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Yan H, Zabih V, Bartels U, Das S, Nathan P, Gupta S. Prognostic factors related to overall survival in adolescent and young adults with medulloblastoma: a systematic review. Neurooncol Adv 2022; 4:vdac016. [PMID: 35669013 PMCID: PMC9161716 DOI: 10.1093/noajnl/vdac016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Medulloblastoma is a rare diagnosis among adolescents and young adults (AYA). Though prognostic factors and treatment are well characterized among children with medulloblastoma, equivalent data for AYA are sparse. We conducted a systematic review to identify predictors of survival among AYA with medulloblastoma. Methods We searched for primary studies of AYA (age 15–39 at diagnosis) with medulloblastoma in high-income countries within OVID MEDLINE, EMBASE, and EBM Reviews-Cochrane library databases from inception to August 2020. Patient demographics, primary outcomes, and univariate and multivariable data on all prognostic factors were collected from included studies. Prognosticators were characterized as patient, disease, or treatment-related. Results We identified 18 articles. 5-year overall survival ranged between 40% and 89%, while disease-free survival ranged from 49% to 89%. Study quality was low as assessed by the Quality in Prognostic factor Studies tool. Though meta-analyses were not possible due heterogeneity, narrative summaries suggested that lower disease burden, superior postoperative functional status, and higher doses and larger fields of radiation were associated with improved survival. Reported chemotherapy regimens were heterogeneous in timing, agents, and relationship with radiation, precluding meaningful comparisons. Only one study included molecular subgroups for analysis, with the majority (76.5%) of tumors classified as Sonic Hedgehog (SHH). Conclusions Prognostication and treatment of AYA medulloblastoma is limited by a dearth of primary evidence and lack of specificity for patients aged 15–39. Dedicated prospective trials to delineate the benefit of various chemotherapy and radiation regimens are required in this population to identify prognosticators and ideal treatment regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Yan
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Veda Zabih
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ute Bartels
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sunit Das
- Division of Neurosurgery, St. Michael’s Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario Canada
| | - Paul Nathan
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sumit Gupta
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Eibl T, Hammer A, Yakubov E, Blechschmidt C, Kalisch A, Steiner HH. Medulloblastoma in adults - reviewing the literature from a surgeon's point of view. Aging (Albany NY) 2021; 13:3146-3160. [PMID: 33497354 PMCID: PMC7880386 DOI: 10.18632/aging.202568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Medulloblastoma is a common primary brain tumor in children but it is a rare cancer in adult patients. We reviewed the literature, searching PubMed for articles on this rare tumor entity, with a focus on tumor biology, advanced neurosurgical opportunities for safe tumor resection, and multimodal treatment options. Adult medulloblastoma occurs at a rate of 0.6 per one million people per year. There is a slight disparity between male and female patients, and patients with a fair skin tone are more likely to have a medulloblastoma. Patients present with cerebellar signs and signs of elevated intracranial pressure. Diagnostic efforts should consist of cerebral MRI and MRI of the spinal axis. Cerebrospinal fluid should be investigated to look for tumor dissemination. Medulloblastoma tumors can be classified as classic, desmoplastic, anaplastic, and large cell, according to the WHO tumor classification. Molecular subgroups include WNT, SHH, group 3, and group 4 tumors. Further molecular analyses suggest that there are several subgroups within the four existing subgroups, with significant differences in patient age, frequency of metastatic spread, and patient survival. As molecular markers have started to play an increasing role in determining treatment strategies and prognosis, their importance has increased rapidly. Treatment options include microsurgical tumor resection and radiotherapy and, in addition, chemotherapy that respects the tumor biology of individual patients offers targeted therapeutic approaches. For neurosurgeons, intraoperative imaging and tumor fluorescence may improve resection rates. Disseminated disease, residual tumor after surgery, lower radiation dose, and low Karnofsky performance status are all suggestive of a poor outcome. Extraneural spread occurs only in very few cases. The reported 5-year-survival rates range between 60% and 80% for all adult medulloblastoma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Eibl
- Department of Neurosurgery, Paracelsus Medical University, Nuremberg 90471, Bavaria, Germany
| | - Alexander Hammer
- Department of Neurosurgery, Paracelsus Medical University, Nuremberg 90471, Bavaria, Germany
| | - Eduard Yakubov
- Department of Neurosurgery, Paracelsus Medical University, Nuremberg 90471, Bavaria, Germany
| | - Cristiane Blechschmidt
- Department of Neuropathology, Paracelsus Medical University, Nuremberg 90471, Bavaria, Germany
| | - Alexander Kalisch
- Department of Oncology, Paracelsus Medical University, Nuremberg 90471, Bavaria, Germany
| | - Hans-Herbert Steiner
- Department of Neurosurgery, Paracelsus Medical University, Nuremberg 90471, Bavaria, Germany
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Riffaud L, Hénaux PL. Facteurs pronostiques des médulloblastomes de l’adulte : revue de la littérature et perspectives. Neurochirurgie 2016; 62:46-52. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuchi.2015.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2015] [Revised: 09/20/2015] [Accepted: 10/10/2015] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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von Bueren AO, Friedrich C, von Hoff K, Kwiecien R, Müller K, Pietsch T, Warmuth-Metz M, Hau P, Benesch M, Kuehl J, Kortmann RD, Rutkowski S. Metastatic medulloblastoma in adults: outcome of patients treated according to the HIT2000 protocol. Eur J Cancer 2015; 51:2434-43. [PMID: 26254812 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2015.06.124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2015] [Revised: 06/16/2015] [Accepted: 06/19/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Due to the rarity of metastatic medulloblastoma in adults, knowledge about the efficacy and toxicity of intensified chemotherapy and radiotherapy is limited. PATIENTS AND METHODS Adults with disseminated medulloblastoma registered in the HIT2000 trial as observational patients and treated according to one of two different treatment regimens were analysed. The sandwich strategy MET-HIT2000AB4 consists of postoperative chemotherapy, hyperfractionated craniospinal radiotherapy, and maintenance chemotherapy; while the HIT'91 maintenance strategy consists of postoperative craniospinal radiotherapy, and maintenance chemotherapy. RESULTS Twenty-three patients (median age: 30.7years), diagnosed from November 2001 to July 2009, and treated in 18 institutions in Germany and Austria, were eligible. The median follow-up of surviving patients was 3.99years. The 4-year event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS)±standard error (SE) were 52%±12% and 91%±6%, respectively. The survival was similar in both treatment groups (HIT'91 maintenance strategy, n=9; MET-HIT2000AB4 sandwich strategy, n=14). Patients with large cell/anaplastic medulloblastoma relapsed and died (n=2; 4-year EFS/OS: 0%) and OS differed compared to patients with classic (n=11; 4-year EFS/OS: 71%/91%) and desmoplastic medulloblastoma (n=10; 4-year EFS/OS: 48%/100%), respectively (p=0.161 for EFS and p=0.033 for OS). Treatment-induced toxicities consisted mainly of neurotoxicity (50% of patients, ⩾ °II), followed by haematotoxicity and nephrotoxicity/ototoxicity. The professional outcome appeared to be negatively affected in the majority of evaluable patients (9/10). CONCLUSIONS Treatment of adults with metastatic medulloblastoma according to the intensified paediatric HIT2000 protocol was feasible with acceptable toxicities. EFS rates achieved by both chemotherapeutic protocols were favourable and appear to be inferior to those obtained in older children/adolescents with metastatic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- André O von Bueren
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany; Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Germany.
| | - Carsten Friedrich
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany; Division of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Hemostaseology, Department of Woman's and Children's Health, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Katja von Hoff
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany
| | - Robert Kwiecien
- Institute of Biostatistics and Clinical Research, University of Muenster, Germany
| | - Klaus Müller
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center of Leipzig, Germany
| | | | | | - Peter Hau
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Martin Benesch
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Austria
| | - Joachim Kuehl
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Rolf D Kortmann
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center of Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stefan Rutkowski
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany
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Erratum to: The role of radiotherapy in adult medulloblastoma: long-term single-institution experience and a review of the literature. J Neurooncol 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/s11060-011-0708-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Childhood medulloblastoma: novel approaches to the classification of a heterogeneous disease. Acta Neuropathol 2010; 120:305-16. [PMID: 20652577 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-010-0726-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2010] [Revised: 07/12/2010] [Accepted: 07/12/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Increasing recognition of pediatric medulloblastoma as a heterogeneous disease, with histopathological and molecular variants that have distinct biological behaviors, will impact how the disease is classified and treated. A combination of clinicopathological evaluation and assays based on molecular subgroups of disease will allow stratification of patients into risk groups and a more tailored approach to therapy. Patients with low-risk disease could be treated with de-escalated adjuvant therapy to maximize cure while reducing long-term adverse effects, and novel therapies could be sought for patients with high-risk disease. My review encompasses a brief overview of the clinical landscape, the current World Health Organization (WHO) classification of medulloblastoma, the status of molecular subgroups, and how potential stratification schemes might impact pathologists and their practice.
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Accumulation of genomic aberrations during clinical progression of medulloblastoma. Acta Neuropathol 2008; 116:383-90. [PMID: 18704466 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-008-0422-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2008] [Revised: 08/06/2008] [Accepted: 08/06/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Medulloblastomas comprise the most frequent malignant brain tumor in childhood and one of the biggest challenges in pediatric oncology. The current concept suggests that these tumors may undergo stepwise progression as it has been shown for other brain tumors. However, conclusive evidence of molecular progression over time has not been demonstrated yet for medulloblastoma. In the present study, 28 pairs of medulloblastoma at primary diagnosis and at the time of recurrence, either occurring as local tumor regrowth or tumor dissemination, were histopathologically and molecularly analyzed. Cytogenetic analysis included interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization for five genomic loci (MYC, MYCN, 17p, 17q, 6q) that have previously been identified as prognostic markers in primary tumors. Of 16 tumors showing early recurrence (<4 years after first diagnosis), only one showed increased histological anaplasia in the secondary lesion (6%), and two acquired genomic lesions indicative for a more malignant phenotype (13%). In contrast to this, of 12 tumors with a time to recurrence of 4 years or more, nine tumors (75%) showed a more malignant phenotype either reflected by increased anaplasia alone or by both increased anaplasia and acquirement of genomic aberrations known to be associated with inferior patient outcome. These results suggest that early recurrence in medulloblastoma mainly occurs in tumors with a highly malignant genotype and phenotype per se, whereas late recurrence is often dependent on tumor evolution toward a more malignant biology. Therefore, biopsy of recurrent tumors should be performed to assess the biologic properties of the relapsed tumor, especially when targeted therapy approaches are considered.
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Shim KW, Joo SY, Kim SH, Choi JU, Kim DS. Prediction of prognosis in children with medulloblastoma by using immunohistochemical analysis and tissue microarray. J Neurosurg Pediatr 2008; 1:196-205. [PMID: 18352763 DOI: 10.3171/ped/2008/1/3/196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant neuroepithelial tumor found in children. Several reports have described efforts to identify the prognostic significance of various patterns of pathological and immunohistochemical features in medulloblastoma, but the published data appear to be controversial. The authors therefore attempted to demonstrate these prognostic factors convincingly in a retrospective study performed in patients with medulloblastoma. METHODS The data used were obtained in 58 patients with medulloblastoma who were > 3 years of age and in whom > 1 year of follow-up was available after the maximal resection, craniospinal irradiation, and chemotherapy treatments. These assessments were performed to compare the immunohistochemical features to