Humans ; Hemangioblastoma/complications* ; Von Hippel-Lindau Tumor Suppressor Protein

In order to analyze clinical presentations and surgical outcome, we studied eleven cases of cerebellar hemangioblastomas from among a series of 421 intracranial tumors treated over a period of seven years. The proportion of male patients was 2.7 times that of females and the age peak appeared between 30 and 50 years(mean age: 37.7 years old). The common clinical presentations were headache(73%), dizziness(55%), unilateral cerebellar dysfunction(45%), and nausea or vomiting(36%). In our series there were two cases of cranial nerve palsy associated with von Hippel-Lindau(VHL) disease. Polycythemia that normalized postoperatively appeared in two of eleven cases. Radiologic studies showed nine cystic tumors, six in the cerebellar hemisphere and three in the cerebellar vermis, and three solid tumors extended into the brain stem. After aspiration of the cyst, careful removal of the mural nodule gave good results in more than 70% of patients. Because the tumor extended into the brain stem, however, three solid lesions were resected subtotally. Postoperative complications developed in four patients, and in three of these, the lesion extended into the brain stem. In conclusion, major clinical features were due to increased intracranial pressure, and varying expression of cerebellar and cranial nerve deficits was characteristic. To determine the resectability of lesions and to minimize surgical morbidity, extremely careful clinical and neuroradiological observation is essential.
Brain Stem ; Cerebellum ; Cranial Nerve Diseases ; Cranial Nerves ; Female ; Headache ; Hemangioblastoma* ; Humans ; Intracranial Pressure ; Male ; Nausea ; Polycythemia ; Postoperative Complications

We describe herein a malignant glioma arising at the site of the resected hemangioblastoma after irradiation in a patient with von Hippel-Lindau disease (VHL). The patient was a 25 year-old male with multiple hemangioblastomas at the cerebellum and spinal cord, multiple pancreatic cysts and a renal cell carcinoma; he was diagnosed as having VHL disease. The largest hemangioblastoma at the right cerebellar hemisphere was completely removed, and he received high-dose irradiation postoperatively. The tumor recurred at the same site 7 years later, which was a malignant glioma with no evidence of hemangioblastoma. The malignant glioma showed molecular genetic profiles of radiation-induced tumors because of its diffuse p53 immunostaining and the loss of p16 immunoreactivity. The genetic study to find the loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of VHL gene revealed that only the cerebellar hemangioblastoma showed allelic losses for the gene. To the best of our knowledge, this report is the first to show a malignant glioma that developed in a patient with VHL disease after radiation therapy at the site of an excised hemangioblastoma. This report also suggests that radiation therapy should be performed very carefully in VHL patients with hemangioblastomas.
Adult ; Cerebellar Neoplasms/complications/*surgery ; Glioma/*diagnosis/*etiology ; Hemangioblastoma/complications/*surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Radiotherapy/*adverse effects ; von Hippel-Lindau Disease/complications/*radiotherapy

PURPOSE: Standard treatment of asymptomatic spinal cord hemangioblastoma in von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease has yet to be established. The purpose of this study was to propose guidelines for the treatment of asymptomatic spinal cord hemangioblastomas in VHL disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: VHL disease patients treated for spinal cord hemangioblastomas between 1999 and 2009 were included. All spinal cord hemangioblastomas were divided into three groups: Group 1, asymptomatic tumors at initial diagnosis followed with serial imaging studies; Group 2, asymptomatic tumors at initial diagnosis that were subsequently resected; and Group 3, symptomatic tumors at initial diagnosis, all of which were resected. RESULTS: We identified 24 spinal cord hemangioblastomas in 12 patients. Groups 1, 2 and 3 comprised 13, 4 and 7 tumors, respectively. Group 1 exhibited a smaller tumor volume (257.1 mm3) and syrinx size (0.8 vertebral columns) than those of Group 2 (1304.5 mm3, 3.3 vertebral columns) and Group 3 (1787.4 mm3, 6.1 vertebral columns). No difference in tumor volume or syrinx size was observed between Groups 2 and 3. Five tumors in Group 1 were resected during follow-up because symptoms had developed or the tumor had significantly grown. Finally, among 17 asymptomatic tumors at the initial diagnosis, nine tumors were resected. Only one tumor of these nine tumors resulted in neurological deficits, while five of seven symptomatic tumors caused neurological deficits. CONCLUSION: Selective resection of asymptomatic tumors before they cause neurological deficits might bring about better outcomes.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Hemangioblastoma/etiology/*pathology/*surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; von Hippel-Lindau Disease/*complications

Objective To analyze the clinical features of Von-Hippel-Lindau(VHL)syndrome and explore the diagnostic value of abdominal ultrasound for this disease.Methods The clinical features including age at first diagnosis,symptoms,signs,affected organs,number of operations,and diagnostic examinations of 35 patients with VHL syndrome admitted to our center from January 1994 to December 2017 were retrospectively analyzed.The diagnostic value of abdominal ultrasound for VHL syndrome was analyzed.Results Pheochromocytoma(=14)and nervous system hemangioblastoma(=13)were the common firstly-identified tumors.Nervous system hemangioblastoma(=21),pheochromocytoma(=19),renal carcinoma(=17),and pancreatic mass(=15)were common tumors.The main surgical reasons were nervous system hemangioblastoma(=22),pheochromocytoma(=23)and renal carcinoma(=13).Abdominal organ involvements were found in 33 patients,which were first detected by abdominal ultrasound in 20 patients and were found accidently during routine health checkups in 6 patients.The ultrasound results were accurate in 27 of 33 adrenal gland scans,13 of 16 pancreas scans,and 8 of 19 kidney scans.Conclusions When multiple tumors are detected in the kidney,adrenal gland,and pancreas by ultrasound,the possibility of VHL syndrome should be considered.When the clinical findings suggest the possibility of VHL syndrome,ultrasound can discover and diagnose the abdominal tumors and can also be used for the long-term follow-up of the tumors.Therefore,ultrasound is an important method in the screening and follow-up of patients with VHL syndrome.
Abdomen ; diagnostic imaging ; Adrenal Gland Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; Hemangioblastoma ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Pheochromocytoma ; diagnostic imaging ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography ; von Hippel-Lindau Disease ; complications ; diagnostic imaging