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Poletti N, Marques LL, Deigendesch N, Soleman J, Mariani L, Guzman R, Rychen J. Fulminant hemorrhagic course of a thalamic H3 K27-altered diffuse midline glioma in an adult patient: illustrative case. JOURNAL OF NEUROSURGERY. CASE LESSONS 2024; 7:CASE23598. [PMID: 38252930 PMCID: PMC10805590 DOI: 10.3171/case23598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND H3 K27-altered diffuse midline gliomas (DMGs) are rare tumors, which are, regardless of their histological appearance, classified as World Health Organization grade 4 tumors. They are characterized by a diffuse growth pattern, midline anatomical location, and poor prognosis. Although DMGs occur predominantly in childhood, these tumors can also be found in young adults. OBSERVATIONS The authors present a case of a 29-year-old patient who was found unconscious with a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 4, along with abnormal extensor movements and bilateral middilated nonreactive pupils. Computed tomography revealed obstructive hydrocephalus due to an acute hemorrhage in a right thalamic lesion. To drain the hydrocephalus and relieve the ongoing central herniation, emergent placement of a right-sided, and later a left-sided, extraventricular drain was performed. Despite the postoperative resolution of hydrocephalus, the patient died shortly after because of the central brain herniation that had occurred. Brain autopsy revealed a H3 K27-altered DMG in the right thalamus. LESSONS Although typically described in the pediatric population and located in the pons, H3 K27-altered DMG should also be considered in young adult patients with midline lesions, particularly if they are located in the thalamus or brainstem. In rare cases, H3 K27-altered DMG may present with an acute tumor-related hemorrhage, leading to a fulminant clinical course.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jehuda Soleman
- Departments of Neurosurgery and
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Luigi Mariani
- Departments of Neurosurgery and
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Raphael Guzman
- Departments of Neurosurgery and
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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De Martino L, Picariello S, Russo C, Errico ME, Spennato P, Papa MR, Normanno N, Scimone G, Colafati GS, Cacchione A, Mastronuzzi A, Massimino M, Cinalli G, Quaglietta L. Extra-neural metastases in pediatric diffuse midline gliomas, H3 K27-altered: presentation of two cases and literature review. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1152430. [PMID: 37547920 PMCID: PMC10398382 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1152430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Pediatric diffuse midline gliomas (DMG), H3 K27- altered, are the most aggressive pediatric central nervous system (CNS) malignancies. Disease outcome is dismal with a median survival of less than one year. Extra-neural metastases are an unusual occurrence in DMG and have been rarely described. Methods and results Here, we report on two pediatric patients affected by DMG with extra-neural dissemination. Their clinical, imaging, and molecular characteristics are reported here. An 11-year-old male 5 months after the diagnosis of diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) developed metastatic osseous lesions confirmed with computed tomography (CT) guided biopsy of the left iliac bone. The patient died one month after the evidence of metastatic progression. Another 11-year-old female was diagnosed with a cerebellar H3K27- altered DMG. After six months, she developed diffuse sclerotic osseous lesions. A CT-guided biopsy of the right iliac bone was non-diagnostic. She further developed multifocal chest and abdominal lymphadenopathy and pleural effusions. Droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) on pleural effusion revealed the presence of H3.3A mutation (c.83A>T, p.K28M). The patient died 24 months after the diagnosis of DMG and 3 months after the evidence of metastatic pleural effusion. Discussion Extra-neural metastasis of DMG is a rare event and no standard therapy exists. An accurate and early diagnosis is necessary in order to develop a personalized plan of treatment. Further research is needed to gain further insights into the molecular pathology of DMG, H3K27- altered and improve the quality of life and the final outcome of patients with this deadly disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia De Martino
- Neurooncology Unit, Department of Pediatric Oncology, Santobono-Pausilipon Children's Hospital, Naples, Italy
| | - Stefania Picariello
- Neurooncology Unit, Department of Pediatric Oncology, Santobono-Pausilipon Children's Hospital, Naples, Italy
| | - Carmela Russo
- Neuroradiology Unit, Department of Neurosciences, Santobono-Pausilipon Children's Hospital, Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Elena Errico
- Patology Unit, Department of Pathology, Santobono-Pausilipon Children's Hospital, Naples, Italy
| | - Pietro Spennato
- Pediatric Neurosurgery Unit, Department of Pediatric Neurosciences, Santobono-Pausilipon Children's Hospital, Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Rosaria Papa
- Department of Paediatric Haematology/Oncology, Cell Therapy, A.O.R.N. Santobono-Pausilipon, Naples, Italy
| | - Nicola Normanno
- Cell Biology and Biotherapy Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori-IRCCS "Fondazione G. Pascale", Naples, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Scimone
- Radiotherapy Unit, AOU San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona, Salerno, Italy
| | - Giovanna Stefania Colafati
- Oncological Neuroradiology Unit, Department of Imaging, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonella Cacchione
- Neurooncology Unit, Department of Paediatric Haematology/Oncology, Cell and Gene Therapy, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Angela Mastronuzzi
- Neurooncology Unit, Department of Paediatric Haematology/Oncology, Cell and Gene Therapy, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Maura Massimino
- Pediatric Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS-Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Cinalli
- Pediatric Neurosurgery Unit, Department of Pediatric Neurosciences, Santobono-Pausilipon Children's Hospital, Naples, Italy
| | - Lucia Quaglietta
- Neurooncology Unit, Department of Pediatric Oncology, Santobono-Pausilipon Children's Hospital, Naples, Italy
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