CNS5:Ganglioglioma: Difference between revisions

* This is a distinct entity in the World Health Organization (WHO) classification system within the section of Gliomas, Glioneuronal and neuronal tumours. This is a well-differentiated glioneuronal tumour with low proliferative activity, comprised of mixed neoplastic neuronal and glial cell components. It is molecularly characterized by genomic aberrations causing MAPK pathway activation (CNS WHO grade 1)<ref name=":0" />.

* Gangliogliomas are generally tumours of adolescent/young adults with a median age of 12 years at the time of diagnosis. However, the tumour has been reported in wider range of age from 0 to 70 years of age<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Lang|first=Shih-Shan|last2=Beslow|first2=Lauren A.|last3=Gabel|first3=Brandon|last4=Judkins|first4=Alex R.|last5=Fisher|first5=Michael J.|last6=Sutton|first6=Leslie N.|last7=Storm|first7=Phillip B.|last8=Heuer|first8=Gregory G.|date=2012-07|title=Surgical treatment of brain tumors in infants younger than six months of age and review of the literature|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22120270|journal=World Neurosurgery|volume=78|issue=1-2|pages=137–144|doi=10.1016/j.wneu.2011.09.012|issn=1878-8769|pmc=3292637|pmid=22120270}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite journal|last=Blumcke|first=Ingmar|last2=Spreafico|first2=Roberto|last3=Haaker|first3=Gerrit|last4=Coras|first4=Roland|last5=Kobow|first5=Katja|last6=Bien|first6=Christian G.|last7=Pfäfflin|first7=Margarete|last8=Elger|first8=Christian|last9=Widman|first9=Guido|date=2017-10-26|title=Histopathological Findings in Brain Tissue Obtained during Epilepsy Surgery|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29069555|journal=The New England Journal of Medicine|volume=377|issue=17|pages=1648–1656|doi=10.1056/NEJMoa1703784|issn=1533-4406|pmid=29069555}}</ref>. The tumour is more prevalent in male patients (59.8%) than in female patients (40.2%)<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Dudley|first=Roy W. R.|last2=Torok|first2=Michelle R.|last3=Gallegos|first3=Danielle R.|last4=Mulcahy-Levy|first4=Jean M.|last5=Hoffman|first5=Lindsey M.|last6=Liu|first6=Arthur K.|last7=Handler|first7=Michael H.|last8=Hankinson|first8=Todd C.|date=2015-03|title=Pediatric low-grade ganglioglioma: epidemiology, treatments, and outcome analysis on 348 children from the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results database|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25603107|journal=Neurosurgery|volume=76|issue=3|pages=313–319; discussion 319; quiz 319–320|doi=10.1227/NEU.0000000000000619|issn=1524-4040|pmc=4333003|pmid=25603107}}</ref>.

* The clinical features are dependent on the tumour location and size. If located in the cerebrum, the most common presentation is with focal seizures<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last=Prayson|first=R. A.|last2=Khajavi|first2=K.|last3=Comair|first3=Y. G.|date=1995-07|title=Cortical architectural abnormalities and MIB1 immunoreactivity in gangliogliomas: a study of 60 patients with intracranial tumors|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7541447|journal=Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology|volume=54|issue=4|pages=513–520|doi=10.1097/00005072-199507000-00005|issn=0022-3069|pmid=7541447}}</ref>, with up to 23.6% of surgical epilepsy specimens harbouring gangliogliomas<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Blumcke|first=Ingmar|last2=Spreafico|first2=Roberto|last3=Haaker|first3=Gerrit|last4=Coras|first4=Roland|last5=Kobow|first5=Katja|last6=Bien|first6=Christian G.|last7=Pfäfflin|first7=Margarete|last8=Elger|first8=Christian|last9=Widman|first9=Guido|date=2017-10-26|title=Histopathological Findings in Brain Tissue Obtained during Epilepsy Surgery|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29069555|journal=The New England Journal of Medicine|volume=377|issue=17|pages=1648–1656|doi=10.1056/NEJMoa1703784|issn=1533-4406|pmid=29069555}}</ref>. The mean duration of symptoms prior to diagnosis is also dependent on location. For tumours located in the cerebrum, the duration of symptoms prior to diagnosis ranges between 5 and 10 years, whereas in the brainstem and spinal cord, the mean duration of symptoms pre-diagnosis ranges between 1.25 years and 1.4 years, respectively<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite journal|last=Lang|first=F. F.|last2=Epstein|first2=F. J.|last3=Ransohoff|first3=J.|last4=Allen|first4=J. C.|last5=Wisoff|first5=J.|last6=Abbott|first6=I. R.|last7=Miller|first7=D. C.|date=1993-12|title=Central nervous system gangliogliomas. Part 2: Clinical outcome|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8246055|journal=Journal of Neurosurgery|volume=79|issue=6|pages=867–873|doi=10.3171/jns.1993.79.6.0867|issn=0022-3085|pmid=8246055}}</ref>.

* The archetypal radiological features are of a circumscribed, solid/cystic mass, although varied appearances are the norm, ranging from presentation as a small cyst to a solid mass<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal|last=Zhang|first=D.|last2=Henning|first2=T. D.|last3=Zou|first3=L.-G.|last4=Hu|first4=L.-B.|last5=Wen|first5=L.|last6=Feng|first6=X.-Y.|last7=Dai|first7=S.-H.|last8=Wang|first8=W.-X.|last9=Sun|first9=Q.-R.|date=2008-01|title=Intracranial ganglioglioma: clinicopathological and MRI findings in 16 patients|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18068794|journal=Clinical Radiology|volume=63|issue=1|pages=80–91|doi=10.1016/j.crad.2007.06.010|issn=0009-9260|pmid=18068794}}</ref>.  Patterns of contrast enhancement can also vary, including enhancement of the cystic wall to a markedly enhanced nodule<ref name=":2" />.  

* Signs and symptoms - Intracerebral ganglioglioma: Seizure; chronic temporal lobe epilepsy<ref name=":1" />; Brain stem ganglioglioma: blurry vision, loss of memory, syncope spells, cranial nerve deficits, headache, and gait instability<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Mpairamidis|first=Evriviadis|last2=Alexiou|first2=George A.|last3=Stefanaki|first3=Kalliopi|last4=Sfakianos|first4=George|last5=Prodromou|first5=Neofytos|date=2008-12|title=Brainstem ganglioglioma|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19073857|journal=Journal of Child Neurology|volume=23|issue=12|pages=1481–1483|doi=10.1177/0883073808319316|issn=1708-8283|pmid=19073857}}</ref>; Spinal cord ganglioglioma:  acute onset paraparesis<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Cruz|first=Thainá Zanon|last2=Ferreira-Pinto|first2=Pedro Henrique Costa|last3=Brito|first3=Ana Carolina Gonçalves|last4=Ururahy|first4=Leandro|last5=Sanchez|first5=Jefferson Trivino|last6=Nigri|first6=Flavio|date=2021|title=Ganglioglioma of the cervicothoracic spinal cord in a patient with neurofibromatosis type 1: A case report|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34345454|journal=Surgical Neurology International|volume=12|pages=313|doi=10.25259/SNI_192_2021|issn=2229-5097|pmc=8326088|pmid=34345454}}</ref>

* Laboratory findings - Classic imaging features: T1 iso- to hypointense solid component, T2-hyperintense solid component with varied signal within the cystic component; nodule and cyst wall show variable contrast enhancement<ref name=":2" />

* Most common location: temporal lobes (>70%)<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5">{{Cite journal|last=Wolf|first=H. K.|last2=Müller|first2=M. B.|last3=Spänle|first3=M.|last4=Zentner|first4=J.|last5=Schramm|first5=J.|last6=Wiestler|first6=O. D.|date=1994|title=Ganglioglioma: a detailed histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis of 61 cases|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7985497|journal=Acta Neuropathologica|volume=88|issue=2|pages=166–173|doi=10.1007/BF00294510|issn=0001-6322|pmid=7985497}}</ref>

