Emerging glioneuronal and neuronal tumors: case-based review

Abstract

Glioneuronal and neuronal tumors (GNTs) are rare heterogeneous central nervous system tumors characterized by slow growth and favorable outcomes, but are often associated with diagnostic difficulties. A thorough analysis of three rare and recently recognized GNTs was performed in the context of clinicopathological features and molecular genetic characterization. The current spinal diffuse leptomeningeal glioneuronal tumor (DLGNT) was characterized with oligodendroglioma-like tumor with chromosome 1p/19q codeletion without IDH mutations and KIAA1549:BRAF fusion. The current occipital multinodular and vacuolating neuronal tumor (MVNT) was characteristic of the variable-sized vague nodules consisted of gangliocytic tumor cells with intracytoplasmic and pericellular vacuolation and the next-generation sequencing (NGS) revealed MAP2K1 p.Q56_V60del. A diffuse glioneuronal tumor with oligodendroglioma-like features and nuclear clusters (DGONC) of the amygdala was characterized by oligodendroglia-like cells and nuclear clusters, and monosomy 14. From the current cases and literature review, we found that DLGNT commonly occurs in the spinal cord and can make mass and more commonly have KIAA1549:BRAF fusion; MVNT is a neoplasm rather than malformation and MAP2K1 deletion is one of the hallmarks of this tumor; although DGONC may require a methylation profile, we can reach a diagnosis through its unique histology, monosomy 14, and exclusion diagnosis without a methylation profile.