Familial intracranial ependymoma mimicking an extra-lesion: A case report and review of the literature

J Clin Neurosci. 2020 Apr:74:250-253. doi: 10.1016/j.jocn.2020.01.051. Epub 2020 Mar 4.

Abstract

Familial occurrence of intracranial ependymoma, in the absence of neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2), is very rare with only a few cases reported in the literature. We report a 62-year-old man, who presented with a posterior fossa ependymoma with the majority of the lesion in the cerebellopontine angle, mimicking an extra-axial tumour. His two brothers also had 4th ventricular ependymomas requiring surgical resection. Such cases add weight to the suggestion of a genetically predisposing mutation in familial cases of intracranial ependymomas. Further genetic testing may help to elucidate the location of the genetic abnormality in patients with non-NF2 familial intracranial ependymomas and promote a better understanding of this rare pathological entity.

Keywords: Brain tumour; Ependymoma; Familial.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Brain Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Cerebellopontine Angle / pathology
  • Ependymoma / pathology*
  • Fourth Ventricle / pathology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mutation
  • Neurofibromatosis 2

Supplementary concepts

  • Familial ependymoma