Skull Base 2010; 20(3): 179-183
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1242195
CASE REPORT

© Thieme Medical Publishers

A Case of High-Grade Undifferentiated Sarcoma after Surgical Resection and Stereotactic Radiosurgery of a Vestibular Schwannoma

Tong Yang1 , Jason Rockhill2 , Donald E. Born3 , Laligam N. Sekhar1
  • 1Department of Neurosurgery, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington
  • 2Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington
  • 3Department of Pathology, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington
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Publikationsverlauf

Publikationsdatum:
29. Oktober 2009 (online)

ABSTRACT

Stereotactic radiosurgery has become a more frequently used treatment modality for vestibular schwannomas; a few reports of malignant transformation and/or radiation-associated tumors have surfaced. The majority of these reported cases were in patients with underlying neurofibromatosis. The authors report a case of a 74-year-old man with rapid progression of a cerebellar-pontine angle tumor 14 years after surgical resection of a vestibular schwannoma (VS) from the same site, and 6 years after stereotactic radiosurgery. A pathological study of the recent tumor showed a high-grade spindle cell neoplasm that bore no resemblance to the initial schwannoma. The patient had no diagnosis of neurofibromatosis. Secondary malignancy occurred in a non-neurofibromatosis patient 6 years after stereotactic radiosurgery. It is our belief that documentation of such cases will provide important evidence that helps evaluate the long-term effect of radiosurgery for VS. Such observations can influence clinical decisions regarding the choice of treatment modalities.

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Laligam N SekharM.D. 

Harborview Medical Center, UW Medicine, Dept. of Neurosurgery

325 Ninth Avenue, Box 359924, Seattle, WA 98104-2499

eMail: lsekhar@u.washington.edu