[A case report of dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor associated with neurofibromatosis type 1]

Dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor (DNT) in a newly proposed mixed neuroglial tumor in the cerebral cortex. However, DNT associated with phacomatosis has mostly been considered exceptional. In this paper, a case of DNT associated with neurofibromatosis type 1 is reported. A 23-year-old male was admitted to our hospital complaining of intractable complex-partial seizure. He had a history of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF - 1) and pituitary dwarfism. On general physiological examination, many cafe au lait spots and freckling could be noted, showing that the case was neurofibromatosis type 1. In addition, neurological examination showed no abnormal findings. MR images revealed a small area of abnormal intensity on the right temporal. This region showed high intensity on T2 weighted image and low intensity without enhancement on T1 weighted image. On electroencephalography (EEG), an epileptic spike focus was demonstrated in the right temporal lobe. So, lobectomy was performed for control of epilepsy. Postoperative course was uneventful and without seizure. On histological examination, the tumor was composed of three different components : specific glioneural element, foci of oligodendrocyte-like cell, and cortical dysplasia. All of these findings were consistent with the definition of DNT by Daumas-Duport et al, except for the association with NF - 1. Although reported cases of DNT associated with FN - 1 are exceptionally rare, both DNT and NF - 1 originate from maldevelopment of the fetal central nervous system. It is very interesting that our case indicated the possibility of co-existence of both diseases.

Acquired von Willebrand disease in malignant peripheral neuroectodermal tumor (PNET)

In week 12 of the EICESS 92 protocol a 12-year-old boy with pelvic PNET developed acquired von Willebrand disease: bleeding time was prolonged (> 15 min) and von Willebrand factor antigen (54%) and ristocetin cofactor activity (50) were reduced. Platelet aggregations with thrombin and collagen and the number of major platelet glycoproteins/per platelet did not differ from the controls. After Haemate P (Behring Werke, Marburg, Germany) bleeding time normalized and surgery could be performed without occurrence of bleeding episodes. Three weeks after surgery bleeding time, ristocetin cofactor activity, and von Willebrand factor antigen increased to normal paediatric values. Without occurrence of further bleeding episodes the patient received another 10 courses of polychemotherapy (EICESS 92).

Dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor: report of three cases

BACKGROUND

Dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor (DNT) is one of the mixed neuronal-glial tumors that should be differentiated from low-grade gliomas. The recognition and correct diagnosis of DNT is important because this tumor is curable by excision.

METHODS

We report three cases of histologically proven DNTs with various image studies performed preoperatively and describe characteristic findings of them, as well as those of previous reports.

RESULTS

In our three cases, computed tomography (CT) showed a well-defined, nonenhancing hypodense area. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated a cortical mass of hypointensity on T1- and of marked hyperintensity on T2-weighted images. I-123-IMP or Tc-99m-HMPAO single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) images showed marked hypoperfusion of the lesion. Thallium-SPECT showed no uptake.

CONCLUSIONS

I-123-IMP, Tc-99m-HMPAO, and Thallium-SPECT images, as well as CT and MRI, may be helpful in distinguishing DNT from low-grade gliomas.

[Pathology and clinical aspects of peripheral neuroectodermal tumors]

A 36-year-old man developed progressive pain in the left thorax radiating to the shoulder, associated with weight loss as well as axillary and supraclavicular lymph-node swellings, and a left Horner's syndrome. The radiological diagnosis was Pancoast tumour. Computed tomography of the thorax revealed that the tumour had almost completely infiltrated the left lung and hilus. Sonography demonstrated metastases in the liver and retroperitoneum. Histological examination of an excised axillary lymph-node metastasis showed an undifferentiated small-cell tumour. Immunohistochemical tests revealed expression of protein S 100 and neurofilamental proteins, i.e. evidence of a peripheral malignant neuroectodermal tumour. The tumour also expressed vimentin. Treatment consisted of two chemotherapy cycles according to the EVAIA scheme (daily three times 235 mg etoposide, 2 mg vincristine, three times 0.8 mg actinomycin D, three times 3.2 g ifosfamide, three times 30 mg doxorubicin, and three times 12 mg dexamethasone), without any effect on the rapid progression of the disease. He died 17 weeks after the diagnosis had been made.

