We report a divergent ependymal tumor of the posterior fossa (ependymoblastoma/anaplastic ependymoma) observed in an 8-year-old boy. The tumor showed the histological pattern typical of an ependymoblastoma (tubular-papillary fetaloid architecture with stratification of the tumor cells) next to areas in which findings typical of an anaplastic ependymoma were detected. The immunohistochemical study confirmed our diagnostic suspicion, allowing us to establish a differential diagnosis with other entities such as medulloblastoma, medulloepithelioma, atypical rhabdoid/teratoid tumor, or metastases.
Tihan T., Chi JH, McCormick PC, et al. Pathologic and epidemiologic findings of intramedullary spinal cord tumors. Neurosurg Clin N Am. 2006;17(1):7-11.
2.
Behin A., Hoang-Xuan K., Carpentier AF, Delattre JYPrimary brain tumors in adults. Lancet. 2003 ;361(9354):323-331.
3.
Cruz-Sanchez FF, Haustein J., Rossi ML, et al. Ependymoblastoma: a histological, immunohistological, and ultrastructural study of 5 cases. Histopathology. 1998;12(1):17-27.
Agaoglu FY, Ayan I., Dizdar Y., Kebudi R., et al. Ependymal tumors in childhood. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2005;45(3):298-303.
6.
Kurt E., Zheng PP, Hop WC, et al. Identification of relevant prognostic histopathologic features in 69 intracranial ependymomas, excluding myxopapillary ependymomas and subependymomas . Cancer. 2006;106(2):388-395.
7.
Ng C., Fairhall J., Rathmalgoda C., et al. Spinal cord glioblastoma multiforme induced by radiation after treatment for Hodgkin's disease. Case report. J Neurosurg Spine. 2007;6(4):364-367.
8.
Becker LE, Cruz-Sanchez FFEpendymoblastoma. In: Kleihues P, Cavenee WK, eds. Pathology and Genetics of Tumours of the Nervous System. Lyon, France: International Agency for Research on Cancer; 2000:127-128.
9.
Cenacchi G., Giangaspero F.Emerging tumor entities and variants of CNS. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol. 2004;63(3):185-192.
10.
Brown HG, Kepner JL, Perlman EJ, Friedman HS, et al. Large cell/anaplastic medulloblastomas: a Pediatric Oncology Group Study. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol. 2000 ;59(10):857-865.
11.
Khoddami M. , Becker LEImmunohistochemistry of medulloepithelioma and neural tube. Pediatr Pathol Lab Med. 1997 ; 17(6):913-925.
12.
Burger PC, Yu IT, Tihan T., et al. Atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor of the central nervous system: a highly malignant tumor of infancy and childhood frequently mistaken for medulloblastoma: a Pediatric Oncology Group study. Am J Surg Pathol. 1998;22(9):1083-1092.
13.
Wolff JE, Sajedi M., Brant R., et al. Choroid plexus tumors. Br J Cancer. 2002;87(10):1086-1091.
14.
Barreto AS, Vassallo J., Queiroz Lde S.Papillomas and carcinomas of the choroid plexus: histological and immunohistochemical studies and comparison with normal fetal choroid plexus. Arq Neuropsiquiatr. 2004;62(3A):600-607.
15.
Shimada H., Ambros IM, Dehner LP, et al. Terminology and morphologic criteria of neuroblastic tumors: recommendations by the International Neuroblastoma Pathology Committee. Cancer. 1999;86(2):349-363.
16.
Tajima Y., Molina RP Jr, Rorke LB, et al. Neurotrophins and neuronal versus glial differentiation in medulloblastomas and other pediatric brain tumors. Acta Neuropathol (Berl) . 1998; 95(4):325-332.
