Intramedullary papillary ependymoma with choroid plexus differentiation and cerebrospinal fluid dissemination to the brain

J Neurosurg Pediatr. 2010 May;5(5):511-7. doi: 10.3171/2009.12.PEDS09130.

Abstract

This 8-year-old girl presented with a papillary ependymoma in the thoracic spinal cord. Resection was followed by recurrence at the primary site and later in the lumbosacral thecal sac, followed by cerebrospinal fluid dissemination to the brain approximately 5 years after her initial presentation. The tumor showed cytological and immunohistochemical features overlapping those of classic ependymomas and choroid plexus tumors similar to those seen in uncommon supratentorial papillary ependymomas, also known as papillary tumors of the pineal region. The histopathological and clinical courses of this rare spinal papillary ependymoma exhibiting mixed ependymal and choroid plexus-like differentiation are discussed.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers, Tumor / analysis
  • Brain / pathology
  • Brain / surgery
  • Brain Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Brain Neoplasms / radiotherapy
  • Brain Neoplasms / surgery
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / pathology*
  • Cerebrospinal Fluid*
  • Choroid Plexus / pathology*
  • Choroid Plexus / surgery
  • Choroid Plexus Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Choroid Plexus Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Choroid Plexus Neoplasms / surgery
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Cranial Irradiation
  • Ependymoma / pathology*
  • Ependymoma / radiotherapy
  • Ependymoma / surgery
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lumbar Vertebrae
  • Microscopy, Electron
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / pathology*
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / radiotherapy
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / surgery
  • Neoplasm, Residual / pathology
  • Neoplasm, Residual / radiotherapy
  • Neoplasm, Residual / surgery
  • Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / pathology*
  • Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / radiotherapy
  • Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / surgery
  • Radiosurgery
  • Radiotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Reoperation
  • Sacrum
  • Spinal Cord / pathology
  • Spinal Cord / surgery
  • Spinal Cord Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Spinal Cord Neoplasms / radiotherapy
  • Spinal Cord Neoplasms / surgery
  • Thoracic Vertebrae

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor