A case of cerebral ganglioneuronal tumor in the parietal lobe of an adult

Brain Tumor Pathol. 2008;25(1):45-9. doi: 10.1007/s10014-008-0229-5. Epub 2008 Apr 16.

Abstract

Central nervous system (CNS) neuroblastoma/ganglioneuroblastoma is one of the embryonal tumors with neuronal differentiation found in young adults, but it is most common in children, especially in those below the age of 5 years, whereas extraventricular neurocytoma, a rare neuroepithelial tumor with neuronal differentiation, mostly affects young adults. Here we present a rare case of cerebral ganglioneuronal tumor that occurred in a 32-year-old woman. The patient suffered from tonic convulsion, and computed tomography demonstrated a well-demarcated, round tumor 3.3 cm in size with marked calcification in the right parietal lobe. Histological analysis revealed diffuse infiltration of small, round cells with scattered large ganglion-like cells. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells did not react with any neuronal molecules, except for chromogranin A in ganglion-like large tumor cells, but electron microscopy demonstrated the presence of synapse-like nerve terminal structures without mature postsynaptic density, suggesting the presence of neoplastic tumor components with neuronal differentiation; thus, this tumor was diagnosed as CNS ganglioneuroblastoma with possible low-grade malignancy because the Mib-1 labeling index was less than 3%-4%. Here we discuss the histological entity of cerebral ganglioneuronal tumors, including extraventricular neurocytoma.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Brain Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Brain Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Female
  • Ganglioneuroblastoma / metabolism
  • Ganglioneuroblastoma / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Parietal Lobe / metabolism
  • Parietal Lobe / pathology*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed