Central neurocytomas express photoreceptor differentiation

BACKGROUND, Central neurocytomas ni e composed of mature neuronal elements, frequently arranged in rosettes similar to those present in pineocytomas. This suggests the possibility of similar patterns of differentiation, inclu ding photoreceptor differentiation. The authors analyzed the immunoreactivi ty of central neurocytomas for retinal S-antigen, neuronal, glial, and neur oendocrine markers. METHODS. Thirty-three central neurocytomas were analyzed with reference to their clinicopathologic characteristics, immunoreactivity, and the possibil ity that anaplastic histologic features correlated with aggressive clinical behavior, RESULTS. There were 18 male and 15 female patients. The median age at diagn osis was 30 years (range, 3-69 years). All of the tumors with specified loc ation were related to the ventricles. Thirty-two turners were diagnosed at surgery and 1 at autopsy. Histologic features included mineralization (20 o f 33), foci of necrosis (4 of 33), chronic inflammation (4 of 33), ganglion cell differentiation (1 of 33), and lipomatous differentiation (1 of 33), None of the lesions had significant nuclear pleomorphism, mitotic activity, or vascular endothelial proliferation. Immunohistochemistry included expre ssion of synaptophysin (33 of 33), neuron specific enolase (31 of 33), S-10 0 protein (25 of 33), retinal S-antigen (14 of 24), somatostatin (8 of 27), glial fibrillary acidic protein (4 of 33), neurofilament protein (3 of 22) , and leucine enkephalin (1 of 27). At follow-up, 15 of 23 patients were al ive an average of 8.1 years (range, 0.91-35.9 years) after surgery. CONCLUSIONS, Central neurocytomas behave as slowly growing neoplasms that r emain confined within one or several supratentorial ventricles and are asso ciated with long survival after surgical excision. Malignant forms with agg ressive clinical behavior were not found. The neoplastic cells call express photoreceptor differentiation possibly relating central neurocytomas to pi neocytomas. Adipocyte differentiation may he present, and the possibility o f a relation between the central neurocytoma and cerebellar liponeurocytoma should be entertained. Published 2001 by the American Cancer Society.*