Turner syndrome and meningioma: support for a possible increased risk of neoplasia in Turner syndrome

Abstract

Neoplasia is uncommon in Turner syndrome, although there is some evidence that brain tumors are more common in Turner syndrome patients than in the general population. We describe a woman with Turner syndrome (45,X) with a meningioma, in whom a second neoplasia, basal cell carcinomas of the scalp and nose, developed five years later in the absence of therapeutic radiation. Together with 7 cases of Turner syndrome with meningioma from a population-based survey in the United Kingdom, and 3 other isolated cases in the literature, we review this small number of patients for evidence of risk factors related to Turner syndrome, such as associated structural anomalies or prior treatment. We performed histological and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) of 22q (NF2 locus) analyses of the meningeal tumor to search for possible molecular determinants. We are not able to prove causation between these two entities, but suggest that neoplasia may be a rare associated medical problem in Turner syndrome. Additional case reports and extension of population-based studies are needed.

Keywords: Aortic dissection; Meningioma; NF2; Pseudocoarctation; Sex chromosome abnormality syndrome; Turner syndrome.