Molecular Advances in Central Nervous System Mesenchymal Tumors

Jeffrey Helgager; Joseph Driver; Samantha Hoffman; Wenya Linda Bi

doi:10.1016/j.path.2020.02.002

Molecular Advances in Central Nervous System Mesenchymal Tumors

Surg Pathol Clin. 2020 Jun;13(2):291-303. doi: 10.1016/j.path.2020.02.002.

Authors

Jeffrey Helgager¹, Joseph Driver², Samantha Hoffman², Wenya Linda Bi³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
² Center for Skull Base and Pituitary Surgery, Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
³ Center for Skull Base and Pituitary Surgery, Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: wbi@bwh.harvard.edu.

PMID: 32389268
DOI: 10.1016/j.path.2020.02.002

Abstract

Mesenchymal tumors of the central nervous system (CNS) comprise an array of neoplasms that may arise from or secondarily affect the CNS and its immediate surroundings. This review focuses on meningiomas and solitary fibrous tumors, the most common primary CNS mesenchymal tumors, and discusses recent advances in unveiling the molecular landscapes of these neoplasms. An effort is made to underscore those molecular findings most relevant to tumor diagnostics and prognostication from a practical perspective. As molecular techniques become more readily used at the clinical level, such alterations may strengthen formal grading schemes and lend themselves to treatment with targeted therapies.

Keywords: Genomics; Hemangioblastoma; Meningioma; Solitary fibrous tumor.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Brain / pathology
Central Nervous System Neoplasms / diagnosis*
Central Nervous System Neoplasms / pathology
Humans
Meningeal Neoplasms / diagnosis
Meningeal Neoplasms / pathology
Meningioma / diagnosis
Meningioma / pathology
Prognosis
Solitary Fibrous Tumors / diagnosis
Solitary Fibrous Tumors / pathology