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Oper Neurosurg (Hagerstown) 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department of Neurosurgery, Yeditepe University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.

Intramedullary tumors of the spinal cord are rare and account for 2% to 8.5% of all central nervous system tumors. In adults, ependymomas are the most common intramedullary tumors. Read More

J Clin Neurosci 2018 Oct 24. Epub 2018 Oct 24.

Pathology, SGPGIMS, India.

Cortical ependymomas (CE) are rare subset of supratentorial ependymoma which are located in the peripheral cortical rim without any connection to the ventricular lining. With limited cases previously reported, current knowledge on diagnosis and management of tumors is lacking. We present the largest single center experience on CE reported so far and highlight their clinico-radiological aspects, histopathological features as well the results of their surgical excision. Read More

Genet Med 2018 Dec 7. Epub 2018 Dec 7.

Department of Genomic Medicine, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre (MAHSC), Division of Evolution and Genomic Science, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.

Purpose: We have evaluated deficiencies in existing diagnostic criteria for neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2).

Methods: Two large databases of individuals fulfilling NF2 criteria (n = 1361) and those tested for NF2 variants with criteria short of diagnosis (n = 1416) were interrogated. We assessed the proportions meeting each diagnostic criterion with constitutional or mosaic NF2 variants and the positive predictive value (PPV) with regard to definite diagnosis. Read More

Childs Nerv Syst 2018 Dec 4. Epub 2018 Dec 4.

Department of Radiotherapy, The Maria Sklodowska-Curie Institute - Oncology Center, Gliwice Branch, Ul. Wybrzeże AK 15, 44-101, Gliwice, Poland.

Purpose: To assess the results and tolerance of radiosurgery/hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy performed after craniospinal irradiation for recurrent tumor.

Methods: Fourteen patients aged 3-46 years, diagnosed with medulloblastoma (10), anaplastic ependymoma (3), and primitive neuroectodermal tumor (1). All patients had craniospinal irradiation (CSI) with the total dose of 30. Read More

Acta Neuropathol Commun 2018 Dec 4;6(1):134. Epub 2018 Dec 4.

Division of Brain Tumor Translational Research, National Cancer Center Research Institute, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan.

Extensive molecular analyses of ependymal tumors have revealed that supratentorial and posterior fossa ependymomas have distinct molecular profiles and are likely to be different diseases. The presence of C11orf95-RELA fusion genes in a subset of supratentorial ependymomas (ST-EPN) indicated the existence of molecular subgroups. However, the pathogenesis of RELA fusion-negative ependymomas remains elusive. Read More

Oper Neurosurg (Hagerstown) 2018 Nov 28. Epub 2018 Nov 28.

Department of Neurosciences, Neurosurgery Unit, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Modena, Modena, Italy.

Background: During surgery in the posterior fossa in the prone position, blood can sometimes fill the surgical field, due both to the less efficient venous drainage compared to the sitting position and the horizontally positioned surgical field itself. In some cases, blood clots can wedge into the cerebral aqueduct and the third ventricle, and potentially cause acute hydrocephalus during the postoperative course.

Objective: To illustrate a technique that can be used in these cases: the use of a flexible scope introduced through the opened roof of the fourth ventricle with a freehand technique allows the navigation of the fourth ventricle, the cerebral aqueduct, and the third ventricle in order to explore the cerebrospinal fluid pathways and eventually aspirate blood clots and surgical debris. Read More

Surg Neurol Int 2018 23;9:211. Epub 2018 Oct 23.

Department of Anesthesiology, Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Background: Ependymomas represent 50-60% of all brain and central nervous system tumors. Previous lumbar spine surgery for resection of an ependymoma should not be considered a relative contraindication for the administration of epidural/subarachnoid anesthesia to patients in labor.

Case Description: A 34-year-old G1P0, who underwent resection of an L1-L3 intramedullary ependymoma 8 years previously, presented in active labor with residual left leg numbness and tingling. Read More

J Neurosurg Spine 2018 Oct 1:1-7. Epub 2018 Oct 1.

