[Clinicopathologic study of subependymal giant cell astrocytoma].
OBJECTIVE
To study the clinicopathologic features of subependymal giant cell astrocytoma.


METHODS
The clinical and pathologic characteristics of 18 cases of subependymal giant cell astrocytoma were retrospectively analyzed.


RESULTS
Amongst the 18 cases studied, there was a male predominance (male-to-female ratio = 2:1). The age of patients ranged from 7 to 54 years (mean age = 18.2 years). The tumor often occurred in the lateral ventricles (16/18, 88.9%). Most patients presented with headache and vomiting (11/18, 61.1%), followed by visual disturbance (3/18, 16.7%). Eleven patients (61.1%) had clinical features of tuberous sclerosis, usually in the form of facial angiofibroma (8/18, 44.4%). Computerized tomography was performed in 10 cases, in which 7 cases were of high density and 5 cases showed contrast enhancement. MRI revealed isointense mass lesion on T1WI (7/11, 63.6%), highly intense lesion on T2WI (10/11, 90.9%) and contrast enhancement in some cases (9/11, 81.8%). Four patients had follow-up information available and all of them were alive from 1 to 5 years (mean = 3.5 years). Histologically, there were bundles of spindle cells mixed with clusters of gemistocytes and ganglion-like cells. The spindle cells showed immunoreactivity for glial fibrillary acidic protein (18/18, 100%), while the gemistocytes and ganglion-like cells expressed synaptophysin (14/18, 77.8%). Most of the cases (16/18, 88.9%) had MIB-1 index <or= 1%.


CONCLUSIONS
Subependymal giant cell astrocytoma is a benign brain tumor with distinctive histopathologic features. The tumor typically affects children and young adults. It is associated with a favorable clinical outcome, especially if completely excised.
Chen
Hong
H
Department of Neuropathology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China. cherrychen30@hotmail.com
Sun
Xin-fen
XF
Wu
Jin-song
JS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002551:Cerebral Ventricle Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016708:Synaptophysin / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014402:Tuberous Sclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult
D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D016708:Synaptophysin