* Other locations: cerebrum, brainstem, cerebellum, spinal cord, and optic nerves, lateral ventricle<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5" />  

* Ganglioglioma is a biphasic tumor composed of a neoplastic neuronal and a neoplastic glial component<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":5" />. The neoplastic neuronal component is comprised of dysmorphic ganglion cells showing cytomegaly, binucleation and perimembranous aggregation of Nissl substance. Disorganized cytoarchitecture is also observed, with clustering of neurons. The neoplastic glial component can resemble a diffuse glioma or pilocytic astrocytoma; the glial component harbors the proliferative component of the tumor, which can show infiltration on microscopy. Proliferative activity is usually low to absent. The two components can be intermingled or geographically distinct. Other pertinent histological features include Rosenthal fibres, eosinophilic granular bodies and perivascular lymphoid infiltration<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":5" />. An association with focal cortical dysplasia is a commonly reported finding<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Blümcke|first=Ingmar|last2=Thom|first2=Maria|last3=Aronica|first3=Eleonora|last4=Armstrong|first4=Dawna D.|last5=Vinters|first5=Harry V.|last6=Palmini|first6=Andre|last7=Jacques|first7=Thomas S.|last8=Avanzini|first8=Giuliano|last9=Barkovich|first9=A. James|date=2011-01|title=The clinicopathologic spectrum of focal cortical dysplasias: a consensus classification proposed by an ad hoc Task Force of the ILAE Diagnostic Methods Commission|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21219302|journal=Epilepsia|volume=52|issue=1|pages=158–174|doi=10.1111/j.1528-1167.2010.02777.x|issn=1528-1167|pmc=3058866|pmid=21219302}}</ref>.

* Positive (universal) - CD34 expressed in expressed in ramified tumor cells<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Blümcke|first=Ingmar|last2=Wiestler|first2=Otmar D.|date=2002-07|title=Gangliogliomas: an intriguing tumor entity associated with focal epilepsies|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12125736|journal=Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology|volume=61|issue=7|pages=575–584|doi=10.1093/jnen/61.7.575|issn=0022-3069|pmid=12125736}}</ref>  

* Neoplastic neuronal component – MAP2, neurofilament, synaptophysin, chromogranin A (No definitive markers for neoplastic neuronal component; Typical profile: chromogranin A+, NeuN-, synaptophysin+, neurofilament+, MAP2+ (but MAP2 - in glial component)<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Blümcke|first=Ingmar|last2=Wiestler|first2=Otmar D.|date=2002-07|title=Gangliogliomas: an intriguing tumor entity associated with focal epilepsies|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12125736|journal=Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology|volume=61|issue=7|pages=575–584|doi=10.1093/jnen/61.7.575|issn=0022-3069|pmid=12125736}}</ref>)  

* Neoplastic glial component – GFAP, OLIG2 (MAP2 -) (Ki-67 <5%<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Prayson|first=R. A.|last2=Khajavi|first2=K.|last3=Comair|first3=Y. G.|date=1995-07|title=Cortical architectural abnormalities and MIB1 immunoreactivity in gangliogliomas: a study of 60 patients with intracranial tumors|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7541447|journal=Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology|volume=54|issue=4|pages=513–520|doi=10.1097/00005072-199507000-00005|issn=0022-3069|pmid=7541447}}</ref>)  

* Positive (subset) - BRAF VE1 (+ in BRAF-mutant gangliogliomas)<ref name=":0" />  

* Negative (universal) - IDH1 R132H, ATRX (normal retained pattern of staining)<ref name=":0" />  

* Negative (subset) - BRAF VE1 (- in BRAF-wildtype gangliogliomas)<ref name=":0" />