OBJECTIVEThe intraoperative differentiation of ependymomas from astrocytomas is important because neurosurgical strategies differ between these two tumor groups. Previous studies have reported that the diagnostic accuracy of intraoperative frozen sections of intracranial central nervous system (CNS) tumors is higher than 83%-97%, whereas that for spinal intramedullary tumors remains unknown. Herein, authors tested the hypothesis that intraoperative frozen-section diagnosis is the gold standard for a differential diagnosis of intramedullary spinal cord tumors. Read More

Cancer Immunol Immunother 2018 Nov 27. Epub 2018 Nov 27.

Department of Pathology, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea.

Ependymomas are biologically and clinically heterogeneous tumors of the central nervous system that have variable clinical outcomes. The status of the tumor immune microenvironment in ependymoma remains unclear. Immune cell subsets and programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression were measured in 178 classical ependymoma cases by immunohistochemistry using monoclonal antibodies that recognized tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte subsets (TILs; CD3, CD4, CD8, FOXP3, and CD20), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs; CD68, CD163, AIF1), indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO)+ cells and PD-L1-expressing tumor cells. Read More

J Neurol Surg B Skull Base 2018 Dec 25;79(Suppl 5):S426-S427. Epub 2018 Sep 25.

Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison, Wisconsin, United States.

Infratentorial ependymomas that arise in the fourth ventricle and extend into the cerebellopontine angle (CPA) through the foramina of Luschka are well described. However, a primary CPA location of an ependymoma is distinctly uncommon. In this video, we present a 46-year-old man with episodes of dizziness, left-sided tinnitus, imbalance, double vision, and nausea. Read More

Oncotarget 2018 Oct 26;9(84):35480-35492. Epub 2018 Oct 26.

Department of Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi-110029, India.

Recent molecular subgrouping of ependymomas (EPN) by DNA methylation profiling has identified ST-EPN- and PF-EPN-A subgroups to be associated with poor outcome. Snail/Slug are cardinal epithelial-to-mesenchymal transcription factors (EMT-TFs) and are overexpressed in several CNS tumors, including EPNs. A systematic analysis of gene-sets/modules co-expressed with and genes using published expression microarray dataset (GSE27279)identified 634 genes for with enriched TGF-β, PPAR and PI3K signaling pathways, and 757 genes for with enriched focal adhesion, ECM-receptor interaction and regulation of actin cytoskeleton related pathways. Read More

J Neurooncol 2018 Nov 20. Epub 2018 Nov 20.

Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Program, The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Center, Division of Neurosurgery, Hospital for Sick children, Toronto, ON, Canada.

Background: DNA methylation inhibitors are logical therapeutic candidates for ependymomas originating in the posterior fossa of the brain. Our objective was to test the safety of infusing 5-Azacytidine (5-AZA), a DNA methylation inhibitor, directly into cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) spaces of the fourth ventricle or tumor resection cavity in children with recurrent ependymoma originating in the posterior fossa.

Materials And Methods: In patients with recurrent ependymoma whose disease originated in the posterior fossa, a maximal safe subtotal tumor resection was performed. Read More

Neuro Oncol 2018 Nov 19. Epub 2018 Nov 19.

Radiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada.

Background: The goal of this study was to evaluate outcomes in children with relapsed, molecularly-characterized intracranial ependymoma treated with or without craniospinal irradiation (CSI) as part of a course of repeat radiation therapy (re-RT).

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of 31 children. Patients with distant relapse received CSI as part of re-RT. Read More

Med J Armed Forces India 2018 Oct 5;74(4):407-409. Epub 2017 Oct 5.

Classified Specialist (ENT), Command Hospital (Central Command), Lucknow, India.

Neurofibromatosis is a neurocutaneous, tumor predisposing, inheritable disorder characterized by tumors of the brain and spine and the presence of skin lesions. The most important tumors associated with neurofibromatosis are vestibular nerve schwannomas, with others being meningiomas and ependymomas. The cord is also affected by tumors, ependymoma being the commonest, besides meningiomas and schwannomas. Read More

World Neurosurg 2018 Nov 15. Epub 2018 Nov 15.

Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.

Object: Current standard of care for children with infratentorial ependymoma includes maximal safe resection and local radiation of 54-59gy. High-dose local radiation has been associated with declines in multiple cognitive domains. The anatomic and physiologic correlates of this cognitive decline remain undefined and there have been no radiographic studies on the long-term effects of this treatment paradigm. Read More

BMJ 2018 Nov 16;363:k4844. Epub 2018 Nov 16.

