Summary
A melanotic ganglioglioma was biopsied in the pineal region of a 12-month-old girl who preoperatively underwent a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt for hydrocephalus and postoperatively received radiotherapy. The tumor was subtotally excised when the girl was 7 years and 4 months of age. Histologically, it demonstrated mature neurons in disorganized clusters and in well-differentiated cerebrum-like tissue, rare binucleated neurons, glia similar to normal gray matter, and bands of fibrous tissue containing heavily pigmented cells. Ultrastructurally, melanosomes of stages I to IV were identified in the pigmented cells. An origin involving retinal differentiation of the primitive pineal gland was not supported; the tumor was negative for both retinal S-antigen (MAbA9-C6) and cellular retinal-binding protein (CRALBP). This report demonstrates the ability of a cerebral neoplasm to contain neurons, glia, and melanin-containing cells; all of which are neuroectodermally derived.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bagchi AK, Sarkar SK, Chakraborti DP, Roy CK (1975) Melanotic spinal schwannoma. Surg Neurol 3:79–81
Boesel CP, Surhan JP (1979) A pigmented choroid plexus carcinoma: histochemical and ultrastructural findings. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 38:177–186
Bunt-Milam AH Saari JC (1983) Immunocytochemical localization of two retinoid-binding proteins in vertebrate retina. J cell Biol 97:703–712
DeChadarevian J-P, Montes JL, O'Gorman AM, Freeman CR (1987) Maturation of cerebellar neuroblastoma into ganglioneuroma with melanosis. A histologic, immunocytochemical and ultrastructural study. Cancer 59:69–76
Donosa LA, Folberg R, Arbizo V, (1985) Retinal S-antigen and retinoblastoma — A monoclonal antibody histopathologic study. Arch Ophthalmol 103:855–857
Dooling EC, Chi JG, Gilles FH (1977) Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy. Its histological similarities to fetal pineal gland. Cancer 39:1535–1541
Hahn JF, Netsky MG, Butler AB, Sperber EE (1976) Pigmented ganglioneuroblastoma: relation of melanin and lipofuscin to schwannomas and other tumors of neural crest origin. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 35:393–403
Herrick MK, Rubinstein LJ (1979) The cytological differentiating potential of pineal parenchymal neoplasms (true pinealomas). A clinicopathological study of 28 tumors. Brain 102:289–320
Hori A, Weiss R, Schaake T (1988) Ganglioglioma containing osseous tissue and neurofibrillary tangles. Arch Pathol Lab Med 112:653–655
Jellinger K, Böcr F, Brenner H (1988) Meningeal melanocytoma. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 94:78–87
Johnson RE, Scheithauer BW, Dahlin DC (1983) Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy. A review of seven cases. Cancer 52:661–666
Kinney HC, Sotrel A, Alberti O, Driscoll SG (1983) A comparative ultrastructural study of a midline melanotic brain tumor and human fetal pineal gland. Lab Invest 48:89–99
Lana-Peixoto MA, Lagos J, Silbert SW (1977) Primary pigmented carcinoma of the choroid plexus. A light and electron microscopic study. J Neurosurg 47:442–450
Limas C, Tio FO (1972) Meningeal melanocytoma (“melanotic meningioma”) — Its melanocytic origin as revealed by electron microscopy. Cancer 30:1286–1294
Mandybur TI (1974) Melanotic nerve sheath tumors. J Neurosurg 41:187–192
McCloskey JJ, Parker Jr JC, Brooks WH, Blacker HM (1976) Melanin as a component of cerebral gliomas. The melanotic cerebral ependymoma. Cancer 37:2372–2379
Mullins JD (1980) A pigmented differentiating neuroblastoma. A light and ultrastructural study. Cancer 46:522–528
Nozicka Z, Spacek J (1978) Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy with highly differentiated neural component. Light and electron microscope study. Acta Neuropathol (Berl) 44:229–233
Oberc-Greenwood MA, McKeever PE, Kornblith PL, Smith BH (1984) A human ganglioglioma containing paired helical filaments. Hum Pathol 15:834–838
Perentes E, Rubinstein LJ, Herman MM, Donoso LA (1986) S-Antigen immunoreactivity in human pineal glands and pineal parenchymal tumors: A monoclonal antibody study. Acta Neuropathol (Berl) 71:224–227
Pfister C, Chabre M, Plouet J, Tuyen VV, De Kozak Y, Faure JP, Kühn H (1985) Retinal S-antigen identified as the 48K protein regulating light-dependent phosphodiesterase in rods. Science 228:891–893
Rodrigues MM, Wiggert B, Shields J, Donoso L, Bardenstein D, Katz N, Friendly D, Chader G (1987) Retinoblastoma, immunohistochemistry, and cell differentiation. Ophthalmology 94:378–387
Röyttä M, Elfversson J, Kalimo H (1988) Intraspinal schwannoma with malignant progression. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 95:147–154
Rubinstein LJ (1981) Cytogenesis and differentiation of pineal neoplasms. Hum Pathol 12:441–448
Rubinstein LJ, Northfield DWC (1964) The medulloblastoma and the so-called “arachnoidal cerebellar sarcoma”. Brain 87:379–412
Rubinstein LJ, Okazaki H (1970) Gangliogliomatous differentiation in a pineocytoma. J Pathol 102:27–32
Stefanko SZ, Manschot WA (1979) Pinealoblastoma with retinoblastomatous differentiation. Brain 102:321–332
Stowens D, Lin T-H (1974) Melanotic progonoma of the brain. Hum Pathol 5:105–113
Sung JH, Mastri AR, Segal EL (1973) Melanotic medulloblastoma of the cerebellum. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 32:437–445
Winston KR, Sotrel A, Schnitt SJ (1987) Meningeal melanocytoma. Case report and review of the clinical and histological features. J Neurosurg 66:50–57
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hunt, S.J., Johnson, P.C. Melanotic ganglioglioma of the pineal region. Acta Neuropathol 79, 222–225 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00294383
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00294383