[Medulloblastoma with neuronal differentiation: a report of five cases].
This report presents a retrospective analysis of 5 patients who were treated for cerebellar medulloblastoma with neuronal differentiation. Four males and 1 female ranged in age from 6 months to 9 years at the time of diagnosis. Total removal of the tumor was achieved in 3 patients, and partial removal in 2. While these tumors were composed of small cells and had regions resembling desmoplastic medulloblastoma, they in part showed neuronal characteristics which included parallel row or linear array arrangements of tumor cells in an eosinophilic fibrillary matrix. Postoperatively, 3 patients received craniospinal radiation therapy, one received local radiation to the primary site, and the remaining one received only systemic chemotherapy. During the follow-up period of 3.8-25.2 years, 4 patients have been in continuous remission with mild to moderate neurological deficits, while the remaining one died 3.9 years after surgery. The clinical and anatomic pathological features of medulloblastomas with neuronal differentiation are reviewed while the therapeutic problems associated with these tumors are also discussed.
Nishio
S
S
Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
Morioka
T
T
Inamura
T
T
Takeshita
I
I
Ishihara
S
S
Fukui
M
M
D002528:Cerebellar Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008527:Medulloblastoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D011379:Prognosis