University of Kent, Chatham Maritime, Kent, UK.

Future Oncol 2018 Nov 12. Epub 2018 Nov 12.

Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.

Advances in genomic, transcriptomic and epigenomic profiling now identifies pediatric ependymoma as a defined biological entity. Molecular interrogation has segregated these tumors into distinct biological subtypes based on anatomical location, age and clinical outcome, which now defines the need to tailor therapy even for histologically similar tumors. These findings now provide reasons for a paradigm shift in therapy, which should profile future clinical trials focused on targeted therapeutic strategies and risk-based treatment. Read More

Brain Pathol 2018 Nov 12. Epub 2018 Nov 12.

Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, CA.

Myxopapillary ependymomas (MPE) are considered benign (WHO grade I) neoplasms with favorable prognosis. However, malignant behavior occurs in a small subset. To our knowledge, only five anaplastic MPEs have been reported without consensus on diagnostic criteria. Read More

Spinal Cord Ser Cases 2018 6;4:99. Epub 2018 Nov 6.

3Department of Radiology, Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences, Delhi, India.

Introduction: Schwannomas at an intramedullary location constitute only 0.3% of primary spinal tumors. Those in the conus are extremely rare, especially in the absence of neurofibromatosis, with only 12 cases reported in the literature so far, excluding the present case. Read More

Zh Vopr Neirokhir Im N N Burdenko 2018 ;82(5):104-110

Burdenko Neurosurgical Institute, Moscow, Russia.

Treatment of primary malignant neuroepithelial tumors of the posterior cranial fossa (PCF) in childhood includes surgical resection, radiation therapy (RT), and chemotherapy (CT). The radicalness of surgery is one of the most important prognostic factors of survival. Despite the significant advances in treatment, many of these tumors recur. Read More

J Clin Neurosci 2018 Nov 5. Epub 2018 Nov 5.

Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine/Neuropathology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address:

The diagnosis and management of ependymoma may be challenging when there is a comorbidity of ependymoma and Parkinson's disease (PD). We report the first case to demonstrate unusual clinical and pathological features of an ependymoma associated with PD. A 77-year-old male with a history of PD had brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that showed signal abnormalities in the right temporal lobe, most consistent with a low-grade glioma. Read More

Cureus 2018 Jul 18;10(7):e3000. Epub 2018 Jul 18.

Department of Pathology, Osceola Regional Medical Center, Orlando, USA.

Medulloblastoma is the most common type of aggressive pediatric primary brain malignancy. This case describes a 45-year-old Hispanic male with no significant past medical history who presented to the emergency department (ED) complaining of 15 days of 10/10 intractable headaches with one day of lightheadedness, confusion, and loss of balance. An urgent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain revealed a 4. Read More

Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol) 2018 Oct 29. Epub 2018 Oct 29.

Radiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada; Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.

Despite best available therapy, many children with cancer develop recurrence after multimodal treatment, including initial radiation therapy. Re-irradiation is defined as the use of a second course of radiation therapy with a retreatment volume that overlaps substantially with that of a previously delivered course of radiation therapy. Re-irradiation is an important part of salvage treatment for patients with recurrent ependymoma, diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, medulloblastoma and germinoma. Read More

World Neurosurg 2018 Oct 24. Epub 2018 Oct 24.

Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Canada. Electronic address:

Background: and importance: The occurrence of isolated fourth ventricle and an injury to the Guillain-Mollaret triangle in the setting of posterior fossa ependymoma represents a new association. In this study, we discuss the clinical, theoretical, and therapeutic aspects of this problem.

Clinical Data: A 45-year-old woman underwent subtotal resection of a fourth ventricle ependymoma (WHO grade III), followed by radiation therapy to control the residual tumour. Read More

Asian Spine J 2018 Oct 24. Epub 2018 Oct 24.

Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Complex of Badajoz, Badajoz, Spain.

Study Design: A retrospective study.

Purpose: We report our experience with 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA)-assisted resection of spinal cord ependymomas in adults.

Overview Of Literature: Ependymoma is the most frequent primary spinal cord tumor in adults. Read More

Brain Pathol 2018 Oct 16. Epub 2018 Oct 16.

Department of Neuropathology, Sainte-Anne Hospital, Paris, France.

Ependymoma with RELA fusion has been defined as a novel entity of the revised World Health Organization 2016 classification of tumors of the central nervous system (CNS), characterized by fusion transcripts of the RELA gene and consequent pathological activation of the NFkB pathway. These tumors represent the majority of supratentorial ependymomas in children. The validation of diagnostic tools to identify this clinically relevant ependymoma entity is essential. Read More

World Neurosurg 2018 Oct 12. Epub 2018 Oct 12.

Craniospinal Surgery Center , Ankara, Turkey.

Spinal cord ependymomas are the most frequent primary intramedullary tumours of the cord in middle age (40-60 years of age). Myixopapillary ependymomas are low incidence tumours and occur in the cauda equina and conus medullaris. They are typically described as fleshly, sausage-shaped, vascular lesions. Read More

Front Pharmacol 2018 27;9:00950. Epub 2018 Sep 27.

Department of Pediatric Oncology, La Timone Children's Hospital, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Marseille, Marseille, France.

Metronomic chemotherapy (MC) is defined as the frequent administration of chemotherapy at doses below the maximal tolerated dose and with no prolonged drug-free break. MC has shown its efficacy in adult tumor types such as breast and ovarian cancer and has to some extent been studied in pediatrics. To assess the anti-tumor activity and toxicity of a four-drug metronomic regimen in relapsing/refractory pediatric brain tumors (BT) with progression-free survival (PFS) after two cycles as primary endpoint. Read More

Br J Neurosurg 2018 Oct 13:1-2. Epub 2018 Oct 13.

a Department of Neurosurgery , Queen's Medical Centre , Nottingham , UK.

We report a case of isolated myxopapillary ependymoma (MPE) of the fourth ventricle. This is the thirteenth reported case of primary intracranial MPE and the fourth reported case of MPE originating from the fourth ventricle. We suggest that exhaustive clinical and radiological investigation of a spinal ependymoma must be undertaken in all cases of intracranial ependymoma. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2018 Oct;97(41):e12586

Department of Pathology, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University.

Introduction: This study aims to investigate the pathological features of a patient with paraganglioma in the lumbar spinal canal.

Case Presentation: The patient was 36 years old male with electrical pain in the waist and buttock which occurred intermittently, and was not relieved under oral use of analgesics. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to diagnose the disease. Read More

Oper Neurosurg (Hagerstown) 2018 Oct 5. Epub 2018 Oct 5.

Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of medicine and public health, Madison, Wisconsin.

Infratentorial ependymomas usually arise in the fourth ventricle and extend into the cerebellopontine angle (CPA) through the foramina of Luschka is well described. A primary CPA location of an ependymoma is distinctly uncommon. In this 3-dimensional video, we present a 38-yr-old woman with a 1-mo history of vertigo and slow left sided gaze drift. Read More

Surg Neurol Int 2018 20;9:191. Epub 2018 Sep 20.

House Clinic, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Background: Myxopapillary ependymoma (MPE) with anaplastic features is extremely rare, with only three case reports in the literature.

Case Description: We report the case of a MPE with anaplastic features in a 24-year-old female who presented with a dominant lumbar mass along with intracranial and sacral metastases. Upon gross total resection of the dominant tumor located at L2-L3, it appeared to arise from the filum terminale, and had a solid component in addition to soft or necrotic areas. Read More

J Korean Med Sci 2018 Oct 7;33(41):e260. Epub 2018 Sep 7.

Department of Pediatrics, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Background: By estimating the survival rates and exploring prognostic factors in pediatric patients with relapsed or progressed solid tumors, our purpose was to generate background data for future studies.

Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 258 patients with solid tumors who experienced relapse/progression and received subsequent salvage treatment between 1996 and 2016.

Results: A total of 60 patients remained progression-free during first-line salvage treatment, while the remaining 198 patients experienced relapse/progression again; 149 underwent second-line salvage treatment. Read More

Med Sci Monit 2018 Oct 5;24:7072-7089. Epub 2018 Oct 5.

