Sudden death from diffuse leptomeningeal oligodendrogliomatosis

Cranial and Spinal Oligodendrogliomatosis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Secondary leptomeningeal gliomatosis is a condition known as a result of invasion of the subarachnoid space or the ventricular system of primary intraparenchymal glioma. In this article, we present a 7-year-old boy presented with neck and back deformity and deterioration of gait. Cranial and spinal magnetic resonance imaging revealed lesions in the supratentorial and infratentorial areas, in the brainstem downward the spinal cord. Disseminated oligodendrogliomatosis is extremely rare and our case we present is the 24^th in the literature.

Spinal Cord Diffuse Leptomeningeal Glioneuronal Tumor Presenting without Leptomeningeal Dissemination

BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE

Diffuse leptomeningeal glioneuronal tumor (DLGNT) represents a provisional entity in the 2016 World Health Organization classification of tumors; it is characterized by a widespread leptomeningeal growth and oligodendroglial-like cytology. To this day, 4 pediatric patients have been reported to present with an isolated spinal cord tumor in the absence of leptomeningeal dissemination. Gross total resection (GTR) was achieved in only 1 patient. We present the clinical and technical nuances of this unique type of tumor, as well as the second reported case of GTR in a patient with DLGNT.

CLINICAL PRESENTATION

A 4-year-old boy presented to the emergency department after an episode of flaccid paralysis of bilateral lower extremities. MRI showed an intramedullary spinal cord tumor centered at T8. The patient was taken to the operative room, where a laminectomy and tumor resection were performed; cystic and solid tumor components were identified. Pathology report was consistent with DLGNT. After achieving GTR, patient is free of recurrence after a 15-month follow-up.

CONCLUSION

No standard treatment for DLGNT has been identified. Current literature report surgery and chemotherapy with variable success rates. DLGNT presenting as an isolated intramedullary tumor is an uncommon condition which progression appears to be halted when treated promptly. Identifying solid and cystic components of this tumor is crucial for achieving GTR.

Diffuse leptomeningeal glioneuronal tumor (DLGNT) mimicking Whipple's disease: a case report and literature review

INTRODUCTION

Diffuse leptomeningeal glioneuronal tumor is a new entity under the neuronal and mixed neuronal-glial tumors in the WHO 2016 updated classification and commonly found in children and adolescents. The initial diagnosis is challenging because of its non-specific radiologic feature and negative CSF cytology analysis. A 17 years male was presented with intractable headache subsequently followed by back pain and joint pain. MRI showed enhancement of arachnoid membrane at basal cistern, bilateral sylvian fissure and cerebral cistern with slight enlargement of ventricles. There were no evidences of infection in CSF and blood samples. Based on the duodenal biopsy and prodromal symptom of joint pain, the patient was suspected of having Whipple's disease. Eleven months after the onset, a small mass lesion was observed at the anterior horn of right lateral ventricle. The histology was remarkable for anaplastic oligodendroglioma. Immunostainings revealed positivity for GFAP, Olig2, synaptophysin and negativity for IDH1 mutation, H3K27M. MIB1 labeling index was 40% and 1p19q FISH analysis showed only 1p deletion. Therefore, a final diagnosis of DLGNT was made.

CONCLUSION

DLGNT should be included as a differential diagnosis of patients with leptomeningeal-enhanced and high CSF protein level with normal white blood cell count.

