Prevalence of previous extracranial malignancies in a series of 1228 patients presenting with meningioma.
OBJECTIVE
The study of patients with multiple neoplasms can yield valuable insight into the common pathogenesis of both diseases, as well as identify more subtle risk factors that might not be as readily apparent otherwise. The authors present an analysis of the prevalence of previously diagnosed extracranial malignancies at the time of meningioma diagnosis in 1228 patients evaluated at a single institution.


METHODS
All patients who underwent evaluation and/or treatment for meningioma between 1991 and 2007 at the authors' institution were identified. The intake history and physical were assessed for any history of extracranial malignancy. Using the National Cancer Institute data, the authors calculated an expected cancer prevalence for their meningioma patient population, and compared this derived value to the observed rate of these cancers in this population.


RESULTS
There were 1228 patients included in this study. A total of 50 patients (4.1%) with newly diagnosed meningioma had a history of an extracranial malignant tumor at the time of their initial meningioma diagnosis. In general, most malignancies did not differ in prevalence from their expected frequency in the population in the present study. Notable exceptions were acute leukemia (p < 0.0001), and papillary thyroid carcinoma, which had a prevalence 2.5 times that expected in this population (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The data support a growing body of evidence suggesting an epidemiological link between papillary carcinoma of the thyroid and meningioma. Although the link between these tumors is not immediately apparent, it is possible that further exploration will yield interesting insight into the pathogenesis of both diseases.
Sughrue
Michael E
ME
Brain Tumor Research Center, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143, USA.
Kane
Ari J
AJ
Shangari
Gopal
G
Parsa
Andrew T
AT
Berger
Mitchel S
MS
McDermott
Michael W
MW
D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016208:Databases, Factual; D006801:Humans; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D008579:Meningioma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology