title: Neurofibromatosis type 1-associated unusual pleomorphic astrocytoma displaying continual malignant progression.
abstract: Patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) often have gliomas as a complication, most of which are benign pilocytic astrocytomas which have arisen in optic pathways. In the present case, a 17-year-old girl (at death) with stigmata of NF1, initially had a bulky tumor mass in the left thalamus, developing into the lateral ventricle, at 13 years of age. Partially resected tissue samples showed pleomorphic astrocytoma with abundant xanthoma cells and degenerative structures such as Rosenthal fibers (RF) and eosinophilic granular bodies. Fine eosinophilic granules identical to RF, both immunophenotypically and ultrastructurally, were also seen. The residual tumor was subtotally resected 6 months later, and the tumor histology was essentially similar as before, accompanying the regenerative structures; this was believed to be a good prognostic indicator. However, several anaplastic features such as mitosis, necrosis and vascular proliferation appeared even in areas rich in the regenerative structures. After a 2-year, disease-free interval, multiple tumor relapse occurred in June 1997. Partially resected tumor tissues were composed of monotonous small anaplastic cells with prominent proliferative activity. Surprisingly, the tumor cells had retained eosinophilic granules within the cell bodies. Postoperative chemotherapy with procarbazine, MCNU and vincristine (PCV) suppressed the residual tumor dramatically, but the regrowing tumor finally became uncontrollable, leading to the patient's death. TP53 mutation was not detected, while p27 immunopositivity was constantly high during malignant progression, suggesting acquisition of proliferative activity to overcome p53 and p27 inhibitory functions. A review of previously published reports failed to reveal any cases of this type.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Pathology, Gunma University School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan. yokoo@med.gunma-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yokoo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kamiya
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hirato
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakazato
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kurachi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D002551:Cerebral Ventricle Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000473:pathology; D009456:Neurofibromatosis 1 / Q000473:pathology*; D009607:Nitrosourea Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational; D011344:Procarbazine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011859:Radiography; D013788:Thalamus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis; D014750:Vincristine / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D017931:DNA Primers; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D009607:Nitrosourea Compounds; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; C058992:Tagln protein, mouse; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D011344:Procarbazine; D014750:Vincristine; C020766:ranimustine