Coexistence of neoplasia and cortical dysplasia in patients presenting with seizures

Tumors and cortical dysplasia are associated with epilepsy, but few studies have examined the coexistence of neoplasia and dysplasia in these patients. We studied 13 patients (age 4-29 years) with recurrent seizures of 1 month to 21-year' duration (median 72 months). Ten patients were aged < 21 years. Imaging studies localized the lesion to the temporal lobe (10 patients), parietal lobe (2 patients), and frontal lobe (1 patient). Tumors included ganglioglioma (8 patients), dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor (DNT) (3 patients), and low-grade astrocytoma (2 patients). Cortical dysplasia, including atypical aggregates of neurons (6 patients), multifocal loss of the cortical laminar architecture (7 patients), and neurons in the molecular layer of the cortex (3 patients) were observed near but separate from the tumor. Coexistence of certain tumors with cortical dysplasia, most frequently observed in the pediatric population, suggests a hamartomatous/dysplastic nature of the neoplasms.

Unilateral benign medulloepithelioma associated with bilateral retinal detachment

A two-month-old girl presented with a unilateral benign cystic medulloepithelioma from the ciliary body associated with bilateral retinal non-attachment. The authors discuss the histopathologic findings and the pathogenesis of the congenital retinal non-attachment: are these incidental occurrences or do they arise from a common pathogenetic mechanism?

Olfactory neuroblastoma associated with Kallman's syndrome

Kallman's syndrome is an unusual clinical entity that includes anosmia and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. We present a patient in whom an olfactory neuroblastoma was discovered during evaluation of his Kallman's syndrome. While other craniofacial abnormalities have been associated with this condition, to our knowledge this is the first report of its association with olfactory neuroblastoma.

Endocrine disorders in 66 suprasellar and pineal tumors of patients with prepubertal and pubertal ages

Tumor oncotypes, initial symptoms and endocrine disturbances before and/or 1 month after surgery were studied in 66 patients with prepubertal and pubertal ages having suprasellar or pineal intracranial tumors. Neoplasms found in patients of prepubertal age were: 15 craniopharyngiomas (CRA), 24 neuroepithelial-cell-derived tumors (NEC), 5 germ cell tumors (GERM) and 4 other lesions (OTHER). In patients of pubertal age, there were 7 CRA, 7 pituitary tumors (PIT), 2 NEC, 1 GERM and 1 OTHER. Approximately 90% of patients had visual abnormalities as one of the initial signs and symptoms, while 59% had increased intracranial pressure. Short stature was observed in only 10% of patients. Before surgery, somatotropic function was found to be deficient (by 2 pharmacological tests) in 90-100% of patients with CRA, PIT or GERM and in 40% of patients with NEC. Overt hypothyroidism was found in 5-25% of CRA, NEC or GERM but in 40% of PIT. Abnormal TSH responses to TRH were observed in 64% of CRA and in 29% of NEC. Low basal serum cortisol was found in 21 or 6% of patients with CRA or NEC, but in 100 or 60% of patients with PIT or GERM, respectively. Diabetes insipidus was diagnosed in 13.6% of all patients. Surgery produced few additional disturbances in endocrine function, except for the incidence of diabetes insipidus which was doubled. Gonadotropic deficiency was found in most patients of pubertal age with CRA and PIT. They were readily differentiated by the high prolactin or growth hormone (GH) levels of the latter.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Pneumocephalus following treatment of esthesioneuroblastoma

The course of a patient with an olfactory neuroblastoma treated with conventional doses of chemotherapeutic agents and radiotherapy is presented. The patient survived 34 months after tumour necrosis with resultant pneumocephalus requiring surgical intervention.

Ultrastructural, immunohistochemical, and cytogenetic study of a malignant peripheral neuroectodermal tumor in a patient seropositive for human immunodeficiency virus

A case of malignant peripheral neuroectodermal tumor occurring during the course of a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is reported. The patient was a male homosexual who presented with a rapidly enlarging tumor of the posterior lower thoracic wall. By light microscopic examination the tumor was a small cell tumor showing occasional structures suggestive of Homer-Wright rosettes. The strong positivity for neuron-specific enolase and the neurosecretory granules indicated the neural differentiation of the tumor. Its precise nature was shown cytogenetically by the presence of the t(11;22) translocation, which distinguished it from the classical neuroblastoma.

Nasal obstruction portending nasal cavity cancer

This report demonstrates why all patients presenting with persistent nasal obstruction should be completely evaluated because of the difficulty in diagnosing nasal chamber tumors.

[A case of olfactory neuroblastoma with exuberant hyperostosis]

Olfactory neuroblastoma is a malignant, slow growing, neurogenic tumor that originates in the olfactory mucosa of the upper nasal cavity. We report a case of olfactory neuroblastoma that presented with exuberant hyperostosis of the facial bone during the course. This unusual radiological finding has been discussed with literature review.

[Eye medulloepithelioma. Apropos of 2 cases]

The authors report two cases of medullo-epithelioma of ciliary body found in two young children. They describe the main clinical symptoms which are often non specific (cataract, glaucoma). Diagnosis is based on histological findings following enucleation: the tumor is developed from the ciliary body cells and has often a local malignancy. Metastasis are rare.

Dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor: a surgically curable tumor of young patients with intractable partial seizures. Report of thirty-nine cases

This report concerns the clinicopathological features of 39 cases of a morphologically unique and surgically curable group of neuroepithelial tumors associated with medically intractable partial complex seizures. All were supratentorial and characterized by intracortical location, multinodular architecture, and heterogeneity in cellular composition. The constituent cells included astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and neurons. Because neuronal atypia was often inapparent, the tumors superficially resembled mixed oligoastrocytomas. The term "dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor" (DNT) is proposed for these distinctive lesions, the clinicopathological features of which suggest a dysembryoplastic origin. With the exception of the occurrence of headaches in 2 patients, partial complex seizures were the exclusive symptom. Age at onset of symptoms ranged from 1 to 19 years (mean 9 years). In addition to the chronic nature of the seizures (range, 2 to 18 years; mean, 9 years), one-third of the patients showed radiological features, such as focal cranial deformity, indicating that the tumors had an early onset and were of long standing. In most cases, computed tomography showed a "pseudocystic," well-demarcated, low density appearance associated in some cases with focal contrast enhancement (18%) or calcific hyperdensity (23%). The tumor involved the temporal lobe in 24 patients (62%), the frontal lobe in 12 (31%), and the parietal and/or occipital lobe in 3 cases. Although tumor removal was considered incomplete or subtotal in 17 patients (44%), long term follow-up (range, 1 to 18 years; mean, 9 years) showed neither clinical nor radiological evidence of recurrence in any patient. Comparison of the survival data of the 13 subjects who had undergone postoperative radiotherapy with 26 who had not indicated that radiation therapy was of no obvious benefit. The identification of DNT has therapeutic and prognostic implications because aggressive therapy can be avoided, thus sparing these young patients the deleterious long term effects of radio- or chemotherapy.

Chronic syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion and hypertension in a patient with olfactory neuroblastoma. Evidence of ectopic production of arginine vasopressin by the tumor

A 28-year-old man with the chronic syndrome of Inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion and hypertension was found to have an olfactory neuroblastoma. We demonstrated evidence of elevated circulating arginine vasopressin levels, significantly elevated arginine vasopressin and vasopressin neurophysin levels in the tumor extract, and immunohistochemical staining for arginine vasopressin and vasopressin neurophysin in the tumor cells. The patient's clinical syndrome, including hypertension, resolved following subtotal removal of the tumor and radiation therapy. This study identified olfactory neuroblastoma as a definite cause of ectopic arginine vasopressin secretion causing the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion.

Olfactory neuroblastoma (esthesioneuroblastoma) in a 2-year-old boy

A 2-year-old boy presented with sudden blindness and epistaxis resulting from olfactory neuroblastoma with intracranial extension. This disease is uncommon in children, with only 27 cases reported in patients less than 17 years of age. This article reviews the clinical and histological features of this tumor and discusses treatment. Therapy has generally consisted of surgery and radiation. Our child and 2 others treated with radiation and combination chemotherapy (including cyclophosphamide and anthracyclines) have done well with follow-ups of up to 9 1/2 years. Chemotherapy is an important form of adjuvant therapy in this disease.

Malignant teratoid medulloepithelioma manifesting as a black epibulbar mass with expulsive hemorrhage

An 18-year-old woman with malignant teratoid medulloepithelioma had an epibulbar, brown-black mass associated with expulsive hemorrhage and a limboscleral perforation. Histopathologically, a prominent pigmented neuroepithelial component was present and correlated to the black color of the mass. The massive hemorrhage is apparently related to rupture of necrotic and abnormal vascular channels within the angiomatous component of the neoplasm. Other mesenchymal elements included spindle-shaped cells, rhabdomyoblasts, and islands of hyaline cartilage.

Hyponatremia secondary to olfactory neuroblastoma

A patient with a four-year history of unexplained hyponatremia was seen with recurrent nasal discharge and was found to have a typical olfactory neuroblastoma. The clinical laboratory diagnostic studies suggested that the patient's sodium deficiency was secondary to the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone. Subsequent resection of the neoplasm led to resolution of the hyponatremia, suggesting that a (tumor-associated) humoral factor, such as vasopressin or a vasopressinlike substance, was responsible for the electrolyte disturbance. A search of the literature disclosed one previous case of vasopressin-secreting nasal neuroblastoma.