cellular differentiation, the proliferation index (PI), the apoptotic index (AI), and oncogenesis revealed by TrkC and c-erbB-3. In addition, the authors tried to determine the prognostic utility of these results in this tumor category. RESULTS There was no statistically significant correlation between the prognosis and the degree of cell differentiation, but a positive correlation was noted between the PI and the AI in a tumor mass. The number of cases with a PI > 10% was significantly greater in the group of tumors in patients with recurrent medulloblastoma. A close association between the PI as a continuous variable and the progression-free and overall survival was also found. Most importantly, the PI is the only significant prognostic factor for the overall survival of patients with medulloblastoma. CONCLUSIONS Therefore, the authors suggest that the PI is directly linked to the prognostic factor for medulloblastoma and that immunohistochemical staining is a potentially powerful tool for predicting the prognosis of patients with medulloblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyu-Won Shim
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brain Korea 21 Project for Medical Science, Brain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
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Rodriguez FJ, Eberhart C, O'Neill BP, Slezak J, Burger PC, Goldthwaite P, Wu W, Giannini C. Histopathologic grading of adult medulloblastomas. Cancer 2007; 109:2557-65. [PMID: 17487854 DOI: 10.1002/cncr.22717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Histopathologic evaluation of the degree and extent of anaplasia is a useful prognostic parameter in pediatric medulloblastomas. Whether the same applies to adult medulloblastomas is not known. METHODS The study included 74 adult patients with histologically confirmed medulloblastomas and retrospectively reassessed 67 cases with available slides for the presence of nodularity, collagen deposition (desmoplasia without nodules), and degree and extent of anaplasia. RESULTS Patients included 43 men and 31 women with the following age distribution: 18-40 years (84%); 41-50 years (9%); and 51-70 years (7%). At last follow-up, 56 patients were alive with a mean follow-up of 6.3 years (range, 0.1-20.8 years). A variety of treatments were employed during the study period, including postoperative radiation (85%) and chemotherapy (27%). Precise treatment modalities were unknown in 12% of patients. Anaplasia was absent (34%), mild (34%), moderate (27%), or severe (5%). Severe anaplasia was diffuse in 2 cases and focal in 1, although in the latter cases severe anaplasia was diffusely present at the time of disease recurrence. Male sex was associated with decreased 10-year recurrence-free survival (40% vs 66%; P = .021) and overall survival (38% vs 68%; P = .005). Severe anaplasia at first resection was found to be an independent predictor of decreased recurrence-free survival (P = .005) and overall survival (P = .015). CONCLUSIONS The incidence of severe anaplasia in adult medulloblastomas is lower than in the pediatric population. Male sex and the presence of severe anaplasia at the time of first resection are predictors of decreased recurrence-free and overall survival. However, the significance of severe anaplasia should be regarded with caution based on the small number of tumors with this feature in the current study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fausto J Rodriguez
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA
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Salsano E, Croci L, Maderna E, Lupo L, Pollo B, Giordana MT, Consalez GG, Finocchiaro G. Expression of the neurogenic basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor NEUROG1 identifies a subgroup of medulloblastomas not expressing ATOH1. Neuro Oncol 2007; 9:298-307. [PMID: 17522332 PMCID: PMC1907423 DOI: 10.1215/15228517-2007-014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
To gain insight into the lineage of origin of medulloblastomas, the mRNA expression of NEUROG1, a gene encoding a proneural transcription factor transiently detected during nervous system development, was investigated in 27 human medulloblastomas characterized for mRNA expression of ATOH1, a marker of cerebellar granule precursors and corresponding medulloblastomas. Expression of Ngn1, the mouse homolog of NEUROG1, was also analyzed in the mouse cerebellar primordium. In addition, we studied mRNA expression of GLI1 as a marker of the SHH pathway activation, and nuclear beta-catenin staining, beta-catenin mutations, and mRNA expression of MYC as indicators of the WNT pathway status. In 15 cases, we also examined expression of OTX2, a transcription factor recently indicated as a positive marker of medulloblastomas originating from cerebellar granule precursors. The mRNA expression of NEUROG1 and Ngn1 was selectively found in medulloblastomas not expressing ATOH1 and in progenitors of the cerebellar ventricular zone, respectively. GLI1 transcript was expressed in medulloblastomas with ATOH1 transcript, whereas high levels of MYC transcript were unrelated to NEUROG1 or ATOH1 expression. No clear association between MYC overexpression and nuclear beta-catenin staining was found. Finally, OTX2 mRNA was expressed in all medulloblastomas with NEUROG1 transcript, but also in a subset of these malignancies with ATOH1 transcript. These observations may help to define the lineage of origin of medulloblastomas, and support a role for ATOH1 and NEUROG1 in the classification of these malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ettore Salsano
- Unit of Experimental Neuro-Oncology, Carlo Besta Neurological Institute Foundation, via Celoria 11, 20133 Milan, Italy.
