Metachronous occurrence of a temporal ganglioglioma and a bifrontal anaplastic ependymoma: coincidence or an explainable pathological curiosity?

Br J Neurosurg. 2011 Dec;25(6):741-3. doi: 10.3109/02688697.2011.554585. Epub 2011 Apr 18.

Abstract

In this first-of-its-kind report, we describe an unusual case of a 32-year-old man who harboured two biologically distinct metachronous brain tumours. He presented with features of raised intracranial pressure 8 years after total excision of a right temporal ganglioglioma. Imaging showed a heterogenously contrast enhancing bifrontal lesion with ventricular extension. Histopathological examination revealed an anaplastic ependymoma. While a co-incidental occurrence is a possibility, there could be possible mechanisms to explain this pathological oddity.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Brain Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Brain Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Brain Neoplasms / surgery
  • Ependymoma / diagnosis
  • Ependymoma / pathology*
  • Ependymoma / surgery
  • Frontal Lobe
  • Ganglioglioma / diagnosis
  • Ganglioglioma / pathology*
  • Ganglioglioma / surgery
  • Humans
  • Intracranial Hypertension / etiology
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Neoplasms, Second Primary / diagnosis
  • Neoplasms, Second Primary / pathology*
  • Neoplasms, Second Primary / surgery
  • Temporal Lobe
  • Young Adult