Thalamic glioblastoma with cerebrospinal fluid dissemination in the peritoneal cavity

Hydrocephalus Shunting in Supratentorial Glioblastoma: Functional Outcomes and Management

Background

Glioblastoma is the most common and the most challenging to treat adult primary central nervous system tumor. Although modern management strategies modestly improved the overall survival, the prognosis remains dismal associated with poor life quality and the clinical course often dotted by treatment side effects and cognitive decline. Functional deterioration might be caused by obstructive or communicating hydrocephalus but due to poor overall prognosis surgical treatment options are often limited and its optimal management strategies remain elusive. We aimed to investigate risk factors, treatment options and outcomes for tumor-associated hydrocephalus in a contemporary 10 years cohort of glioblastoma patients.

Methods

We reviewed electronic health records of 1800 glioblastoma patients operated at the Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Center – University of Freiburg from 2009 to 2019. Demographics, clinical characteristics and radiological features were analyzed. Univariate analysis for nominal variables was performed either by Fisher’s exact test or Chi-square test, as appropriate.

Results

We identified 39 glioblastoma patients with symptomatic communicating hydrocephalus treated by ventricular shunting (incidence 2.1%). Opening of the ventricular system during a previous tumor resection was associated with symptomatic hydrocephalus (p<0.05). There was also a trend toward location (frontal and temporal) and larger tumor volume. Number of craniotomies before shunting was not considered as a risk factor. Shunting improved hydrocephalus symptoms in 95% of the patients and Karnofsky Performance Score (KPS) could be restored after shunting. Of note, 75% of the patients had a post-shunting oncological treatment such as radiotherapy or chemotherapy, most prevalently chemotherapy. Infection (7.7%) and over- or under drainage (17.9%) were the most common complications requiring shunt revision in ten patients (25.6%), No peritoneal metastasis was found. The median overall survival (OS) was 385 days and the median post shunting survival was 135 days.

Conclusion

Ventricular system opening was identified as a risk factor for communicating hydrocephalus in glioblastoma patients. Although glioblastoma treatment remains challenging, shunting improved hydrocephalus-related functional status and may be considered even in a palliative setting for symptom relief.

A case series of extraneural metastatic glioblastoma at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Background

Extraneural metastasis of glioma is a rare event, often occurring in patients with advanced disease. Genomic alterations associated with extraneural glioma metastasis remain incompletely understood.

Methods

Ten patients at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center diagnosed with extraneural metastases of glioblastoma (9 patients) and gliosarcoma (1 patient) from 2003 to 2018 were included in our analysis. Patient characteristics, clinical course, and genomic alterations were evaluated.

Results

Patient age at diagnosis ranged from 14 to 73, with 7 men and 3 women in this group. The median overall survival from initial diagnosis and from diagnosis of extraneural metastasis was 19.6 months (range 11.2 to 57.5 months) and 5 months (range 1 to 16.1 months), respectively. The most common site of extraneural metastasis was bone, with other sites being lymph nodes, dura, liver, lung, and soft tissues. All patients received surgical resection and radiation, and 9 patients received temozolomide, with subsequent chemotherapy appropriate for individual cases. 1 patient had an Ommaya and then ventriculoperitoneal shunt placed, and 1 patient underwent craniectomy for cerebral edema associated with a brain abscess at the initial site of resection. Genomic analysis of primary tumors and metastatic sites revealed shared and private mutations with a preponderance of tumor suppressor gene alterations, illustrating clonal evolution in extraneural metastases.

Conclusions

Several risk factors emerged for extraneural metastasis of glioblastoma and gliosarcoma, including sarcomatous dedifferentiation, disruption of normal anatomic barriers during surgical resection, and tumor suppressor gene alterations. Next steps with this work include validation of these genomic markers of glioblastoma metastases in larger patient populations and the development of preclinical models. This work will lead to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of metastasis to develop targeted treatments for these patients.

Extensive Pachymeningeal Dissemination of Glioblastoma Mimicking Chronic Subdural Hematoma: A Case Report

Meningeal dissemination (MDS) of glioblastoma is rare, although its incidence might have been underestimated. MDS of glioblastoma has a fatal course. Thus, rapid and precise diagnosis of MDS is important for further palliative treatment. Unfortunately, MDS of glioblastoma could be diagnosed at a delayed time, causing failure to treat patient optimally. Herein, we present a case of a 56-year-old male with MDS of glioblastoma mimicking chronic subdural hemorrhage (CSDH) after head trauma due to slip down. During treatment for CSDH, MDS of glioblastoma was not controlled appropriately. The patient succumbed to MDS of glioblastoma at 9 weeks after the date of diagnosis of CSDH which could be an MDS.

A brainstem mass of Müllerian type Epithelial Origin without any primary cancer source

Brainstem tumors are rare, even rarer is a brainstem tumor containing tissues of an embryologic gynecologic origin. We report a very rare case of presence of a calcified heterogeneously contrast enhancing brainstem mass of Müllerian origin in a patient in a 38 year old female with no female genital tract cancer and past surgical history of ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt placement for congenital hydrocephalus. To our knowledge this is the very first and unusual case of a mass of gynecologic origin in the brainstem region especially in the setting of no history of gynecological tumor. The authors also reviewed the literature for all tumors reported for anterograde and retrograde dissemination of tumor cells through VP shunt. This case is a reaffirmation of the importance of brain tumor location and tissue diagnosis for the purpose of adjuvant treatment of neurosurgical lesions in the neurocritical care setting. It also highlights the role of catheters as potential routes of iatrogenic transmission not just in anterograde but also in a retrograde manner to the CNS, which is very unusual. This is the only second case to report retrograde flow of tumor cells from an extraneural source up the VP catheters. The authors suggest that intraperitoneal chemotherapy should be considered in the cases of known extraneural abdominal malignancies of high malignant potential with or without the presence of peritoneal infiltration in order to avoid dissemination through VP shunts.

Challenges in cerebrospinal fluid shunting in patients with glioblastoma

Background

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulation disturbances may occur during the course of disease in patients with glioblastoma. Ventriculoperitoneal shunting has generally been recommended to improve symptoms in glioblastoma patients. Shunt implantation for patients with glioblastoma, however, presents as a complex situation and produces different problems to shunting in other contexts. Information on complications of shunting glioma patients has rarely been the subject of investigation. In this retrospective study, we analysed restropectively the course and outcome of glioblastoma-related CSF circulation disturbances after shunt management in a consecutive series of patients within a period of over a decade.

Methods

Thirty of 723 patients with histopathologically-confirmed glioblastoma diagnosed from 2002 to 2016 at the Department of Neurosurgery, Hannover Medical School, underwent shunting for CSF circulation disorders. Treatment history of glioblastoma and all procedures associated with shunt implementation were analyzed. Data on follow-up, time to progression and survival rates were obtained by review of hospital charts and supplemented by phone interviews with the patients, their relations or the primary physicians.

Results

Mean age at the time of diagnosis of glioblastoma was 43 years. Five types of CSF circulation disturbances were identified: obstructive hydrocephalus (n = 9), communicating hydrocephalus (n = 15), external hydrocephalus (n = 3), trapped lateral ventricle (n = 1), and expanding fluid collection in the resection cavity (n = 2). All patients showed clinical deterioration. Procedures for CSF diversion were ventriculoperitoneal shunt (n = 21), subduroperitoneal shunt (n = 3), and cystoperitoneal shunt (n = 2). In patients with lower Karnofsky Performance Score (KPS) (< 60), there was a significant improvement of median KPS after shunt implantation (p = 0.019). Shunt revision was necessary in 9 patients (single revision, n = 6; multiple revisions, n = 3) due to catheter obstruction, catheter dislocation, valve defect, and infection. Twenty-eight patients died due to disease progression during a median follow-up time of 88 months. The median overall survival time after diagnosis of glioblastoma was 10.18 months.