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Abstract
Tremendous strides have been made in both the treatment and the biologic understanding of medulloblastoma. Present optimal treatment can cure most medulloblastoma patients. A substantial minority of patients, however, will have recurrent or progressive disease. Recent studies have demonstrated that the success of treatment is not simply a matter of chance, but rather can be predicted based on specific biologic markers. These markers predict outcome independent of clinical staging and make clear that medulloblastomas are a biologically diverse group of tumors with variable clinical behavior. Molecular biologic investigation, including replication of tumorigenesis in transgenic mice, has further elucidated the complex biology of medulloblastoma. Current standard and investigational treatments, however, do not yet make use of biologic markers that predict risk of recurrence. Practical limitations have slowed the pace at which treatment paradigms can be revised to incorporate biologic insights. Mouse medulloblastoma models may provide an important bridge between biologic investigation and the development of new therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy R Gershon
- Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021, USA.
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Rodriguez FJ, Scheithauer BW. Anaplastic medulloblastoma with granular cell change. Acta Neuropathol 2007; 113:95-9. [PMID: 16896903 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-006-0121-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2006] [Revised: 07/11/2006] [Accepted: 07/12/2006] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Granular cell change secondary to lysosomal accumulation has been described in a variety of tumors of the nervous system of presumed glial or schwannian derivation. Herein we report the case of a 15-year-old female with an anaplastic medulloblastoma which histologically demonstrated areas with granular cell change. These granular cells co-expressed neuronal immunohistochemical markers, including synaptophysin, chromogranin, and Neu-N, and demonstrated accumulation of lysosomes and dense core granules in the same cells at the ultrastructural level. This unusual finding suggests that the spectrum of granular cell change should be expanded to include tumors with primarily neuronal differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fausto J Rodriguez
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street, SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
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Histopathological prognostic factors in medulloblastoma: High expression of survivin is related to unfavourable outcome. Eur J Cancer 2006; 42:2996-3003. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2006.05.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2006] [Revised: 05/04/2006] [Accepted: 05/08/2006] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Min HS, Lee YJ, Park K, Cho BK, Park SH. Medulloblastoma: histopathologic and molecular markers of anaplasia and biologic behavior. Acta Neuropathol 2006; 112:13-20. [PMID: 16691420 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-006-0073-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2005] [Revised: 04/03/2006] [Accepted: 04/04/2006] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Large cell/anaplastic (LC/A) medulloblastoma (MB) is a recently recognized variant of medulloblastoma known to be associated with an advanced stage and a poor prognosis. Although Eberhart et al. suggested histopathologic grading of medulloblastoma in 2002, no consensus has been reached in terms of determining the criteria of an LC/A variant, and its biological behavior continues to be the subject of debate. We retrospectively analyzed 74 cases (range 0.25-15 years) of MB clinicopathologically using the criteria established by Eberhart et al. The LC/A variant was identified in 16 cases (22% of MB cases), five of which showed a poor outcome. Most LC/A variant cases revealed synaptophysin immunoexpression (75%), but no epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression. Expression of synaptophysin, NeuN, GFAP, p53, c-erbB2, and EGFR did not differ in LC/A and non-LC/A variants. Seven of the 74 cases of medulloblastoma showed erbB2 amplification by FISH, four of which were LC/A variants. N-myc amplification was observed in only one LC/A variant, but no c-myc amplification was found. In patients younger than 10 years, the LC/A variant showed a significantly poorer outcome than the non-LC/A variant (P = 0.02), while no difference was found in older patients. Multivariate analysis revealed only metastasis on MRI and p53 expression, but not anaplasia as unfavorable prognostic factors. Our study suggests that prognostic implications of anaplasia in medulloblastoma are uncertain, and that the reproducibility of the histopathologic criteria of the LC/A variant should be reassessed before they can be applied in practical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hye Sook Min
- Department of Pathology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 28 Yongon-dong, Chongno-gu, Seoul, 110-799, Korea
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