genomic hybridization showed only a monosomy X in the primary tumor. In the recurrent meningioma, this anomaly was associated with a massive chromothripsis including more than 370 chromosomal abnormalities affecting chromosomes 1-22. CONCLUSIONS: Chromothripsis is rarely described in benign tumors and especially in meningiomas. In the presented case, the high number of chromosomal rearrangements and the onset of this phenomenon at a later stage of tumor progression are very unusual. The role of surgical stress on the emergence of chromothripsis and its relation with tumor aggressiveness are discussed.
Subject(s)
Chromothripsis , Meningeal Neoplasms/genetics , Meningioma/genetics , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/genetics , Female , Humans , Meningeal Neoplasms/surgery , Meningioma/surgery , Middle Aged , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/surgery , ReoperationABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Traumatic false aneurysms of the meningeal arteries are rare. We report an unusual case of an intracerebral hematoma caused by the rupture of a traumatic aneurysm of the middle meningeal artery. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 64-year-old woman suffered a massive spontaneous intracerebral fronto-temporal hemorrhage. Cerebral angiogram revealed a pseudoaneurysm of the middle meningeal artery. At operation, a skull fracture was discovered in the vicinity of the aneurysm. The patient died the day after surgery. CONCLUSION: Although rare, traumatic meningeal aneurysms should be considered as a possible cause of cerebral hematoma. Because of their potential morbidity and mortality, they must be detected and treated rapidly.