Embryonal tumors of the central nervous system in adults: a report of three cases. Review of the literature

Background. Bmbryonal tumors of the central nervous system are malignant neoplasms that mainly occur in pediatric patients with a peak incidence at the age of 4 years. These tumors usually have small round blue cell histology and low differentiation. Method and case description. A report of three cases with embryonal CNS tumors of supratentorial localization has been presented. Immunohistochemical analysis classified these tumors as neuroblastoma (2 cases: Syn (+), NSE (+), CD (+) and Ki67 10/40 %; ages were 33 and 52 years) or ganglioneuroblastoma (1 case: Syn (+), NSE (+), CD99 (+) and Ki67 40 %; age was 37 year). All patients underwent RT in a total dose of 60 Gy delivered to the area of the removed tumor and 6 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy: patients with neuroblastoma received chemotherapy using EP regimen (cisplatin + etoposide), and patient with ganglioneuroblastoma received temozolomide. Results. An objective response to therapy was achieved in all 3 patients. The relapse-free survival (RFS) in the first case of neuroblastoma was 51 months, the overall survival (OS) was more than 105 months (8 years 9 months); in the second case of neuroblastoma, RFS was 25 months 2 weeks and OS was more than 26 months. Both neuroblastomas contained IDH1(R132H) mutation. In the patient with ganglioneuroblastoma, the RFS was 87 months, and the OS was over 93 months (7 years, 9 months, 3 weeks). Conclusion. Supratentorial embryonal tumors of the central nervous system in adults are exceptionally rare and have a relatively favorable response to the standard treatment.