[Brain tumors in patients with intractable epilepsy: a clinicopathologic study of 35 cases].
OBJECTIVE
To study the clinicopathologic features of brain tumors occurring in patients with medically intractable epilepsy.


METHODS
The clinical, radiologic and pathologic features of brain tumors occurring in 35 patients with intractable epilepsy encountered during the period from January, 2005 to April, 2008 in Xuanwu Hospital were retrospectively reviewed.


RESULTS
The mean age of seizure onset and duration of disease were 14.3-year-old and 8.6 years, respectively. Abnormal signals were observed in 94.3% of cases (33/35) by magnetic resonance imaging. The histologic types of brain tumors included ganglioglioma (13/35, WHO grade I and 6/35, WHO grade II), dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor (3/35, WHO grade I), pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (3/35, WHO grade II), diffuse astrocytoma (1/35, WHO grade II), oligoastrocytoma (1/35, WHO grade II), angiocentric glioma (1/35, WHO grade I) and meningioangiomatosis (1/35). The 6 remaining cases showed features seen in between glioneuronal hamartoma and mixed neuronal-glial tumor. Most of these tumors were located in the temporal lobe (27/35) and associated with focal cortical dysplasia. Immunohistochemical study showed a remarkable expression of CD34 in gangliogliomas.


CONCLUSIONS
Brain tumors in patients with medically intractable epilepsy are almost always benign and located in the temporal lobe. Most of them represent mixed neuronal-glial tumors and some show transitional features in-between glioneuronal hamartoma and mixed neuronal-glial neoplasm. The similar morphologic pattern and biological behavior of glioneuronal hamartoma and mixed neuronal-glial tumor may suggest a common pathogenetic mechanism.
Sun
Fu-hai
FH
Department of Pathology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, China.
Piao
Yue-shan
YS
Wang
Wei
W
Chen
Li
L
Wei
Li-feng
LF
Yang
Hong
H
Lu
De-hong
DH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000378:metabolism; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D018303:Ganglioglioma / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005910:Glioma / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006222:Hamartoma / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009837:Oligodendroglioma / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult
D018952:Antigens, CD34