Association of rapidly progressive moyamoya syndrome with bevacizumab treatment for glioblastoma in a child with neurofibromatosis type 1

Glioblastoma with concomitant moyamoya vasculopathy in neurofibromatosis type 1: illustrative case

BACKGROUND

In a case of concurrent glioblastoma and moyamoya vasculopathy, it is arduous to safely perform surgery because the brain is highly vulnerable and collaterals are sometimes well developed. In addition, radiotherapy carries a risk of aggravating moyamoya vasculopathy, and chemotherapeutic agents also have a risk of interfering with collateral development.

OBSERVATIONS

A 48-year-old woman with neurofibromatosis type 1 was admitted because of left hemiparesis and hemispatial neglect. Brain imaging studies revealed a large mass with peripheral enhancement in the right frontal lobe and occlusion of the bilateral middle cerebral arteries with an abnormal vascular network at the base of the brain. Total tumor resection was performed, and the pathological diagnosis was isocitrate dehydrogenase-mutant glioblastoma. Radiotherapy with a total dose of 60 Gy was delivered with concurrent temozolomide, and thereafter six cycles of adjuvant temozolomide were given. Progression of moyamoya vasculopathy without symptoms was observed after the completion of each of radiotherapy and adjuvant temozolomide.

LESSONS

The authors present the first adult case of glioblastoma with moyamoya vasculopathy. Careful consideration and attention should be given throughout treatment to avoiding moyamoya vasculopathy-related ischemic and hemorrhagic events. Although the patient did not exhibit neurological deterioration, progression of moyamoya vasculopathy occurred early after radiotherapy and continued thereafter.

Western Moyamoya Phenotype: A Scoping Review

Moyamoya, a rare angiographic finding, is characterized by chronic and progressive stenosis at the terminal end of the internal carotid artery, followed by collateralization of the cerebral vasculature at the base of the skull. Coined by Suzuki and Takaku in 1969, the term "moyamoya" means a "puff of smoke" in Japanese, a reference to the angiographic appearance of moyamoya collateralization. Moyamoya is most commonly found in East Asian countries, where much governmental and civilian effort has been expended to characterize this unique disease process. However, despite its rarity, the occurrence of moyamoya in Western countries is associated with significant divergence regarding incidence, gender, sex, age at diagnosis, clinical presentation, and outcomes. Here, we attempted to review the Western literature on moyamoya presentation using the PubMed database to characterize the Western phenotype of moyamoya. We were guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR). We reviewed papers generated from a search with keywords "moyamoya case report," those reported from a Western institution, and those reported on a relevant association. Our scoping review demonstrated various clinical associations with moyamoya. Moreover, we summarized the demographic profile and clinical symptomatology, as well as reported disease associations to better elucidate the Western phenotype of moyamoya.

Glioblastoma in a female neurofibromatosis 1 patient without IDH1, BRAF V600E, and TERT promoter mutations: A case report

RATIONALE

Glioblastoma is the most lethal and common malignant brain tumor but rare in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1. The clinical findings and pathological findings with gene signatures in female patients have not been well clarified.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 51-year-old female patient complained of headache and left limb weakness lasting for 20 days. The patient underwent a cesarean section 20 years ago and hysterectomy 1 year ago because of uterine leiomyomas. Multiple café-au-lait spots and neurofibromas were found over patient's chest, neck, back, and arms. The myodynamia of left distant and proximate epipodite were grade 0 and grade 1 respectively. The myodynamia of lower left limb was grade 3.

DIAGNOSES

Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a malignant lesion which was most likely a glioblastoma in the right temporo-parietal lobe, approximately 5.6 × 5.9 × 6.9 cm in size with a rounded boundary.

INTERVENTIONS

A right temporo-parietal craniotomy was performed to resect the space-occupying lesion for gross total removal. Then, the patient received concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Histological examination confirmed a glioblastoma without v-RAF murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1 gene, isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 gene, and telomerase reverse transcriptase gene promoter mutations.

OUTCOMES

After surgery, the headache was relieved and the muscular strength of left limbs did improve. After receiving the standard treatment regimen, the patient was alive at 13 months follow-up.

