12-year-old boy with multiple brain masses

Brain Pathol. 2010 May;20(3):679-82. doi: 10.1111/j.1750-3639.2010.00381.x.

Abstract

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.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Astrocytoma / diagnosis
  • Astrocytoma / pathology*
  • Astrocytoma / therapy
  • Brain Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Brain Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Brain Neoplasms / therapy
  • Cerebellar Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Cerebellar Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Cerebellar Neoplasms / therapy
  • Child
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Medulloblastoma / diagnosis
  • Medulloblastoma / pathology*
  • Medulloblastoma / therapy
  • Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / diagnosis
  • Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / pathology*
  • Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / therapy