WHO’s arrived in 2016! An updated weather forecast for integrated brain tumor diagnosis
(Source: Brain Tumor Pathology)
Source: Brain Tumor Pathology - June 12, 2016 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
Clinicopathological differences between variants of the NAB2 – STAT6 fusion gene in solitary fibrous tumors of the meninges and extra-central nervous system
Abstract
Investigations on the NAB2–STAT6 fusion gene in solitary fibrous tumors (SFTs) and hemangiopericytomas (HPCs) have increased since its discovery in 2013. Although several SFTs reported without NAB2–STAT6 fusion gene analysis, we reviewed 546 SFTs/HPCs with NAB2–STAT6 fusion gene analysis in this study and investigated differences between the gene variants. In total, 452 cases tested positive for the NAB2–STAT6 fusion gene, with more than 40 variants being detected. The most frequent of these were NAB2 exon 6-STAT6 exon 16/17/18 and NAB2 exon 4-STAT6 exon 2/3, with the former occurring mos...
Source: Brain Tumor Pathology - June 5, 2016 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
Genetic mutations in high grade gliomas of the adult spinal cord
(Source: Brain Tumor Pathology)
Source: Brain Tumor Pathology - May 27, 2016 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
Lipomatous ependymoma: response to query on T1-weighted image
(Source: Brain Tumor Pathology)
Source: Brain Tumor Pathology - May 6, 2016 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
Preface
(Source: Brain Tumor Pathology)
Source: Brain Tumor Pathology - March 22, 2016 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
Adhesion molecules and the extracellular matrix as drug targets for glioma
Abstract
The formation of tumor vasculature and cell invasion along white matter tracts have pivotal roles in the development and progression of glioma. A better understanding of the mechanisms of angiogenesis and invasion in glioma will aid the development of novel therapeutic strategies. The processes of angiogenesis and invasion cause the production of an array of adhesion molecules and extracellular matrix (ECM) components. This review focuses on the role of adhesion molecules and the ECM in malignant glioma. The results of clinical trials using drugs targeted against adhesion molecules and the ECM fo...
Source: Brain Tumor Pathology - March 17, 2016 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
MicroRNA and extracellular vesicles in glioblastoma: small but powerful
Abstract
To promote the tumor growth, angiogenesis, metabolism, and invasion, glioblastoma (GBM) cells subvert the surrounding microenvironment by influencing the endogenous activity of other brain cells including endothelial cells, macrophages, astrocytes, and microglia. Large number of studies indicates that the intra-cellular communication between the different cell types of the GBM microenvironment occurs through the functional transfer of oncogenic components such as proteins, non-coding RNAs, DNA and lipids via the release and uptake of extracellular vesicles (EVs). Unlike the communication through ...
Source: Brain Tumor Pathology - March 11, 2016 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
Immunohistochemistry on IDH 1/2, ATRX, p53 and Ki-67 substitute molecular genetic testing and predict patient prognosis in grade III adult diffuse gliomas
Abstract
The molecular subgrouping of diffuse gliomas was recently found to stratify patients into prognostically distinct groups better than histological classification. Among several molecular parameters, the key molecules for the subtype diagnosis of diffuse gliomas are IDH mutation, 1p/19q co-deletion, and ATRX mutation; 1p/19q co-deletion is undetectable by immunohistochemistry, but is mutually exclusive with ATRX and p53 mutation in IDH mutant gliomas. Therefore, we applied ATRX and p53 immunohistochemistry instead of 1p/19q co-deletion analysis. The prognostic value of immunohistochemical diagnosis...
Source: Brain Tumor Pathology - March 11, 2016 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
High incidence of TERT mutation in brain tumor cell lines
Abstract
TERT promoter gene mutations are highly recurrent in malignant glioma. However, little information exists regarding their presence in experimental brain tumor models. To better characterize systems in which TERT mutation studies could be appropriately modeled experimentally, the TERT promoter was examined by conventional sequencing in primary brain tumor initiating cells (BTIC), two matched recurrent BTIC lines, a panel of established malignant glioma cell lines, and two meningioma cell lines. Telomerase gene expression was examined by quantitative PCR. We found that a...