Oligodendroglioma: pathology, molecular mechanisms and markers

For nearly a century, the diagnosis and grading of oligodendrogliomas and oligoastrocytomas has been based on histopathology alone. Roughly 20 years ago, the first glioma-associated molecular signature was found with complete chromosome 1p and 19q codeletion being particularly common in histologically classic oligodendrogliomas. Subsequently, this codeletion appeared to not only carry diagnostic, but also prognostic and predictive information, the latter aspect only recently resolved after carefully constructed clinical trials with very long follow-up times. More recently described biomarkers, including the non-balanced translocation leading to 1p/19q codeletion, promoter hypermethylation of the MGMT gene, mutations of the IDH1 or IDH2 gene, and mutations of FUBP1 (on 1p) or CIC (on 19q), have greatly enhanced our understanding of oligodendroglioma biology, although their diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive roles are less clear. It has therefore been suggested that complete 1p/19q codeletion be required for the diagnosis of 'canonical oligodendroglioma'. This transition to an integrated morphological and molecular diagnosis may result in the disappearance of oligoastrocytoma as an entity, but brings new challenges as well. For instance it needs to be sorted out how (histopathological) criteria for grading of 'canonical oligodendrogliomas' should be adapted, how pediatric oligodendrogliomas (known to lack codeletions) should be defined, which platforms and cut-off levels should ideally be used for demonstration of particular molecular aberrations, and how the diagnosis of oligodendroglioma should be made in centers/countries where molecular diagnostics is not available. Meanwhile, smart integration of morphological and molecular information will lead to recognition of biologically much more uniform groups within the spectrum of diffuse gliomas and thereby facilitate tailored treatments for individual patients.

Cranial and spinal oligodendrogliomatosis: a case report and review of the literature

INTRODUCTION

Oligodendrogliomatosis is a rarely reported entity in literature associated with poor prognosis in terms of length and quality of life. In this paper, we describe oligodendrogliomatosis in a 15-year-old male who initially presented with altered mental status due to diabetic ketoacidosis.

CLINICAL PRESENTATION

He was refractory to temozolomide initially but demonstrated disease regression with radiotherapy (XRT). More recently, he has had disease recurrence, which was stabilized with temozolomide therapy for a period of time.

CONCLUSION

Contrary to most reports in literature, our patient has had excellent quality of life since his initial diagnosis and continues to carry good prognosis. In addition to oligodendrogliomatosis, our patient also developed multiple intracranial cavernomas secondary to radiation therapy, which have remained stable and asymptomatic.

Disseminated oligodendroglial-like leptomeningeal tumor of childhood: a distinctive clinicopathologic entity

Rare, generally pediatric oligodendroglioma-like neoplasms with extensive leptomeningeal dissemination have been interpreted variably as glial, oligodendroglial or glioneuronal. The clinicopathologic features have not been fully characterized. We studied 36 patients, 12 females and 24 males with a median age of 5 years (range 5 months-46 years). MRI demonstrated leptomeningeal enhancement, frequently with cystic or nodular T2 hyperintense lesions within the spinal cord/brain along the subpial surface. A discrete intraparenchymal lesion, usually in the spinal cord, was found in 25 (of 31) (81 %). Tumors contained oligodendroglioma-like cells with low-mitotic activity (median 0 per 10 high power fields, range 0-4), and rare ganglion/ganglioid cells in 6 cases (17 %). Tumors were mostly low-grade, with anaplastic progression in 8 (22 %). Immunohistochemistry demonstrated strong reactivity for OLIG2 (7 of 9) (78 %), and moderate/strong S100 (11 of 12) (92 %), GFAP (12 of 31) (39 %) and synaptophysin (19 of 27) (70 %). NeuN, EMA, and mutant IDH1 (R132H) protein were negative. Median MIB1 labeling index was 1.5 % (range <1-30 %). FISH (n = 13) or SNP array (n = 2) demonstrated 1p loss/intact 19q in 8 (53 %), 1p19q co-deletion in 3 (20 %), and no 1p or 19q loss in 4 (27 %). Clinical follow-up (n = 24) generally showed periods of stability or slow progression, but a subset of tumors progressed to anaplasia and behaved more aggressively. Nine patients (38 %) died 3 months-21 years after diagnosis (median total follow-up 5 years). We report a series of a neoplasm with distinct clinicopathologic and molecular features. Although most progress slowly, a significant fraction develop aggressive features.