Open Access12‐YEAR‐OLD BOY WITH MULTIPLE BRAIN MASSES
Author(s) -
Massimi Luca,
Caldarelli Massimo,
D'Alessandris Quintino Giorgio,
Rollo Massimo,
Lauriola Libero,
Giangaspero Felice,
Rocco Concezio Di
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
brain pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.986
H-Index - 132
eISSN - 1750-3639
pISSN - 1015-6305
DOI - 10.1111/j.1750-3639.2010.00381.x
Subject(s) - medulloblastoma , pilocytic astrocytoma , medicine , astrocytoma , pathology , histology , brain tumor , adjuvant therapy , radiology , cancer , glioma , cancer research
The occurrence of more than one brain tumor in a single patient is not new, resulting from RT- or CT-induced neoplasms, syndromes or casual association. We report on the exceptional case of a 12-year-old boy harboring three different brain tumors with no definite correlation. The first MRI showed a medulloblastoma with signs of infratentorial and supratentorial tumor spreading, including a small frontal mass. Despite the good response to surgical and adjuvant treatment, the frontal mass remained unchanged and was excised, revealing a lipoastrocytoma. Finally, the possible local recurrence of the original medulloblastoma was a pilocytic astrocytoma with post-radiation alterations. Explanations of this very unusual association include radio-induced tumors, second tumors developing from remnants of medulloblastoma cancer stem cells, or the changing histology after adjuvant therapy.