Adult and childhood primary brain tumors Flashcards
Glioblastoma multiforme (grade IV astrocytoma)
Adult
Most common 1st brain tumor
Malignant with pheomorphic tumor cells
Border central areas of necrosis and hemorrhage
Meningioma
Adult
2nd most common 1’ brain tumor
Most often occurs in convexities of hemispheres
(near surfaces of brain) and parasagittal region
Arise from arachnoid cells, are extra axial (external to brain parenchyma), and may have a dural attachement (tail)
Typically benign and resectable.
Often asymptomatic; may present with seizures or focal signs.
Spindle cells concentrically arranged in a whorled pattern: psammoma bodies (laminated calcification)
Schwannoma
Adult
3rd most common 1’ brain tumor
Schwann cell origin; often localized to CN 8 -> acoustinc schwannoma (aka acoustic neuroma).
Resectable or treated with stereotatic radiosurgery.
Usually found at cerebellopontine angle, S-100 positive.
Bilateral acoustic schwannoma found in NF2
Oligodendroglioma
Adult Relatively rare, slow growing. Most often in frontal lobes Chicken wire capillary pattern. Oligodendrocytes = fried egg cell, round nuclei with clear cytoplasm. Often calcified in oligodendroglioma
Pituitary adenoma
Adult Most commonly prolactinoma Bitemporal hemianopsia Due to pressure on optic chiasm and hyper- and hypo pituitarism are sequelae.
Pilocytic (low grade) astrocytoma
Childhood Well circumscribed, often in posterior fossa (cerebellum) May be supratentorial GFAB positive Benign good prognosis
ROSENTHAL FIBERS: eosinophilic corkscrew fibers. Cystic solid (gross)
Medulloblastoma
Childhood
Highly malignant cerebellar tumor
A form of primitive neuroectodermal tumor
Can compress 4th ventricle, causing hydrocephalus
Can send drop mets to spinal cord
Homer-Wright rosettes. (vs perivascular pseudorosette of ependydymoma)
Solid (gross), small blue cells (histology)
Radiosensitive
Ependymoma
Ependymal cell tumors most commonly found in 4th ventricle
Can cause hydrocephalus
Poor prognosis
Characteristic perivascular pseudorosettes
Rods shaped blepharoplasts (basal ciliary bodies)
Found near nucleus
Hemagioblastoma
Most often cerebellar, associated with VHL syndrome when found with retinal angiomas
Can produce EPO-> 2nd polycythemia
Foamy cells and high vascularity are characteristic
Craniopharyngioma
Benign childhood tumor, confused with pituitary adenoma
(can also cause bitemporal hemianopsia)
Most common childhood supratentorial tumor
Derived from Remnants of Rathe’s pouch
Calcification is common (tooth enamel like)