Schwannomas account for about 8% of intracranial tumors and 90% are vestibular schwannomas. Oculomotor schwannoma without neurofibromatosis is extremely rare. A 41-year-old female presented with complaints of blurred vision, and the neurologic examination revealed afferent pupillary defect and decreased visual acuity of the left side. Brain magnetic resonance image showed an extra axial mass in the left superior orbital fissure. The patient underwent major surgery via the fronto-temporal approach. The tumor originated from the oculomotor nerve and was subtotally removed under microscopic surgery. The pathological findings confirmed the tumor as a schwannoma. After surgery, ptosis and medial gaze limitation of the left eye was detected, but the symptoms improved gradually.
Adult ; Brain ; Female ; Humans ; Neurilemmoma* ; Neurofibromatosis 1 ; Neurologic Examination ; Neuroma, Acoustic ; Oculomotor Nerve* ; Orbit ; Pupil Disorders ; Visual Acuity

Dermoid cysts are rare congenital tumors that occur primarily at the midline at a characteristic intradural location. However, dermoid cysts located at extradural and lateral regions have been rarely reported until now. In the present study, the authors demonstrate the unusual instance of an intracranial extradural dermoid cyst at the lateral sphenoid ridge. A 53-year-old woman admitted because of progressive headache and dizziness. The patient had no neurologic deficits, and magnetic resonance imaging with no contrast enhancement revealed a mass at the right sphenoid ridge. The mass was accompanied with sphenoid bone erosion visible on computed tomography. The patient underwent right pterional craniotomy, and the tumor including the capsule was totally resected. Presence of a dermoid cyst was confirmed with histopathological examination. The patient had no complications during the postoperative period. This study suggests that dermoid cyst should be considered for differential diagnosis of extradural and lateral intracranial masses.
Craniotomy ; Dermoid Cyst* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Dizziness ; Female ; Headache ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Postoperative Period ; Sphenoid Bone

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is an autosomal dominantly inherited familial tumor syndrome. Benign tumors such as pilocytic astrocytoma, optic glioma make up the majority of intracranial neoplasms in patients with NF1. There have only been a handful of cases in which adult glioblastoma presented with NF1. A 32-year-old male presented with headache and radiological studies showing a high grade intra-axial tumor. The patient underwent gross total surgical excision and the pathology revealed glioblastoma. After the surgery, he received concomitant chemo-radiotherapy with temozolomide and adjuvant temozolomide chemotherapy. We report a NF1 patient who developed glioblastoma and reviewed related articles.
Adult ; Astrocytoma ; Brain Neoplasms ; Drug Therapy ; Glioblastoma* ; Hand ; Headache ; Humans ; Male ; Neurofibromatosis 1* ; Optic Nerve Glioma ; Pathology

BACKGROUND: The authors analyzed whether the promoter hypermethylation of cancer-related genes was involved in the tumorigenesis of malignant gliomas. METHODS: A total of 29 patients received surgery and histologically confirmed to have malignant gliomas from January 2000 to December 2006. The promoter methylation status of several genes, which were reported to be frequently methylated in malignant gliomas, was investigated using methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: All cases of malignant gliomas represented the promoter hypermethylation in at least 2 or more genes tested. Of 29 tumors, 28 (96.55%) showed concurrent hypermethylation of 3 or more genes. Ras association domain family member 1, epithelial cadherin, O-6 methyl guanine DNA methyltransferase, thrombospondin 1, p14 and adenomatous polyposis coli were frequently methylated in high grade gliomas including glioblastomas, anaplastic astrocytomas, and anaplastic oligodendrogliomas. CONCLUSION: Aberrant hypermethylation profile was closely related with malignant gliomas suggesting that epigenetic change may play a role in the development of malignant gliomas. Two or three target genes may provide useful clues to the development of the useful prognostic as well as diagnostic assays for malignant gliomas.
Adenomatous Polyposis Coli ; Astrocytoma ; Brain Neoplasms ; Carcinogenesis ; CpG Islands* ; DNA ; Epigenomics ; Glioblastoma ; Glioma* ; Guanine ; Humans ; Methylation ; Oligodendroglioma ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Thrombospondin 1

