Polymorphous low-grade neuroepithelial tumor of the young (PLNTY), one of the pediatric-type diffuse lowgrade gliomas, is characterized by a diffuse infiltrating pattern of oligodendroglioma-like tumor cells showing CD34 positivity and harbors mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) alteration, such as vRAF murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1 (BRAF) p.V600E or fibroblast growth factor fusion genetically. It occurs mainly in pediatric and adolescents with seizures due to the dominant location of the temporal lobe. However, there have been a few cases of PLNTY in adult patients, suggesting the wide range of this tumor spectrum. Here, we describe two cases of PLNTY, one in a 14-year-old female and the other in a 66-year-old female. The pediatric tumor showed typical clinical course and histopathology with BRAF p.V600E mutation, whereas the elderly tumor was unusual because of non-epileptic onset clinically and ependymal differentiation histopathologically harboring KIAA1549-BRAF fusion. There might be unusual but possible PLNTY, as in our elderly case. We also compared typical pediatric and unusual elderly tumors by reviewing the literature.
The definite diagnosis of central nervous system vasculitis requires pathological verification by biopsy or surgical resection of the lesion, which may not always be feasible. A 74‐year‐old woman with a history of allergic rhinitis, but not asthma, presented with slowly progressive left hemiparesis. Magnetic resonance imaging of the head revealed a heterogeneously enhancing mass involving the right internal capsule and corona radiata. Histological examination of the resected specimen revealed eosinophil‐rich non‐granulomatous small vessel vasculitis with no neutrophil infiltration or foci of microbial infection. Epstein–Barr virus in situ hybridization was negative, and polymerase chain reaction tests for both T‐cell receptor gamma and immunoglobulin heavy‐chain variable region genes did not show rearrangements, excluding the possibility of lymphoma and lymphoproliferative disorders. Blood hypereosinophilia and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate were observed; however, anti‐neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies were not detected. A biopsy of the erythema in the hips and thighs revealed perivasculitis with eosinophilic infiltration within the dermis. Chest computed tomography revealed multiple small nodules in the lungs. Her symptoms, aside from hemiparesis, disappeared after corticosteroid administration. The clinicopathological features were similar to eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis but did not meet its current classification criteria and definition. This patient is the first reported case of idiopathic eosinophilic vasculitis or idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome‐associated vasculitis affecting the small vessels in the brain. Further clinicopathological studies enrolling similar cases are necessary to establish the disease concept and unravel the underlying pathogenesis.
Pediatric neoplastic diseases account for about 10% of cases of fever of unknown origin (FUO), and most neoplastic disease cases are leukemia, lymphoma, and neuroblastoma. Brain tumors are rarely reported as the cause of FUO, although craniopharyngioma, metastatic brain tumor, and Castleman's disease have been reported. We report a case of intracranial mesenchymal tumor (IMT) with a FET:CREB fusion gene, which had inflammatory phenotype without neurological signs. A 10‐year‐old girl was admitted with a 2‐month history of intermittent fever and headache, whereas her past history as well as her family history lacked special events. Sepsis work‐up showed no pathological organism, and empirical antibiotic therapy was not effective. Bone marrow examination showed a negative result. Cerebrospinal fluid examination showed elevated protein as well as cell counts, and head magnaetic resonance imaging showed a hypervascular mass lesion with contrast enhancement in the left cerebellar hemisphere. The patient underwent tumor excision, which made the intermittent fever disappear. Pathological examinations resembled those of classic angiomatoid fibrous histiocytoma (AFH), but the morphological features were distinct from the AFH myxoid variant; then we performed break‐apart fluorescence in situ hybridization and confirmed the tumor harbored the rare EWSR1::CREM fusion gene (Ewing sarcoma breakpoint region 1 gene (EWSR1) and cAMP response element binding (CREB) family gene). Consequently, we diagnosed the condition as IMT with EWSR1::CREM fusion. Elevated serum concentration of interleukin 6 (IL‐6) was normalized after tumor resection, which suggested the fever could be caused by tumor‐derived IL‐6. This is the first case of IMT with EWSR1::CREM fusion that showed paraneoplastic symptoms associated with the IL‐6/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling pathway. Although brain tumors are rarely diagnosed as a responsible disease for FUO, they should be considered as a cause of unknown fever even in the absence of abnormal neurological findings.
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