Department of Neurosurgery, Bezmialem Vakif University, Istanbul, Turkey.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to assess the clinical and radiological outcomes of surgical treatment for primary spinal ependymoma in children. MATERIAL AND METHODS Medical records of 46 primary spinal ependymoma patients who underwent surgery in BRSHH hospital during a 12-year period from 2004 to 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. All pediatric patients (patient age <18 years) were selected as the core sample used for this study. Read More

Surg Neurol Int 2018 10;9:186. Epub 2018 Sep 10.

International Center for Neurosurgery, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China.

Background: In this video abstract, we present an unedited microsurgical resection of a fourth ventricular ependymoma performed by a senior author (JH). Currently, the goal of a standard treatment of a fourth ventricular ependymoma is based on microsurgical resection followed by radiochemotherapy. Our aim is to demonstrate the efficiency and safety of our microsurgical technique in deep brain territories under the principle "simple, clean, and preserving the normal anatomy. Read More

Anticancer Res 2018 Oct;38(10):5831-5835

St George's University of London, London, U.K.

Background/aim: Cannabinoids are widely used in the management of pain, nausea and cachexia in cancer patients. However, there has been no objective clinical evidence of any anticancer activity yet. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of pharmaceutical-grade synthetic cannabidiol on a range of cancer patients. Read More

Cancer 2018 Nov 26;124(21):4168-4180. Epub 2018 Sep 26.

Division of Neuro-Oncology, Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee.

Despite significant improvements in pediatric brain tumor therapy and outcome, too many children still die of disease, and too many survivors experience significant sequelae as a result of conventional therapies. The molecular characterization of pediatric brain tumors has afforded tremendous insight into the basic biology and clinical management of these deadly childhood diseases. Genomic, epigenomic, and transcriptional profiling have facilitated the identification of significant heterogeneity among previously uniform disease entities. Read More

J Mol Neurosci 2018 Nov 25;66(3):307-313. Epub 2018 Sep 25.

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, King Hussein Cancer Center, Amman, Jordan.

The current management of ependymoma is wrought with limitations. Molecular classification is a promising development. MicroRNA (miRNA) deregulation is associated with human cancer and may be a means of molecular classification. Read More

Exp Clin Transplant 2018 Sep 25. Epub 2018 Sep 25.

From the Department of Neurosurgery, Baskent University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.

Ependymomas are the most common intramedullary spinal tumors in adults and constitute around 20% of all spinal tumors in adults. There are 3 subgroups of ependymomas according to World Health Organization classification: subependymoma or myxopapillary (grade 1), ependymoma (grade 2), and anaplastic (grade 3). Therapy for patients is aimed at safe and total surgical removal and, in selected cases, postoperative radiotherapy. Read More

Int J Surg Pathol 2018 Sep 25:1066896918800812. Epub 2018 Sep 25.

1 National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India.

Supratentorial ependymomas (ST EPNs) are molecularly characterized, of which the RELA fusion positive tumors are the most common and aggressive subgroup. Moreover, histologically, anaplastic ST EPN (ST-AE) often mimic other central nervous system primary high-grade tumors resulting in a diagnostic dilemma. We aimed to study a cohort of ST-AE; evaluate the expression of two RELA fusion-associated markers-L1CAM and p65 (NF-κB); and correlate their expression with clinical and histological parameters. Read More

Head Neck Pathol 2018 Sep 24. Epub 2018 Sep 24.

Department of Neurosurgery, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India.

Null cell adenoma is composed of adenohypophyseal cells that show no evidence of any specific cell type differentiation by immunohistochemistry or transcription factors like pituitary-specific positive transcription factor 1 and steroidogenic factor 1. Though rare, pituitary ependymoma and germinoma are also known to occur at sellar region and in such instances, it is challenging to differentiate them from a pituitary null cell adenoma featuring papillary architecture and perivascular pseudo-rosettes. We describe a case of an elderly diabetic lady presenting with headache and blurring of vision for past 3 months due to a sellar tumour. Read More

Brain Pathol 2018 Sep 23. Epub 2018 Sep 23.

Institute of Neuropathology, University of Bonn Medical Center, Bonn, Germany.

