Morphological investigations on cerebellar ?neuroblastoma? group

Abstract

Classic medulloblastoma is a relatively common and distinct clinicopathologic entity consisting of primitive multipotential cells with differentiating capacity to neuroblastic and/or glial cell lines. Desmoplastic medulloblastoma has some features in common with cerebellar neuroblastoma, in which ultrastructural evidence of significant neuroblastic differentiation is extremely rare. We studied three cerebellar tumors with evidence of neuronal differentiation as compared to four classical desmoplastic medulloblastomas. Two of three tumors contained the regions of different degrees resembling desmoplastic medulloblastoma and one consisted of neuroblastic cells exclusively. This spectrum of differentiation suggests a relationship between cerebellar neuroblastoma and medulloblastoma, especially of the desmoplastic type. The nature of cerebellar neuroblastoma and its nosology are briefly discussed.

Neuroblastomas of the Central Nervous System. Clinicopathological Features of a Cerebellar Neuroblastoma in Comparison with a Metastatic Cerebral Neuroblastoma.

“…Hi stological features Cerebral neuroblastomas were classified into three histological types by Horten and Rubinstein (1976 (Sin et al 1978;Yagishita et al 1980;Pearl and Takei, 1981;Yagishita et al 1982). Although Hormer-Wright rosettes is often seen in cerebral neuroblastomas (Horten and Rubinstein, 1976;Rubinstein, 1985), Hormer-Wright rosettes have been rarely found in cerebellum of reported cases (Robey et al 1988).…”

“…These cell processes contain microtubles and many densecore vesicles or clear vesicles with a diameter of 50-100 nm, which are considered to be secretory granules (Shin et al 1978;Hirano and Shin, 1979;Yagishita et al 1980;Pearl and Takei, 1981;Yagishita et al 1982;Warzok et al 1983;Chadarevian et al 1987;Robey et al 1988;Yagishita et al 1991). Some tumors (Shin et al 1978;Hirano and Shin, 1979;Pearl and Takei, 1981) show synaptic structures, but others do not (Yagishita et al 1980(Yagishita et al , 1982Chadarevian et al 1987;Robey et al 1988).…”

“…Some tumors (Shin et al 1978;Hirano and Shin, 1979;Pearl and Takei, 1981) show synaptic structures, but others do not (Yagishita et al 1980(Yagishita et al , 1982Chadarevian et al 1987;Robey et al 1988). However, we consider that the presence of synaptic structures only show the degree of neuroblastic differentiation.…”

“…However, we consider that the presence of synaptic structures only show the degree of neuroblastic differentiation. Some authors (Pearl and Takei, 1981;Yagishita et al 1982) mentioned the relationship between medulloblastomas and cerebellar neuroblastomas. Especially, the histological similarities of desmoplastic medulloblastomas and cerebellar neuroblastomas were discussed.…”

“…This tumor usually occurs in the superficial cerebellar hemisphere. Neuroblastomas are a definitely intraparechymal vermian tumor of infants (Shin et al 1978;Hirano and Shin, 979;Yagishita et al 1980;Pearl and Takei, 1981;Yagishita et al 1982;Warzok et al 1983;Chadarevian et al 1987;Robey et al 1988;Yagishita et al 1991).…”