Adult medulloblastoma: a case report
Abstract Background Medulloblastoma is a malignant brain tumor that is common in children but very uncommon in adults, especially those older than 40 years, accounting for less than 1% of all primary brain tumors in adults. Although surgery and radiotherapy play an important role treatment of adult...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Journal of Medical Case Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13256-022-03531-3 |
| _version_ | 1828356623488253952 |
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| author | Emmanuel Mduma Adagi Awuor Emmanuel L. Lugina |
| author_facet | Emmanuel Mduma Adagi Awuor Emmanuel L. Lugina |
| author_sort | Emmanuel Mduma |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Medulloblastoma is a malignant brain tumor that is common in children but very uncommon in adults, especially those older than 40 years, accounting for less than 1% of all primary brain tumors in adults. Although surgery and radiotherapy play an important role treatment of adult medulloblastoma, the use of chemotherapy is controversial. This is the first instance of adult medulloblastoma at the Ocean Road Cancer Institute in Tanzania. Case description We report the case of a 51-year-old female of African ethnicity who was diagnosed with high-risk hemispheric posterior cranial fossa medulloblastoma of classic type with World Health Organization central nervous system grade 4 and Chang stage M0. Immunohistochemistry, reticulin stain, and molecular subtyping could not be done because they were not available. She was treated by subtotal posterior cranial fossa tumor resection followed by adjuvant concurrent chemo-craniospinal radiation and adjuvant chemotherapy. Conclusion Even in adults over 50 years old, medulloblastoma should be included in the differential diagnosis of posterior fossa tumor. Adult medulloblastoma is a very rare and very heterogeneous tumor, but it has a good prognosis. Immunohistochemistry and molecular subclustering are difficult to implement in low-income countries such as Tanzania owing to cost. Treatment of adult medulloblastoma is highly heterogeneous among (and even within) facilities. There is no evidence that the extent of resection enhances survival. While craniospinal radiation therapy improves survival, there is controversy about the role of chemotherapy in managing adult MB. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T03:02:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7c51b6d71a154107affc93f67f2be7c8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1752-1947 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T03:02:47Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Medical Case Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-7c51b6d71a154107affc93f67f2be7c82022-12-22T02:15:52ZengBMCJournal of Medical Case Reports1752-19472022-08-011611610.1186/s13256-022-03531-3Adult medulloblastoma: a case reportEmmanuel Mduma0Adagi Awuor1Emmanuel L. Lugina2Department of Clinical Oncology, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied SciencesOginga Odinga Teaching and Referral HospitalDepartment of Clinical Oncology, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied SciencesAbstract Background Medulloblastoma is a malignant brain tumor that is common in children but very uncommon in adults, especially those older than 40 years, accounting for less than 1% of all primary brain tumors in adults. Although surgery and radiotherapy play an important role treatment of adult medulloblastoma, the use of chemotherapy is controversial. This is the first instance of adult medulloblastoma at the Ocean Road Cancer Institute in Tanzania. Case description We report the case of a 51-year-old female of African ethnicity who was diagnosed with high-risk hemispheric posterior cranial fossa medulloblastoma of classic type with World Health Organization central nervous system grade 4 and Chang stage M0. Immunohistochemistry, reticulin stain, and molecular subtyping could not be done because they were not available. She was treated by subtotal posterior cranial fossa tumor resection followed by adjuvant concurrent chemo-craniospinal radiation and adjuvant chemotherapy. Conclusion Even in adults over 50 years old, medulloblastoma should be included in the differential diagnosis of posterior fossa tumor. Adult medulloblastoma is a very rare and very heterogeneous tumor, but it has a good prognosis. Immunohistochemistry and molecular subclustering are difficult to implement in low-income countries such as Tanzania owing to cost. Treatment of adult medulloblastoma is highly heterogeneous among (and even within) facilities. There is no evidence that the extent of resection enhances survival. While craniospinal radiation therapy improves survival, there is controversy about the role of chemotherapy in managing adult MB.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13256-022-03531-3Case reportChemotherapyCraniospinal radiationMedulloblastomaOcean Road Cancer InstitutePosterior cranial fossa |
| spellingShingle | Emmanuel Mduma Adagi Awuor Emmanuel L. Lugina Adult medulloblastoma: a case report Journal of Medical Case Reports Case report Chemotherapy Craniospinal radiation Medulloblastoma Ocean Road Cancer Institute Posterior cranial fossa |
| title | Adult medulloblastoma: a case report |
| title_full | Adult medulloblastoma: a case report |
| title_fullStr | Adult medulloblastoma: a case report |
| title_full_unstemmed | Adult medulloblastoma: a case report |
| title_short | Adult medulloblastoma: a case report |
| title_sort | adult medulloblastoma a case report |
| topic | Case report Chemotherapy Craniospinal radiation Medulloblastoma Ocean Road Cancer Institute Posterior cranial fossa |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13256-022-03531-3 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT emmanuelmduma adultmedulloblastomaacasereport AT adagiawuor adultmedulloblastomaacasereport AT emmanuelllugina adultmedulloblastomaacasereport |