LESSONS

This is the first reported glioblastoma in female neurofibromatosis type 1 patient without v-RAF murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1 gene, isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 gene, and telomerase reverse transcriptase gene promoter mutations. Tumors in adult patients with these signatures were less aggressive with well-circumscribed border and had long-term survivals which strengthened the evidence that these patients may comprise a unique subset in glioblastoma.

Cerebellar glioblastoma in an NF1 patient. Is it surgical debulking really necessary?

Introduction: Neurofibromatosis type 1 is an autosomal dominant tumour syndrome with an increased risk of developing central nervous system neoplasms, mostly benign low-grade gliomas involving the optic pathway and the brainstem. High-grade astrocytomas or glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) are rare. Cerebellar GBMs are rarer still, only seven cases NF1 patients have been reported Case description: We report a case of a cerebellar GBM in a 25-year-old male with NF1 who survived 18 months from the initial diagnosis without surgical debulking but only chemo and radiotherapy.Conclusion: A literature review found that the best outcomes were achieved in NF1 patients who didn't undergo gross surgical resection. Possible reasons and future directions are discussed.

Epilepsy surgery for a patient with neurofibromatosis type 1 concomitant with moyamoya syndrome

BACKGROUND

Epilepsy associated with neurocutaneous disorders is well known, and the prevalence of epilepsy among patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) ranges from 4% to 13%. However, epilepsy surgery for patients with NF1 is not commonly performed.

CASE DESCRIPTION

We report the case of a patient with medically intractable mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE) concomitant NF1 and moyamoya syndrome (MMS) who had already undergone bilateral superficial temporal artery-middle cerebral artery anastomosis at 17 years old. As the standard temporal approach was unavailable, we evaluated the patient with neurologists, radiologists, neurosurgeons and neuropsychologists to identify the safest trajectory for epilepsy surgery. The patient underwent the right selective amygdala hippocampectomy from the posterior auricle part at 32 years old and obtained freedom from seizures.

CONCLUSION

To the best of our knowledge, this represents the first surgical case report for mTLE concomitant with NF1 and MMS.

When and why is surgical revascularization indicated for the treatment of moyamoya syndrome in patients with RASopathies? A systematic review of the literature and a single institute experience

BACKGROUND

Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a cerebrovascular disorder characterized by the progressive occlusion of the supraclinoid internal carotid artery (ICA), resulting in the formation of an abnormal cerebral vascular network. When MMD occurs in association with an underlying medical condition, including some distinctive genetic disorders, it is named moyamoya syndrome (MMS). The discrimination between MMD and MMS has been validated by recent genetic researches and international reviews. Similarly to patients suffering from MMD, patients with MMS generally become symptomatic because of ischemic complications, which lead to hemiparesis, transient ischemic events, seizures, and sensory symptoms. RASopathies are a group of neurodevelopmental disorders that can be associated with MMS.

RESULTS

We retrospectively reviewed 18 RASopathy patients with MMS treated at our institution from 2000 to 2015 (16 neurofibromatosis type 1, 1 Costello syndrome, and 1 Schimmelpenning syndrome). Here, we report clinical data, performed surgical procedures, and clinic-radiological outcome of these patients. Most of them received both indirect revascularization and medical therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

At the moment, there are no univocal recommendations on which of these two treatment strategies is the treatment of choice in patients with RASopathies and MMS. We suggest that patients with a good overall prognosis (primarily depending on the distinctive underlying genetic disorder) and initial cerebrovascular disease could benefit from a prophylactic surgical revascularization, in order to prevent the cognitive impairment due to the progression of the vasculopathy.

Neurofibromatosis Clinical Trial Consortium

Neurofibromatosis type 1 and type 2, affecting both children and adults, often results in devastating complications. The rapid unravelling of the genetic underpinnings of these unique disorders has led to the development of novel therapies, especially molecular-targeted therapies. To facilitate clinical trial development, the Neurofibromatosis Clinical Trial Consortium (NFCTC) was established in 2006 by the Department of Defense. Over the past decade, the Consortium has successfully completed studies for children and adults with neurofibromatosis type 1 and plexiform neurofibromas, neurocognitive challenges, low-grade gliomas, and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors. In addition, a study for children and adults with neurofibromatosis type 2 and acoustic schwannomas is near completion. The NFCTC has now been expanded to 19 sites in the United Stated and Australia. Mechanisms have been put in place to work closely with other consortia, foundations, and industry to expeditiously translate preclinical discoveries into clinical trials.