Source: Brain Tumor Pathology - March 9, 2016 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
Activation of multiple angiogenic signaling pathways in hemangiopericytoma
Abstract
Hemangiopericytoma (HPC) is a highly vascularized mesenchymal tumor. Local recurrence and distant metastasis are common features of HPC. Considering the remarkable hyper-vasculature phenotype of HPC, we assumed that dysregulated angiogenic signaling pathways were involved in HPC. The key components of angiogenic signaling pathways including VEGF–VEGF-R2, EphrinB2-EphB4 and DLL4-Notch were examined by real-time RT-PCR, Western blotting and immunostaining in 17 surgical specimens of HPC patients and in 6 controls. A significant upregulation of VEGF and VEGF-R2 associated with elevated levels of p...
Source: Brain Tumor Pathology - March 7, 2016 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
Expression and gene doses changes of the p53-regulator PPM1D in meningiomas: a role in meningioma progression?
Abstract
The aim of our study was to clarify the expression and gene copy number levels of protein phosphatase 1D magnesium-dependent, delta isoform (PPM1D), which is thought to be a regulator of the p53 protein in meningiomas of all three different WHO grades. Genomic DNA and mRNA were extracted from frozen tissues of meningiomas (WHO grade I, 20 cases; grade II, 17 cases; grade III, 20 cases). For analysis of the mRNA expression and gene dosage level of PPM1D, semiquantitative duplex RT-PCR, real-time RT-PCR, and semiquantitative duplex PCR were performed. We also analyzed several genes which locate nea...
Source: Brain Tumor Pathology - March 4, 2016 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
Lipomatous ependymoma: report of a rare differentiation pattern with a comprehensive review of literature
We report the case of a 13-year-old girl presenting with left-sided hemiparesis, altered sensorium and episodic headache with bouts of projectile vomiting. Imaging revealed a large heterodense intraventricular mass lesion displaying focal calcification and hyperintensity on T1- and T2- weighted fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) magnetic resonance images suggesting the presence of intratumoral fat. Histologically, the tumour showed sheets of glial cells, focal perithelial rosettes and individual cells showing fat vacuoles. The morphological impression was of an ependymoma with lipomatous differentiation. Glial fib...
Source: Brain Tumor Pathology - March 4, 2016 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
Blood–brain barrier and blood–cerebrospinal fluid barrier in normal and pathological conditions
Abstract
Blood-borne substances can invade into the extracellular spaces of the brain via endothelial cells in sites without the blood–brain barrier (BBB), and can travel through the interstitial fluid (ISF) of the brain parenchyma adjacent to non-BBB sites. It has been shown that cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drains directly into the blood via the arachnoid villi and also into lymph nodes via the subarachnoid spaces of the brain, while ISF drains into the cervical lymph nodes through perivascular drainage pathways. In addition, the glymphatic pathway of fluids, characterized by para-arterial pathways, aqua...
Source: Brain Tumor Pathology - February 26, 2016 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
Report of a rare case of atypical lymphoplasmacyte-rich meningioma in the tentorium mimicking idiopathic hypertrophic pachymeningitis
Abstract
A lymphoplasmacyte-rich meningioma (LPRM) is an extremely rare variant of meningioma. Here, we report a case of atypical LPRM with increased mitosis in a 55-year-old man. Preoperative magnetic resonance imaging suggested meningioma with brain invasion in the left tentorium cerebelli. Histological examination revealed sclerotic fibrosis and dense lymphoplasmacytic infiltration; based on these findings, the differential diagnosis included LPRM and fibroinflammatory lesions of the dura, such as idiopathic hypertrophic pachymeningitis (IHP), IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD), and Rosai–Dorfman disease...
Source: Brain Tumor Pathology - February 22, 2016 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
Recurrent rhabdoid meningioma with lymph node, pulmonary and bone metastases: a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge
We report the rare case of a 31-year-old patient with rhabdoid meningioma which recurred several times despite gross total resection, radiation therapy, and gamma knife radiosurgery, and the last recurrence was associated with metastases to lungs, lymph node and bone. The patient showed no response to paclitaxel–carboplatin, or vincristine–cyclophosphamide–adriamycin chemotherapy, and succumbed to the disease. Metastases from rhabdoid meningioma prove to be a diagnostic challenge, and treatment for metastatic meningiomas is not optimized, thus necessitating documentation and interdisciplinary consensus on management ...
Source: Brain Tumor Pathology - February 13, 2016 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
