Ependymoma with extensive lipidization mimicking adipose tissue: a report of five cases

Pathol Oncol Res. 2000;6(2):136-40. doi: 10.1007/BF03032364.

Abstract

Lipomatous ependymoma is a recently described entity and only 3 cases of this variant have been reported in the literature. We report 5 cases of this rare variant of ependymoma. Patients age ranged from 4 years to 45 years and, interestingly, all of them were males. Two tumors were supratentorial in location, 2 in the fourth ventricle and 1 was intramedullary. Microscopically all of them showed the classical histology of ependymoma along with lipomatous differentiation. The lipomatous component was composed of cells with a large clear vacuole pushing the nucleus to the periphery and giving a signet ring cell appearance. This component demonstrated positivity for GFAP and S-100 protein thereby confirming its glial lineage. Three of the 5 tumors were high grade (WHO-grade III), had a high MIB-1 labelling index (MIB-1 LI) and showed recurrence on follow-up. However, 2 were low grade (WHO grade II) and patients are free of disease till the last follow up.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adipose Tissue / pathology*
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Brain Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Brain Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Cerebral Ventricle Neoplasms / pathology
  • Child, Preschool
  • Ependymoma / metabolism
  • Ependymoma / pathology*
  • Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / analysis
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Infratentorial Neoplasms / pathology
  • Lipid Metabolism*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • S100 Proteins / analysis
  • Spinal Cord Neoplasms / pathology
  • Vacuoles / pathology

Substances

  • Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein
  • S100 Proteins