BACKGROUND: To investigate the molecular basis for invasion of malignant gliomas, proteomic analysis approach was carried out using two human glioma cell lines, U87MG and U343MG-A that demonstrate different motility and invasiveness in in vitro experiments. METHODS: High-resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser-desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis were performed. RESULTS: Nine distinct protein spots that were recognized with significant alteration between the two cell lines. Five of these protein spots were up-regulated in U87MG and four were up-regulated in U343MG-A. CONCLUSION: Among these proteins, cathepsin D was shown to be one of the important proteins which are related with glioma invasion. However, further studies are necessary to reveal the exact role and mechanism of cathepsin D in glioma invasion.
Cathepsin D ; Cell Line* ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional ; Glioma* ; Humans ; Mass Spectrometry ; Proteomics

Gliomas are the most frequently occurring primary brain tumors in adults. Although they exist in different malignant stages, including histologically benign forms and highly aggressive states, most gliomas are clinically challenging for neuro-oncologists because of their infiltrative growth patterns and inherent relapse tendency with increased malignancy. Once this disease reaches the glioblastoma multiforme stage, the prognosis of patients is dismal: median survival time is 15 months. Extensive genetic analyses of glial tumors have revealed a variety of deregulated genetic pathways involved in DNA repair, apoptosis, cell migration/adhesion, and cell cycle. Recently, it has become evident that epigenetic alterations may also be an important factor for glioma genesis. Of epigenetic marks, histone modification is a key mark that regulates gene expression and thus modulates a wide range of cellular processes. In this review, I discuss the neuro-oncological significance of altered histone modifications and modifiers in glioma patients while briefly overviewing the biological roles of histone modifications.
Acetylation ; Adult ; Apoptosis ; Brain Neoplasms ; Cell Cycle ; DNA Repair ; Epigenomics ; Gene Expression ; Glioblastoma ; Glioma* ; Histones* ; Humans ; Methylation ; Prognosis ; Recurrence

More than 98% of eukaryotic transcriptomes are composed of non-coding RNAs with no functional protein-coding capacity. Those transcripts also include tens of thousands of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) which are emerging as key elements of cellular homeostasis, essentially tumorigenesis steps. However, we are only beginning to understand the nature and extent of the involvement of lncRNAs on tumorigeneis. Here, we highlight recent progresses that have identified a myriad of molecular functions on tumorigenesis for several lncRNAs including metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1), prostate cancer associated non-coding RNA 1 (PRNCR1), prostate cancer gene expression marker 1 (PCGEM1), H19, and homeobox transcript antisense intergenic RNA (HOTAIR), and several new lncRNAs for glioma development. Potential therapeutic approaches for the lncRNAs in various human diseases are also discussed.
Adenocarcinoma ; Carcinogenesis* ; Gene Expression ; Genes, Homeobox ; Glioma* ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Lung ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; RNA ; RNA, Long Noncoding* ; RNA, Untranslated ; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation

Teratomas of the central nervous system are rare and are frequently found in children and young adults. Cystic teratomas found in infancy is a well-recognized but infrequent entity. Intracranial teratomas,like teratomas in general, tend to arise from midline structures such as the pineal gland, but has rarely been found in the third ventricle. We report a rare case of a 6-month-old infant with a mature cystic teratoma of the third ventricle with a review of literatures
Central Nervous System ; Child ; Humans ; Infant ; Pineal Gland ; Teratoma* ; Third Ventricle* ; Young Adult

We present a case of a subdural osteoma. A 29-year-old female presented with a 3-year history of headaches. Computed tomography scan revealed a homogeneous high-density lesion isolated from the inner table of the frontal bone (a lucent dural line) in the right frontal convexity. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed an extra-axial lesion with a broad base without dural tail sign and punctate enhancement pattern characteristic of abundant adipose tissue. Upon surgical excision, we found a hard bony mass clearly demarcated from the dura. The mass displayed characteristics of an osteoma upon histological examination. The symptom was relieved after operation.
Adipose Tissue ; Adult ; Brain Neoplasms ; Female ; Frontal Bone ; Headache ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Meningioma ; Osteoma* ; Tail

Teratomas of the central nervous system are rare and are frequently found in children and young adults. Cystic teratomas found in infancy is a well-recognized but infrequent entity. Intracranial teratomas,like teratomas in general, tend to arise from midline structures such as the pineal gland, but has rarely been found in the third ventricle. We report a rare case of a 6-month-old infant with a mature cystic teratoma of the third ventricle with a review of literatures
Central Nervous System ; Child ; Humans ; Infant ; Pineal Gland ; Teratoma* ; Third Ventricle* ; Young Adult