Neurovascular manifestations of connective-tissue diseases: A review

Patients with connective tissue diseases are thought to be at a higher risk for a number of cerebrovascular diseases such as intracranial aneurysms, dissections, and acute ischemic strokes. In this report, we aim to understand the prevalence and occurrences of such neurovascular manifestations in four heritable connective tissue disorders: Marfan syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Neurofibromatosis Type 1, and Loeys-Dietz syndrome. We discuss the fact that although there are various case studies reporting neurovascular findings in these connective tissue diseases, there is a general lack of case-control and prospective studies investigating the true prevalence of these findings in these patient populations. Furthermore, the differences observed in the manifestations and histology of such disease pathologies encourages future multi-center registries and studies in better characterizing the pathophysiology, prevalence, and ideal treatment options of neurovascular lesions in patents with connective tissue diseases.

Increased Risk of Cerebrovascular Disease Among Patients With Neurofibromatosis Type 1: Population-Based Approach

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Although neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) may be associated with an incompletely understood vasculopathy, relative odds of stroke in this population is not known.

METHODS

Using the 1998 to 2009 US Nationwide Inpatient Sample, we performed a case-control study matching cases of NF1 to controls without such a diagnosis. We then compared the odds of stroke between the 2 groups. We used multivariable logistic regression to adjust for known or suspected confounders.

RESULTS

NF1 was associated with younger mean age at the time of stroke (41 versus 48) and a lower prevalence of stroke risk factors among adult patients. Pediatric patients with NF1, however, were more likely to have hypertension. Patients with NF1 were significantly more likely to be diagnosed with any stroke (odds ratio, 1.2; P<0.0001) than the general population. The odds of intracerebral hemorrhage were greatest among hemorrhagic stroke types analyzed (odds ratio, 1.9; P<0.0001). In the pediatric NF1 population, the odds of intracerebral hemorrhage were more dramatically elevated (odds ratio, 8.1; P<0.0001). The odds of ischemic stroke were also increased with NF1 in the pediatric (odds ratio, 3.4; P<0.0001) but not in the adult population.

CONCLUSIONS

When compared with the general population, the odds of any type of stroke are significantly increased for patients with NF1, both adult and pediatric. This risk is most notable for hemorrhagic strokes although it is also increased for ischemic strokes in children. Physicians should be aware of the increased risk of stroke in this population, and consider stroke as a potential cause of new neurological symptoms.

Moyamoya syndrome and neurofibromatosis type 1

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is the most prevalent autosomal dominant genetic disorder among humans. NF1 vasculopathy is a significant but underrecognized complication of the disease, affecting both arterial and venous blood vessels of all sizes. Moyamoya syndrome is a cerebral vasculopathy that is only rarely observed in association with NF1, particularly in the pediatric age range. Herein, we report of a 5-year-old female with NF1 and moyamoya syndrome and we briefly review the existing literature.

Prolonged survival in adult neurofibromatosis type I patients with recurrent high-grade gliomas treated with bevacizumab

Astrocytic tumors, especially optic pathway pilocytic astrocytomas, are common in pediatric NF1 patients. High-grade gliomas (HGGs) appear to be rare in adult and pediatric NF1 patients. This is a series of five consecutive, adult NF1 patients with recurrent HGGs treated at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Four patients met consensus clinical criteria for NF1 and one patient had presumed segmental NF1. Three patients had glioblastomas, one gliosarcoma, and one progressive, enhancing optic pathway glioma which was not biopsied. Two tumors had molecular testing performed; both were IDH wild type and activating oncogene mutations (1 BRAFV600E and 1 PIK3CA mutation) were found in these tumors. All five patients received bevacizumab-containing regimens at tumor recurrence. The median number of 4-week cycles of bevacizumab was 20. All five patients experienced prolonged post-recurrence survival following bevacizumab treatment ranging from ten to 72 months. The median overall survival from HGG diagnosis was 72.6 months with three patients alive and progression free at last follow-up. Three out of five patients developed vascular complications leading to bevacizumab discontinuation. In this case series, adult NF1 patients with recurrent HGGs had prolonged, post-recurrence survival after treatment with bevacizumab-containing regimens. Based on these results, further study of antiangiogenic therapy in NF1 patients with HGGs and bevacizumab-response in sporadic HGG patients with NF1-mutated tumors is warranted.