Conclusions

CSF shunting in glioblastoma patients encounters more challenge and is associated with increased risk of complications, but these can be usually managed by revision surgeries. CSF shunting improves neurological function temporarily, enhances quality of life in most patients although it is not known if survival rate is improved.

Metastatic Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma to the Peritoneal Cavity Via Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt: Case Report and Literature Review

Extraneural metastatic disease resulting from a primary central nervous system neoplasm is a rare clinical finding in the pediatric population. We report a case of peritoneal glioblastoma carcinomatosis following placement of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt and chemoradiotherapy in a 6-year-old female patient who initially presented with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma. This case demonstrates the importance of evaluation of extraspinal structures when imaging for extension of disease. Additionally, this report highlights the cross-sectional imaging characteristics of glioblastoma peritoneal carcinomatosis and presents additional information that will facilitate the timely diagnosis of extraneural metastases of primary high-grade glial neoplasms in the pediatric population.

Brain metastases as a cause of malignant cerebrospinal fluid ascites: case report and review of the literature

The development of cerebrospinal fluid ascites after a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt operation is an extremely rare complication. There have been only sporadic case reports and small series reviews published in regards to this condition. They are usually found in the context of primary brain tumors, usually affecting the pediatric population. We present an unusual case of a patient with known metastatic breast carcinoma to the brain who develops malignant cerebrospinal fluid ascites after a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt insertion. This is the first known adult case of a metastatic breast primary to the brain causing tumor dissemination via a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt.

Far-distant metastases along the CSF pathway of glioblastoma multiforme during continuous low-dose chemotherapy with temozolomide and celecoxib

Glioblastoma multiforme is the most common and most malignant primary brain tumour. Prognosis after diagnosis remains poor despite recent advances in adjuvant therapy. Treatment of choice is gross surgical resection and combined radio-chemotherapy with temozolomide as chemotherapeutic agent. Experimental continuous low-dose chemotherapy with temozolomide in combination with a cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor has shown encouraging effects on progression-free survival and overall survival in patients, but leads to a high proportion of distant recurrences. Here, we describe extreme far-distant metastases along the neural axis of glioblastoma multiforme in four patients receiving metronomic antiangiogenic chemotherapy and review the literature to discuss possible mechanisms.

The value of ventriculo-peritoneal shunting in patients with glioblastoma multiforme and ventriculomegaly

BACKGROUND

Patients with an advanced-stage glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) often show general motor, gait, and cognitive deterioration. Some have radiological evidence of ventriculomegaly, but the relevance of this to their symptoms may be unclear. Distinction between tumour patients who have dilated fluid spaces as a consequence of tissue loss from surgery or treatment, and those who have a symptomatic hydrocephalic process, one who may gain benefit from insertion of a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt, is an important clinical challenge.

METHODS

From a series of 530 GBM patients treated by a single surgeon (ZR), we retrospectively reviewed 16 patients with advanced-stage GBM who had presented with non-obstructive ventriculomegaly and clinical deterioration not explained by progressive disease. Each had been treated by insertion of a ventriculo- peritoneal shunt (VPS). Assessments included clinical features, Karnofsky Performance Scale, motor and cognitive findings, complications and survival.

FINDINGS

Ten patients benefited from insertion of the shunt, with moderate to significant cognitive improvement. Of seven patients who presented with motor symptoms, such as gait instability, general weakness, and slowness, four patients showed significant motor improvement in addition to major cognitive improvement. Early infectious complication occurred in five patients; a late shunt infection in one; one patient had symptoms related to overdrainage; and in another a mechanical shunt malfunction occurred. Three patients died from shunt-related complications.

CONCLUSIONS

Insertion of a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt can improve cognitive and motor function in a small subset of patients with advanced-stage glioblastoma multiforme and ventriculomegaly. Infection is a major risk in this patient population.

