Recent advance in molecular angiogenesis in glioblastoma: the challenge and hope for anti-angiogenic therapy
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most highly malignant brain tumor in the human central nerve system. In this paper, we review new and significant molecular findings on angiogenesis and possible resistance mechanisms. Expression of a number of genes and regulators has been shown to be upregulated in GBM microvessel cells, such as interleukin-8, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, Tax-interacting protein-1, hypoxia induced factor-1 and anterior gradient protein 2. The regulator factors that may strongly promote angiogenesis by promoting endothelial cell metastasis, changing the microenvir...
Source: Brain Tumor Pathology - October 5, 2015 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
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(Source: Brain Tumor Pathology)
Source: Brain Tumor Pathology - October 5, 2015 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
Malignant transformation of diffuse astrocytoma to glioblastoma associated with newly developed BRAF V600E mutation
Abstract
A 29-year-old man presented with scintillation scotoma. MR imaging demonstrated a diffuse lesion in right parahippocampal gyrus. He underwent a biopsy, and the diagnosis was diffuse astrocytoma. Because of enlargement and new areas of gadolinium enhancement, the tumor was resected 18 months after biopsy. Histological examination revealed malignant transformation to glioblastoma with small areas of epithelioid component. He received radiation and temozolomide chemotherapy. Local recurrence was found 20 months after first resection. He underwent second resection, and the diagnosis was glioblastom...
Source: Brain Tumor Pathology - September 24, 2015 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
hTERT promoter methylation in pituitary adenomas
Abstract
Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) expression is a hallmark in tumorigenesis and upregulated due to mutations and methylation of the human (h)TERT promoter. As mutations are rare but methylation is common in pituitary adenomas (PA), we determined promoter methylation and its clinical impact in 85 primary and 15 recurrent PA by methylation-specific PCR. 40 females (47 %) and 45 males (53 %) with a median age of 53 years harboring micro-, macro-, and giant adenomas in 12, 82, and 6 % were included (prolactinomas, corticotroph, somatotroph, gonadotroph, thyreotroph, plurihormonal, and null ...
Source: Brain Tumor Pathology - September 21, 2015 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
Primary peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified, of the central nervous system in a child
Abstract
Primary peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified (PTCL-NOS), is a rare disease that infrequently involves the central nervous system (CNS), and it is even rarer in pediatric patients. Here, we report of a 13-year-old male with primary CNS PTCL-NOS who exhibited a malignant clinical course with recurrence after radiochemotherapy followed by bone marrow transplantation; he died 43 months after diagnosis. Pathology revealed the proliferation of cytotoxic T-cells and clonal T-cell receptor gene rearrangements. Although the optimal therapy for PTCL remains controversial, intensive radioche...
Source: Brain Tumor Pathology - September 3, 2015 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
Coexpression of cyclin D1 and alpha-internexin in oligodendroglial tumors
In this study, we investigated the expression status in 83 gliomas immunohistochemically, and found that cyclin D1-positive cells were commonly detected in gliomas. There was no correlation between the cyclin D1 and Ki-67 labeling indices, suggesting an unrecognized role of cyclin D1 other than a cell cycle regulator in gliomas. Cyclin D1/INA double-positive cells were consistently observed in oligodendroglial tumors regardless of histological grade. In 2 cases of oligodendroglioma with neuronal differentiation, the tumor cells of neuronal morphology showed higher expression of INA, suggesting INA expression may be associa...
Source: Brain Tumor Pathology - August 2, 2015 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
Evaluation of extracellular matrix protein CCN1 as a prognostic factor for glioblastoma
In this study, we investigated the relationships among CCN1, O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase expression, the tumor removal rate, and prognosis in 46 glioblastoma patients treated at the Okayama University Hospital. CCN1 expression was high in 31 (67 %) of these patients. The median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) times of patients with high CCN1 expression was significantly shorter than those of patients with low CCN1 expression (p < 0.005). In a multivariate Cox analysis, CCN1 proved to be an independent prognostic factor for patient survival [PFS, hazard ratio (HR) = 3.53 (1.55–...
Source: Brain Tumor Pathology - July 22, 2015 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
Diffuse large B cell lymphoma of the cranial vault: two case reports
Abstract
Malignant lymphoma of the cranial vault is a rare entity and the tumor growth patterns are not well understood. Here we report two cases of malignant lymphoma involving the scalp and epidural space with slight changes in the intervening skull. A 63-year-old woman presented with a scalp mass in her right frontal area. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging demonstrated mass lesions in the scalp and epidural space with slight osteolytic changes in the intervening skull. She underwent resection of the lesions. A 53-year-old man presented with a mass in his right frontal area. C...
