bromochloroacetic-acid and Brain-Edema

While meningiomas are known as slow-growing extracerebral neoplasms, the subgroup of secretory meningiomas with histologically benign characteristics tend to cause disproportional peritumoral edema, frequently leading to severe medical and neurological complications in postoperative management. Among 1,484 meningiomas that were resected at our institution between 1990 and 2007, 44 (3%) patients were found to have the histological diagnosis of a secretory meningioma. The clinical course, radiological appearance, and histopathological features were retrospectively analyzed to examine the specifics of these benign lesions. Meningiomas were located at the convexity (n = 14), the cranial base (18), and the sphenoid ridge (12). A severe, nearly hemispheric perifocal edema disproportional to tumor size was seen on preoperative MR imaging in 18 (41%) patients. Following surgical resection, the postoperative course was uneventful in 29 patients. In 15 patients, severe peritumoral edema continued or even increased on postoperative CT imaging. Six patients showed midline shift and clinical worsening necessitating respirator-assisted ventilation and intracranial pressure monitoring. An association between the extent of brain edema and number of periodic acid Schiff-positive pseudopsammomas was found (p < 0.02). Further, the size of the edema correlated with the number of immunohistochemically detected cells expressing carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cytokeratin (CK) (p < 0.01). Mean MIB-1 (Ki-67 antigen) proliferation index was 3.0% (range, 0%-17%) and did not correlate with edema or tumor recurrence. Secretory meningiomas are frequently associated with severe peritumoral edema. The extent of edema correlates with immunohistochemically detected expression of CEA and CK. Extended perifocal edema in meningiomas is an unusual finding and should alert the neurosurgeon that surgery may aggravate edema excessively, leading to a life-threatening postoperative situation.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Biomarkers, Tumor; Brain Edema; Carcinoembryonic Antigen; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Keratins; Ki-67 Antigen; Male; Meningeal Neoplasms; Meningioma; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; Neoplasm Staging; Prognosis; Retrospective Studies; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Secretory meningioma (SM) is a rare histologic subtype known to cause disproportional peritumoral brain edema. Although meningiomas are defined by slow growth and mostly manifest with benign clinical symptoms, SMs can cause life-threatening deterioration. The aim of this study was to characterize the potential pitfalls in treatment of SMs by illustrating their characteristic clinical features.. We analyzed 69 patients with SM who underwent surgery at our institution and compared them with a matched nonsecretory meningioma cohort. Retrospective data were analyzed for frequency of seizures as the first presenting symptom, maximum corticosteroid use, intensive care unit stay, and hospital stay. In addition, histologic and radiographic data were evaluated for the extent of peritumoral brain edema formation, tumor location, and tumor size and correlated to clinical presentation.. Seizures were observed at a significantly higher rate as the first presenting symptom leading to clinical admission in patients with SM (33.3%) compared with the matched nonsecretory meningioma cohort (13%, P = 0.008). In patients with SM, seizures were associated with increased edema formation, whereas seizures in patients with nonsecretory meningioma correlated with tumor size (P = 0.007). The clinically more complicated course in patients with SM was reflected by increased demand for corticosteroids and a prolonged intensive care unit stay (P < 0.001). SM further showed a higher recurrence rate of 35.9% compared with a cohort of 320 World Health Organization grade I meningiomas resected at our institution (P < 0.001).. Our results illustrate the complicated clinical course of this rare histologic meningioma subtype. The increased frequency of seizures may enable raised awareness of clinicians for potential complications and treatment adjustments perioperatively early at clinical admission.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Brain; Brain Edema; Cohort Studies; Female; Humans; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Keratins; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Meningeal Neoplasms; Meningioma; Middle Aged; Mucin-1; Seizures; Stage-Specific Embryonic Antigens

Secretory meningiomas constitute a relatively rare subtype of meningiomas, accounting for only 1.1% at our institution, with a 6:1 predominance of female patients. This study aimed to obtain more information about the immunohistochemical characteristics of this histological entity, and to analyse the effects of histological factors such as the presence of mast cells on the radiological evidence of surrounding tumour oedema that frequently occurred in this subtype of meningioma. Fourteen cases of secretory meningioma were examined. Relevant clinical information was obtained from the patient files. Peritumoural oedema was determined either by CT or MRI scans and graded as small, moderate and severe. In order to perform the quantitative evaluation of mast cells in secretory meningiomas in a comparison with other meningiomas, 14 non-secretory meningiomas were randomly selected and used as a control group. The immunohistochemical staining of carcinoembryonic antigen was positive within the secretory droplets and the cells surrounding them in all cases. Ki 67 (MIB 1) proliferative index mean values were 2.4%, indicating low expression in all secretory meningiomas. Moreover, from our statistical analysis, there is no clear-cut pattern of various types of cytokeratins emerging in secretory meningiomas. The secretory meningiomas were characterized by a significantly increased number of mast cells as compared with non-secretory meningiomas of different grades. As the present clinical findings and laboratory results could not confirm a correlation between mast cell density and radiological evidence of oedema, further studies of mediators are warranted.

Topics: Actins; Adult; Aged; Brain Edema; Carcinoembryonic Antigen; Cell Movement; Cell Proliferation; Female; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Incidence; Keratins; Ki-67 Antigen; Male; Mast Cells; Meningeal Neoplasms; Meningioma; Middle Aged; Mucin-1; Pericytes; Vimentin

Differentiating chronic aseptic meningitis from leptomeningeal carcinomatosis or gliomatosis can be difficult, particularly when the differentiation is based solely on routine cytologic examination. The diagnosis of cerebrospinal fluid tumor dissemination in at-risk patients requires cytologic examination of cerebrospinal fluid and radiography of the leptomeninges. Routine cytologic examination alone has proven less than desirable, in most instances providing confirmation in as little as 50% of cases in the first lumbar puncture. This percentage increases to 85% to 90% after multiple lumbar punctures. We retrospectively reviewed 2 cases of leptomeningeal dissemination (one gliomatosis, the other carcinomatosis) with initial false-negative test results. However, after further examination of the cerebrospinal fluid by selected battery of immunocytochemical stains, both cases were identified as positive for malignancy (ie, false negatives). Immunocytochemistry can be useful in distinguishing chronic aseptic meningitis from leptomeningeal carcinomatosis or gliomatosis in patients at risk or when abnormal cells are seen on routine cerebrospinal fluid cytologic examination.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Bile Duct Neoplasms; Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic; Brain Edema; Calcinosis; Cerebrospinal Fluid; Cholangiocarcinoma; Chronic Disease; Diagnosis, Differential; Fatal Outcome; Female; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Keratins; Male; Meningeal Neoplasms; Meningitis, Aseptic; Mucin-1; Neoplasms, Neuroepithelial; Retrospective Studies

Topics: Adult; Biopsy; Brain Edema; Chordoma; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Keratins; Lymphocytes; Meningeal Neoplasms; Meningioma; Notochord; Plasma Cells