Neurofibromatosis type 1 and pregnancy complications: a population-based study

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the study was to determine whether vascular and other complications are more common in pregnant women with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1).

STUDY DESIGN

We performed a population-based retrospective cohort study using the US Nationwide Inpatient Sample, 1988-2009, defining a cohort of pregnancy-related hospitalizations with an associated diagnosis of NF1 and comparing it with the control group not associated with NF1. Multivariable logistic regression was used to adjust for suspected confounders.

RESULTS

Among 19 million pregnancy-related admissions between 1988 and 2009, we identified 1553 associated with NF1 (prevalence 0.008%). A diagnosis of NF1 in delivering mothers was associated with gestational hypertension (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.6, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2-2.0), preeclampsia (AOR, 2.8, 95% CI, 2.3-3.4), intrauterine growth restriction (AOR, 4.6, 95% CI, 3.7-5.6), cerebrovascular disease (OR, 8.1, 95% CI, 2.6-25.4), preterm labor (AOR, 1.6, 95% CI, 1.4-1.9), and cesarean delivery (AOR, 2.0, 95% CI, 1.8-2.3). Women with NF1 were not significantly more likely to have deep venous thrombosis/pulmonary embolism, acute cardiac events, or stillbirth or to die during their hospitalizations compared with the general obstetric population.

CONCLUSION

NF1 was associated with increased maternal morbidity in pregnancy (including hypertensive and cerebrovascular complications) but not increased maternal mortality. Obstetricians should be aware of the potential for increased antenatal and peripartum complications among women with NF1.

Therapeutics for childhood neurofibromatosis type 1 and type 2

OPINION STATEMENT

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and type 2 (NF2) are genetically and medically distinct neurocutaneous disorders that are both associated with tumors affecting the central and peripheral nervous systems. NF1 has a frequency of 1 in 3,000, compared with 1 in 30,000 for NF2. Careful surveillance is important for both conditions, to allow early identification and treatment of complications. The most common and important problems in NF1 are cognitive impairment, optic pathway gliomas, plexiform neurofibromas, and orthopaedic issues. Early intervention and tailored educational programs are indicated for learning difficulties. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder may be amenable to treatment with stimulant medication. A clinical trial is under way to evaluate lovastatin in the treatment of cognitive problems in children with NF1. Chemotherapy with vincristine and carboplatin is the current standard of care for symptomatic optic pathway gliomas, but new agents with improved efficacy are needed. Plexiform neurofibromas may be treated with surgery, but often recur. To date, no medical therapy has proven effective in limiting plexiform neurofibroma growth, but several candidate medications are under consideration in clinical trials. Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors may arise in preexisting plexiform neurofibromas, so changes in tumor growth or an increase in pain or focal neurologic deficit should prompt further investigation and early treatment with wide surgical resection, with or without adjuvant chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Specialist surgical intervention may be needed for scoliosis and tibial pseudoarthrosis. In NF2, surgical treatment remains a cornerstone of management for symptomatic progressive vestibular schwannomas, meningiomas, and spinal tumors. Vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors show promise for the treatment of vestibular schwannomas, with the aim of delaying surgery, and other targeted molecular therapies are becoming available as investigational options. Hearing aids and brainstem and cochlear implants have a role in optimizing functional hearing in some patients. Specialist ophthalmology input should be arranged to monitor for ophthalmologic complications. A coordinated effort is needed to enroll NF1 and NF2 patients in international multicenter clinical trials of promising new pharmacologic agents. Genetic testing is useful for prenatal diagnosis and may be important in understanding individual responses to novel medical therapies in the future. Effective transition to adult services is important, considering the likelihood of further complications in the adult years.