Pediatric craniopharyngioma in association with familial adenomatous polyposis

Fam Cancer. 2019 Jul;18(3):327-330. doi: 10.1007/s10689-019-00126-8.

Abstract

Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is a cancer predisposition syndrome driven by germline loss-of-function of the APC gene and phenotypically manifests with intestinal polyposis and a variety of extra-intestinal bone and soft tissue tumors. Craniopharyngioma is not a well-described FAP-associated tumor, however, six cases have been reported in adults, all demonstrating ectopic location and adamantinomatous histology. We report the first case of craniopharyngioma associated with FAP in a pediatric patient. A seven-year-old girl who presented with headache and vomiting was found on magnetic resonance imaging to have a suprasellar mass with cystic extension to the pre-pontine space. The tumor represented an adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma (aCP) with nuclear β-catenin expression. Whole exome sequencing confirmed a CTNNB1 activating point mutation and a germline APC frameshift variant. This case represents the first FAP-associated craniopharyngioma in childhood…. expanding our understanding of the molecular underpinnings driving tumorigenesis in this unique patient.

Keywords: Brain tumor; Craniopharyngioma; Familial adenomatous polyposis; Pediatric.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adenomatous Polyposis Coli / complications*
  • Adenomatous Polyposis Coli / genetics
  • Child
  • Craniopharyngioma / complications*
  • Craniopharyngioma / diagnostic imaging
  • Craniopharyngioma / genetics
  • Female
  • Genes, APC
  • Germ-Line Mutation
  • Humans
  • Phenotype
  • Pituitary Neoplasms / complications*
  • Pituitary Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Pituitary Neoplasms / genetics
  • Point Mutation
  • beta Catenin / genetics*
  • beta Catenin / metabolism

Substances

  • CTNNB1 protein, human
  • beta Catenin