Source: Brain Tumor Pathology - July 16, 2015 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
Rosette-forming glioneuronal tumor originating in the hypothalamus
Abstract
Rosette-forming glioneuronal tumors (RGNT) of the fourth ventricle are slow-growing tumors that primarily involve the fourth ventricular region. We here report the first patient, an 8-year-old girl, with an RGNT originating in the hypothalamus and manifesting with precocious puberty. After partial removal, the remaining tumor showed rapid enlargement, and the pathologic diagnosis at the second surgery revealed histopathologic features similar to those found in the initial samples, including biphasic patterns of neurocytic rosettes and GFAP-stained astrocytic components. These tumor cells had mild...
Source: Brain Tumor Pathology - July 9, 2015 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
Applicable advances in the molecular pathology of glioblastoma
Abstract
Comprising more than 80 % of malignant brain tumors, glioma has proven to be a daunting cause of mortality in a vast majority of the human population. Progressive and extensive research on malignant glioma has substantially enhanced our understanding of glioma cell biology and molecular pathology. Subtypes of glioma such as astrocytoma and oligodendroglioma are currently grouped together into one pathological class, where they show many differences in histology and molecular etiology. This indicates that it may be beneficial to consider a new and radical subclassification. Thus, we summarize rec...
Source: Brain Tumor Pathology - June 16, 2015 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
IgG4-related disease initially presented as an orbital mass lesion mimicking optic nerve sheath meningioma
We report a case of an optic nerve mass lesion associated with IgG4-related disease. A 39-year-old man presented with right blurred vision and proptosis 8 years before admission. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a mass lesion in the center of the right orbit, which was diagnosed as optic nerve sheath meningioma by neuroradiologists and neurosurgeons. Irradiation was selected for treatment of the lesion on the basis of the radiological diagnosis; subsequently, the lesion gradually reduced in size. However, regrowth of an optic nerve mass lesion observed during the previous 2 years caused remarkable exophthalmos, and remo...
Source: Brain Tumor Pathology - June 3, 2015 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
Evaluation of IDH1 status in diffusely infiltrating gliomas by immunohistochemistry using anti-mutant and wild type IDH1 antibodies
Abstract
Glioma cells with the isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) 1 G395A mutation are strongly immunopositive for mIDH1R132H, an antibody against mutant IDH1R132H (clone H09). However, we encountered some gliomas which were ambiguously positive for mIDH1R132H despite having the IDH1 G395A mutation. The aim of this study was to establish an evaluation procedure of IDH1 status by immunohistochemistry. Forty-three diffusely infiltrating gliomas were studied, and four of eight anaplastic oligoastrocytomas with the IDH1 G395A mutation were modestly or weakly positive for both the mIDH1R132H and an antibody agains...
Source: Brain Tumor Pathology - May 26, 2015 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
Involvement of epimutations in meningioma
Abstract
Epimutations are heritable and reversible cell markers, which can influence cell function going beyond the effects of DNA mutations. They result from multiple and coordinated mechanisms able to modulate gene expression. Regarding the significance of epigenetics in meningioma, few and somehow contradictory results are available, although promising information has been obtained. Here we highlight the most recent advances about the impact of DNA methylation, histone modifications, and microRNA regulation on meningioma development as well as the interplay between genetic and epigenetic alterations. D...
Source: Brain Tumor Pathology - May 1, 2015 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
TTF-1-positive oncocytic sellar tumor with follicle formation/ependymal differentiation: non-adenomatous tumor capable of two different interpretations as a pituicytoma or a spindle cell oncocytoma
We describe herein the unique case of a 70-year-old male with a TTF-1-positive non-adenomatous sellar tumor that has unusual morphological and immunohistochemical features. MRI examination detected a 2-cm sellar mass that was enhanced heterogeneously. By histology, the tumor was composed of epithelioid and oncocytic cells arranged in a trabecular pattern with occasional luminal structures. The lesion was diffusely immunopositive for thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1) and vimentin but negative for S100 protein and GFAP. Immunoreactivity for epithelial membrane antigen, low molecular weight cytokeratin (CAM 5.2), and neu...
Source: Brain Tumor Pathology - April 18, 2015 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
NAB2–STAT6 fusion gene analysis in two cases of meningeal solitary fibrous tumor/hemangiopericytoma with late distant metastases
We present two cases of meningeal solitary fibrous tumor (SFT)/hemangiopericytoma (HPC) with immunohistochemistry of STAT6 and analysis of NAB2–STAT6 fusion genes. Case 1 was a 37-year-old male with a left middle fossa tumor; case 2 was a 68-year-old female with a cerebellar tumor. They showed late metastasis to the lung or bone 8 or 13 years, respectively, after the first surgery. Histology of both primary and metastatic tumors showed a cellular hemangiopericytomatous pattern with nuclear atypia. The primary tumors showed nuclear staining of STAT6, but both metastatic tumors showed nuclear and cytoplasmic STAT6. DNA se...
Source: Brain Tumor Pathology - April 17, 2015 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
