Unique Intracerebral Tumor with Divergent Differentiation in a Patient Presenting as NF2: Report of a Case with Features of Astrocytoma, Ependymoma, and PNET

Abstract

Patients with neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2) are predisposed to a variety of neoplastic and dysplastic lesions, including schwannomas, neurofibromas, meningiomas, astrocytomas, and ependymomas, as well as entities such as meningioangiomatosis, schwannosis, and hamartomas. This study reports a unique intracerebral frontotemporal tumor in a 6-year-old boy with presumed NF2, on the basis of bilateral cerebellopontine tumors consistent with acoustic neuromas. The intracerebral tumor revealed a variety of histological patterns, including foci of primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET), low-grade astrocytoma and ependymoma, as well as neuroepithelial rests with immature ganglion cells and hamartomatous areas. The MIB-1 labeling index ranged from 63% in the foci of PNET to 4–7% in other foci. The PNET component revealed immunopositivity for synaptophysin and neurofilament and showed cells with delicate intercellular junctions, profiles of rough endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, and dense core granules, and cell processes with microtubules and neurofilaments. The glial and ependymal components showed bundles of glial filaments and prominent cell junctions, cilia, and microvilli. The hamartomatous component also included aggregates of cells with hyaline eosinophilic cytoplasm. By EM these cells contained abundant amorphous flocculent material. This constellation of pathologic findings, especially the finding of PNET, is unique and not previously reported in the setting of NF2.

Key Words:

• brain neoplasm
• hamartoma
• neurofibromatosis 2
• pathology
• primitive neuroectodermal tumor
• ultrastructure