Extracranial metastases of glioblastoma in a child: case report and review of the literature

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common adult malignant brain tumor but is notably less common in children. Primary brain tumors rarely metastasize outside the central nervous system and when metastases occur, it is often in patients with diversionary shunting of the cerebrospinal fluid. This report details the case of a 13(1/2)-year-old boy who was diagnosed with GBM. He survived 10 months after diagnosis. At autopsy, the tumor was found to extensively infiltrate the leptomeninges as well as the cranial skin and soft tissue. Further examination disclosed multiple liver and lung metastatic GBM nodules. This pattern of spread is very uncharacteristic of gliomas and emphasizes the importance of adequate metastatic evaluation.

Sterile ascites from a ventriculoperitoneal shunt: a case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Symptomatic, sterile cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) ascites is a rare complication of ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt surgery. To date, reports in the literature have linked this unusual circumstance to various intra-abdominal, CNS, or nonspecific inflammatory causes.

CASE REPORT

We present the case of a four-year-old boy with a recently fenestrated arachnoid cyst and VP shunt, who presented with sudden-onset, sterile CSF ascites. The ascites resolved with conversion of the preexisting VP shunt to a ventriculoatrial shunt.

Extracranial metastases of a glioblastoma multiforme to the pleura, small bowel and pancreas

Extracranial metastases of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) are rare and usually occur in the context of recurrent intracranial GBM. We present a 39-year-old man with histologically confirmed GBM. The patient remained well for nearly 2 years, with no signs of recurrent tumour. He then presented with distant recurrence within the brain at the same time as developing pneumonia and epigastric pain. A computed tomography scan of the patient's abdomen and chest showed several intra-abdominal masses, including one in the head of the pancreas as well as a separate mass at the base of the left lung. A computed tomography-guided biopsy of the pancreatic mass demonstrated histological appearances identical to those of the original GBM. This unusual case raises the possibility of a link between prolonged survival with GBM and the occurrence of extracranial disease.

Extra-cranial metastasis of glioblastoma multiforme presenting as acute parotitis

We present an unusual case of extracranial metastasis of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) to the parotid gland and cervical lymph nodes. The patient had previously undergone two craniotomies to debulk a left frontal GBM, followed by radiotherapy. After the second craniotomy, while waiting for chemotherapy, the patient was re-admitted with a short history of a painful swelling of his left parotid gland. The initial diagnosis was infective parotitis; however, as there was no improvement with broad-spectrum antibiotics, CT was undertaken, which revealed a mass in the parotid gland with a necrotic centre and enlarged cervical lymph nodes. Parotid gland biopsy revealed a parotid GBM metastasis. This case illustrates how GBM behaves in an aggressive manner even outside the CNS. A brief review of the literature and of the theories, which might explain the extra-neural metastasis of this tumour is also presented.

Fine needle aspiration diagnosis of extracranial glioblastoma multiforme: Case report and review of the literature

Background

Hitherto uncommon, the incidence of extracranial metastases of primary brain malignancies may increase, with improved treatment methods and longer patient survival. Fine needle aspiration biopsy is a simple, safe and reliable method to diagnose metastatic malignancy. It has definite advantages over tissue biopsy, which is more invasive and is of higher risk to the patient. Ours is a case of glioblastoma multiforme, which metastasized to the scalp and was diagnosed on fine needle aspiration biopsy. Only a few articles document the cytological features of extracranial glioblastoma multiforme, diagnosed by fine needle aspiration biopsy.

Case presentation

We report the case of an elderly female who presented with focal neurological symptoms. She was diagnosed radiologically with an intracranial lesion in the left temporal region, which was subsequently resected. Histology revealed a glioblastoma multiforme confirmed by immunohistochemistry. The tumor recurred subsequently and the patient was treated with chemotherapy, intraoperatively. At a later stage, she presented with a scalp mass on which fine needle aspiration biopsy was performed. The cytomorphological features aided by immunohistochemistry supported a diagnosis of metastatic glioblastoma multiforme. The mass was later resected and histology confirmed the fine needle aspiration diagnosis of glioblastoma multiforme.

