Thallium-201 SPECT of adjacent intracranial tumours: a contrast in thallium kinetics

Primary undifferentiated sarcoma of the meninges: A case report and comprehensive review of the literature

BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE

Sarcomas make up 1% of all cases of adult cancer, with 5-10% of those classified as undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcomas (UPS/PUS) and 0.1-4.3% primary intracranial sarcomas. Intracranial undifferentiated sarcoma is characterized by an earlier age of onset and generally poorer prognosis compared to extracranial undifferentiated sarcomas. Current therapies involve surgical excision with wide margins and radiotherapy, with minimal data available regarding the efficacy of chemotherapy.

CASE DESCRIPTION

A 79-year-old man with a history of remote superficial bladder cancer presented with a large frontal scalp lesion. A biopsy was initially attempted by a dermatologist in the outpatient setting, but a follow-up CT scan revealed a skull-eroding, enhancing soft tissue lesion. Neurosurgical treatment revealed an undifferentiated sarcoma. The patient underwent adjuvant radiation therapy of 59.4 Gy fractionated over 45 days following surgery. Follow-up brain MRIs at 1-, 6-, 9-, 12-, 15-, 21-, and 27 months after surgery have not shown any indications of local recurrence or tumor metastasis. Despite the high propensity that undifferentiated sarcomas have for recurrence and metastasis and the patient's advanced age, this patient remains uniquely disease-free.

CONCLUSION

We provide a description of an unusual case and comprehensive literature review of UPS to clarify the hallmarks of the disease, identify the difficulties in diagnosis, and provide a summary of therapies employed in the literature with their corresponding patient outcomes.

Cerebellar malignant fibrous histiocytoma: case report and literature review

OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma in the central nervous system is uncommon. Fewer than 70 cases have been documented and, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first case arising from the cerebellum.

CLINICAL PRESENTATION

A 44-year-old woman presented with headaches, vomiting, and dizziness. A neurological examination revealed right cerebellar syndrome. Brain computed tomographic scans revealed an isodense tumor in the right cerebellar hemisphere. The breast ultrasonographic, bone scintigraphic, and thoracoabdominal computed tomographic findings were normal.

INTERVENTION

The patient was surgically treated. The tumor recurred 1.5 months later, demonstrating hemorrhagic characteristics on brain computed tomographic scans. The patient underwent a second operation, followed by radiotherapy.

CONCLUSION

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma is still a controversial entity, and the lack of specific criteria means that it must be diagnosed via the process of elimination. With currently available therapy, our review can provide only a very poor prognosis. The median survival time was 27 months. In attempts to develop better therapeutic strategies, total excision and radiotherapy seem to represent the best treatment approach.