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Published in: Acta Neuropathologica 3/2005

01-09-2005 | Case Report

Pilocytic astrocytoma presenting as primary diffuse leptomeningeal gliomatosis: report of a unique case and review of the literature

Authors: Georg Bohner, Florian Masuhr, Roland Distl, Juri Katchanov, Randolf Klingebiel, Rolf Zschenderlein, Andreas von Deimling, Frank K. H. van Landeghem

Published in: Acta Neuropathologica | Issue 3/2005

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Abstract

We describe a 25-year-old male patient with primary diffuse leptomeningeal gliomatosis (PDLG) presenting with gait ataxia, positive Lhermitte’s sign, double vision, and right abducens nerve palsy. Spinal magnetic resonance imaging showed extended intradural, extramedullary, contrast-enhancing masses with compression of the myelon. Spinal leptomeningeal biopsy revealed a pilocytic astrocytoma WHO grade I. Despite chemotherapy with vincristin and carboplatin, the patient died 2 months after admission. A thorough autopsy showed no evidence for primary neoplasms in brain, spine and optic nerve. Sequence analysis of tumor protein 53 gene (TP53) revealed a missense mutation in exon 5, and expression of phosphatase and tensin homolog (mutated in multiple advanced cancers 1) (PTEN) protein was not detected, which may have contributed to astrocytoma development. To our knowledge, this is the first definitive case of pilocytic astrocytoma presenting as PDLG.
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Metadata
Title
Pilocytic astrocytoma presenting as primary diffuse leptomeningeal gliomatosis: report of a unique case and review of the literature
Authors
Georg Bohner
Florian Masuhr
Roland Distl
Juri Katchanov
Randolf Klingebiel
Rolf Zschenderlein
Andreas von Deimling
Frank K. H. van Landeghem
Publication date
01-09-2005
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Acta Neuropathologica / Issue 3/2005
Print ISSN: 0001-6322
Electronic ISSN: 1432-0533
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00401-005-1051-3

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