Conclusion

Reports of extracranial metastases of primary brain tumors are few. When they do occur, the primary cause is implantation during surgery or biopsy. However, spontaneous metastases to other organs do occur rarely. We believe fine needle aspiration biopsy to be very useful in the diagnosis of metastatic glioblastoma multiforme. The ability to use a cellblock for immunohistochemical studies is greatly advantageous and helpful in differentiating this tumor, from other malignancies that can occur in the scalp. A detailed discussion of the material obtained from fine needle aspiration biopsy of metastatic glioblastoma multiforme is presented, as well as a review of previous accounts in the literature.

Ascites in ventriculoperitoneal shunt

OBJECTIVE

To fetch out the factors responsible for ascites, following shunt CSF diversion in cases of intracarnial lesions. Four children developing ascites/abdominal psuedocyst following ventriculoperitoneal shunt were analyzed to see the factors responsible for such complication.

METHODS

Records of 4 cases developing ascites were studied retrospectively. These children developed ascites at 8 months, 6 months, 1 year and 1 year 2 months interval following their shunt installation.

RESULTS

The primary etiology of hydrocephalus was demonstrated as thalamic glioblastoma, choroid plexus papillomas of third ventricle, post tubercular meningitis hydrocephalus and suprasellar craniopharyngioma.

CONCLUSION

The proposed etiology of ascites in these cases was peritoneal metastasis from thalamic glioblastoma through ventriculoperitoneal shunt in first case, excessive production of CSF by choroid plexus papilloma in second, infection in the third case and craniopharyngioma causing excessive production of CSF in the fourth child. All the children were treated by reasonable laparotomy and fenestration of cyst along with the repositioning of shunt tip at another site.

Extraneural metastases of paediatric brain tumours

A survey of published cases of extraneural metastases of primary brain tumours in children under the age of 18 years revealed 245 cases; 60.7% occurred in boys and 27.3% were directly related to the placing of a shunt. The most common entities leading to extraneural metastases were medulloblastomas (56.3%), germinomas (9.8%), glioblastomas (6.9%), ependymomas (3.7%) and pilocytic astrocytomas (2.9%). While medulloblastomas were frequent among non-shunt-related metastases (69.4%), germ cell tumours were most common among shunt-related metastases (33.3%). Metastases were encountered equally often in bone (56.3%) and visceral organs (55.5%) but were markedly rarer in lymph nodes (25.3%). Medulloblastomas showed a preference for bones (88.3% of cases), germinomas for bones (77.8%) and visceral organs (66.7%), whereas ependymomas and ependymoblastomas were more frequently found in lymph nodes and visceral organs (71.5-100%). The most frequent sites of bone metastases were the pelvis (59.3% of cases with osseous lesions), femur (54%) and vertebrae (46%). Medulloblastomas preferentially spread into pelvis, femur and vertebrae, whereas germ cell tumours mainly involved pelvis, femur and ribs and glioblastomas vertebrae and pelvis. Most frequent sites of lymph node metastases were cervical (45.8% of cases with nodular lesions) and thoracic (31.3%) with 54% of children suffering from medulloblastomas and 7.9% from germ cell tumours. The most frequent organ involved in non-shunt-related metastases were the lungs (56.5% of children with visceral lesions) followed by muscle/soft tissue (26.9%), pleura (16.4%), skin (14.9%) and liver (13.4%). Among shunt-related cases, the peritoneum was the most frequent site (86.6% of children). The mean interval between primary brain tumour and occurrence of metastasis was 22.1 months with particularly grave outcomes among medulloblastomas, non-germinomatous germ cell tumours and glioblastomas (85.5-100% deceased children), whereas 60% of children suffering from germinomas were still alive at the time of reporting.

Bone metastases from secondary glioblastoma multiforme: a case report

Extraneural metastases of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) are a relatively rare occurrence which usually manifest after de novo GBM. We report a case of a patient with an oligodendroastrocytoma who developed over a period of 12 years malignant progression to glioblastoma followed by multiple cytologically confirmed bone metastases. No 1p deletions were detected in the original tumour. GBM cells disclosed the EGFr(+) and p53(-) immunophenotype more characteristic of a primary GBM.