Radiation-induced meningiomas: clinical, cytogenetic, and microarray features

Limited information exists about the clinical and biological features of radiation-induced meningiomas (RIMs), particularly those that follow high-dose therapeutic radiation. We report our experience with 20 patients with RIMs (16 following high-dose radiotherapy) treated at our institution from 1993–2006. Patients (14 female, 6 male) had intervals from first radiotherapy to RIM diagnosis of 11–63 years; 12 had at least one RIM occur at an interval of 30 years or more after initial radiotherapy. Multiple RIMs were seen in six patients, with one patient developing his six RIMs sequentially over a 22-year interval. Most RIMs could be managed surgically, either with a single extensive resection or additional resection(s). Adjuvant stereotactic radiosurgery, external beam radiation, or chemotherapy were required in a minority (n = 6). Most were WHO grade I meningiomas. Complex karyotypes were found in three of four cases and abnormalities of chromosome 1p and/or LOH 1p36 were identified in five of 11 informative cases. Gene-expression microarray analysis of RIMs (n = 5) compared to non-RIMs (MEN, n = 6) and a panel of other tumors (n = 62) showed that RIM gene-expression was similar to that seen in MEN, and by clustering analysis did not separate from them. However, microarray comparative gene-expression analysis did demonstrate a few genes with significant differences in the expression level in RIM versus MEN. Of note, NF2 was under-expressed in four of five RIMs (P = 0.0065), at a similar level as measured in MEN.