Low grade astrocytoma transformating primitive neuroectodermal tumour in an adult? A case report and review of literature

• Published in: Chinese neurosurgical journal Vol. 2; no. 1; p. 1
• Main Authors: Wang, Xiaofeng, Sun, Yuqiang, Tan, Zeshi, Ji, Anlong, Sun, Xu, Li, Xinyu, Che, Ningwei, Yang, Kang, Liu, Yaoling, Luo, Xiaodong, Wang, Guanyu, Luan, Lan, Wei, Minghai, Yin, Jian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BioMed Central 18.07.2016
• Subjects: Adults; Brain cancer; Case reports; Chemotherapy; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; DNA methylation; Fibroblasts; Glioma; Growth factors; Medical prognosis; Morphology; Mutation; Pathogenesis; Patients; Pediatrics; Radiation therapy; Tumors
• ISSN: 2057-4967; 2057-4967
• DOI: 10.1186/s41016-016-0039-2

Background Supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumors (sPNET) are rarely occurred in adults. Only 39 cases have been reported in the past decade. The transformation from low grade to aggressive astrocytoma is well known. However, such convert from a low-grade astrocytoma (LGA) into a sPNET between two completely different tumors is rarer. Case Presentation This report discussed a 36-year-old male, who presented with the chief complaint of partial seizures and left limbs dysfunction and Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of whom revealed right frontal lesions which was operated to resect accompanied by the histological diagnosis of sPNET. The patient underwent operation 2.5 years ago because of seizures and was diagnosed with right frontal astrocytoma confirmed by pathology. However, radiotherapy was not preformed on him after the primary surgery. Histology now revealed high grade PNET. Conclusion It is exactly uncertain that reports revelant to transformation from low-grade astrocytoma to a new kind of tumor or neoplasm induced by radiotation have been published. This case report is accompanied by a review of 39 cases of adult sPNET in the past decade, especially discussing about the transformation of low grade glioma into sPNET.