WHO Grade III Anaplastic Meningioma Metastasizing to the Parotid Gland and the Lungs: Case Report and Review of the Literature^[*]

Introduction

Meningiomas are tumors that most likely originate from arachnoid cap cells and account for 13–26%  of all intracranial tumors.[13] According to the World Health Organization, they are subclassified as benign (grade I), atypical (grade II), or anaplastic (grade III).[10] The vast majority of meningiomas are benign, with only 1.0–2.8%  being malignant.[13] However, the malignant meningiomas represent a particularly aggressive tumor entity and have a reported 5-year survival rate of 32–64% .[18] An even smaller percentage of malignant meningiomas metastasize, about 0.1%  of all meningiomas.[7] The most common site are the lungs, but liver, bone, skin, subcutaneous tissue as well as locations along the craniospinal axis have also been repeatedly reported as sites of metastases.[3] Metastases to the parotid gland are very rare. In the reviewed literature on PubMed with the search terms “parotid gland” and “meningioma”, only 4 cases are described.[1] [5] [20] [22]

^* This article was originally published online in Central European Neurosurgery on December 20, 2011 (DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1280838)

• References

• 1 Celli P, Palma L, Domenicucci M , et al. Histologically benign recurrent meningioma metastasizing to the parotid gland: case report and review of the literature. Neurosurgery 1992; 31: 1113-1116 ; discussion 1116
• 2 Erman T, Hanta I, Haciyakupoglu S , et al. Huge bilateral pulmonary and pleural metastasis from intracranial meningioma: a case report and review of the literature. J Neurooncol 2005; 74: 179-181
• 3 Estanislau ES, Carvalho GT, Reis BL , et al. Malignant meningioma with extracranial metastases. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2009; 67: 730-732
• 4 Figueroa BE, Quint DJ, McKeever PE , et al. Extracranial metastatic meningioma. Br J Radiol 1999; 72: 513-516
• 5 Grundy DJ, Hobsley M, Ranger D. Recurrent meningioma presenting as a parotid swelling. Proc R Soc Med 1971; 64: 1002
• 6 Hoye SJ, Hoar Jr CS, Murray JE. Extracranial meningioma presenting as a tumor of the neck. Am J Surg 1960; 100: 486-489
• 7 Kuroda H, Kashimura H, Ogasawara K , et al. Malignant intracranial meningioma with spinal metastasis – case report. Neurol Med Chir (Tokyo) 2009; 49: 258-261
• 8 Lamszus K, Lengler U, Schmidt NO , et al. Vascular endothelial growth factor, hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, and placenta growth factor in human meningiomas and their relation to angiogenesis and malignancy. Neurosurgery. 2000; 46: 938-947 ; discussion 947–948
• 9 Levine ZT, Buchanan RI, Sekhar LN , et al. Proposed grading system to predict the extent of resection and outcomes for cranial base meningiomas. Neurosurgery 1999; 45: 221-230
• 10 Louis DN, Ohgaki H, Wiestler OD , et al. The 2007 WHO classification of tumours of the central nervous system. Acta Neuropathol 2007; 114: 97-109
• 11 Mallina S, Rosalind S, Philip R , et al. Nodular fasciitis: a diagnostic dilemma. Med J Malaysia 2007; 62: 420-421
• 12 Mason WP, Gentili F, Macdonald DR , et al. Stabilization of disease progression by hydroxyurea in patients with recurrent or unresectable meningioma. J Neurosurg 2002; 97: 341-346
• 13 Modha A, Gutin PH. Diagnosis and treatment of atypical and anaplastic meningiomas: a review. Neurosurgery. 2005; 57: 538-550 ; discussion 538–550
• 14 Montgomery EA, Meis JM. Nodular fasciitis. Its morphologic spectrum and immunohistochemical profile. Am J Surg Pathol 1991; 15: 942-948
• 15 Newton HB, Slivka MA, Stevens C. Hydroxyurea chemotherapy for unresectable or residual meningioma. J Neurooncol 2000; 49: 165-170
• 16 Norden AD, Drappatz J, Wen PY. Advances in meningioma therapy. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep 2009; 9: 231-240
• 17 Riemenschneider MJ, Perry A, Reifenberger G. Histological classification and molecular genetics of meningiomas. Lancet Neurol 2006; 5: 1045-1054
• 18 Rosenberg LA, Prayson RA, Lee J , et al. Long-term experience with World Health Organization grade III (malignant) meningiomas at a single institution. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2009; 74: 427-432
• 19 Tomita S, Thompson K, Carver T , et al. Nodular fasciitis: a sarcomatous impersonator. J Pediatr Surg 2009; 44: e17-e19
• 20 Walther LE, Mentzel T, Meyer R , et al. Extracranial meningioma of the parotid gland. HNO 1999; 47: 573-576
• 21 Weinreb I, Shaw AJ, Perez-Ordonez B , et al. Nodular fasciitis of the head and neck region: a clinicopathologic description in a series of 30 cases. J Cutan Pathol 2009; 36: 1168-1173
• 22 Wolff M, Rankow RM. Meningioma of the parotid gland: an insight into the pathogenesis of extracranial meningiomas. Hum Pathol 1971; 2: 453-459
• 23 Zuber TJ, Finley JL. Nodular fasciitis. South Med J 1994; 87: 842-844