Ependymoma with YAP1-MAMLD1 fusion is a rare, recently described supratentorial neoplasm of childhood, with few cases published so far. We report on 15 pediatric patients with ependymomas carrying YAP1-MAMLD1 fusions, with their characteristic histopathology, immunophenotype and molecular/cytogenetic, radiological and clinical features. The YAP1-MAMLD1 fusion was documented by RT-PCR/Sanger sequencing, and tumor genomes were studied by molecular inversion probe (MIP) analysis. Read More

Neuroradiol J 2018 Dec 19;31(6):554-564. Epub 2018 Sep 19.

1 Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, USA.

Purpose: We applied voxelwise apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) histogram analysis in addition to structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and patients' age for differentiation of intraaxial posterior fossa tumors involving the fourth ventricle.

Participants And Methods: Pretreatment MRIs of 74 patients with intraaxial brain neoplasm involving the fourth ventricle, from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2015, were reviewed. The tumor solid components were segmented and voxelwise ADC histogram variables were determined. Read More

Eur Spine J 2018 Sep 12. Epub 2018 Sep 12.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65, Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 466-8560, Japan.

Purpose: To report a case series of surgically proven spinal ependymomas of WHO grade II in which there were changes in the preoperative MRI characteristics over time.

Methods: A total of 71 patients with spinal cord ependymoma of WHO grade II underwent surgery. There were ten cases in which surgery was performed at an average of 2. Read More

J Neurooncol 2018 Dec 10;140(3):649-657. Epub 2018 Sep 10.

Department of Radiation Oncology, Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.

Purpose: This study evaluated the outcomes of radiotherapy (RT) for spinal ependymoma with adverse features, such as incomplete resection or disseminated disease.

Methods: Twenty-five patients underwent RT for spinal cord ependymoma during 1991-2016. Twenty-four patients had gross disease on the pre-RT spinal magnetic resonance images. Read More

Strahlenther Onkol 2018 Sep 10. Epub 2018 Sep 10.

Department of Radiation Oncology, Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, 03722, Seoul, Korea (Republic of).

Purpose: Spinal cord gliomas are rare, and there is no consensus on the optimal radiotherapy (RT) regimen. Herein, we investigated therapeutic outcomes in spinal cord gliomas to obtain clues for the optimal RT regimen.

Methods: We assessed 45 patients who received RT for primary spinal cord non-ependymoma gliomas between 2005 and 2017: 37 (82%) received postoperative RT, 6 (13%) underwent definitive RT without surgery, and 2 (5%) received salvage RT for recurrent tumors. Read More

World Neurosurg 2018 Dec 6;120:125-128. Epub 2018 Sep 6.

Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago, Tottori, Japan.

Background: Li-Fraumeni syndrome is a genetic disease that is caused by mutation of the tumor suppressor gene TP53. Patients with this syndrome may develop multiple malignant neoplasms including brain tumors. We herein report the first case of Li-Fraumeni syndrome in which development of supratentorial anaplastic ependymoma led to difficulty in terms of selecting the optimal postoperative therapeutic protocol. Read More

Pediatr Dev Pathol 2018 Sep 3:1093526618798771. Epub 2018 Sep 3.

3 Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.

Chromosome 12p gains are typically present in postpubertal male patients with testicular malignant germ cell tumors, including most teratomas, and absent in pure ovarian teratomas, both mature and immature. We sought to evaluate the clinicopathologic features and chromosome 12p status of pediatric patients with sacrococcygeal teratomas (SCTs) using the institutional databases of 2 tertiary medical centers. Seven mature teratomas (3 pure, 2 with yolk sac tumor, 1 with medulloepithelioma, and 1 with ependymoma) and 3 immature teratomas (2 pure: grade 2 and grade 3 and 1 mixed: grade 3 with yolk sac tumor) were identified. Read More

Pediatr Rev 2018 Sep;39(9):468-469

Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA.

Clin Cancer Res 2018 Aug 31. Epub 2018 Aug 31.

Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health and Sciences University, Portland, Oregon.

Gliomas, a genetically heterogeneous group of primary central nervous system tumors, continue to pose a significant clinical challenge. Discovery of chromosomal rearrangements involving kinase genes has enabled precision therapy, and improved outcomes in several malignancies. Positing that similar benefit could be accomplished for patients with brain cancer, we evaluated The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) glioblastoma dataset. Read More