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Anaplastic meningioma in a 6-year-old with somatic YAP1::MAML2 fusion and multiple endocrine neoplasia type 4 (MEN4)
Lauren R Desrosiers-Battu1, John H Lee2, Izabela Tarasiewicz3
1Baylor College of Medicine, Pediatrics - One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA.
Abstract:
Meningiomas are the most common primary brain tumors in adults but much less frequent in children. Many subtypes exist, including anaplastic (malignant) meningioma, which accounts for less than 20% of pediatric tumors. Meningiomas can arise in association with cancer predisposition syndromes due to germline variants in genes such as NF2, MEN1 and SMARCE1. This report describes a 6-year-old boy diagnosed with anaplastic meningioma who was treated with surgery and focal radiation therapy. The family consented to participate in the Texas KidsCanSeq clinical genomics study. Analysis of germline and tumor samples detected a single germline finding of a CDKN1B pathogenic frameshift variant associated with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 4 (MEN4) without somatic loss of the other allele. Tumor analysis revealed a YAP1::MAML2 fusion, which has been previously reported in pediatric meningiomas not associated with NF2. YAP1::MAML2 fusion is a known driver for development of meningioma, but the role of the germline CDKN1B variant in the absence of a tumor second hit is unclear. This case highlights the importance of performing combined tumor and germline molecular genetic analysis of rare tumors to help clarify the risk of development of cancer in patients with rare cancer predisposition syndromes.
Insights
A pediatric anaplastic meningioma case revealed a germline CDKN1B variant linked to Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 4 (MEN4). This finding, without a tumor second hit, alongside a YAP1::MAML2 fusion, underscores the need for comprehensive genomic analysis in rare pediatric brain tumors.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric oncology
- Neuro-oncology
- Cancer genomics
Background:
- Meningiomas are common adult brain tumors, but rare in children, with anaplastic subtypes being less than 20% of pediatric cases.
- Meningiomas can be associated with cancer predisposition syndromes due to germline variants in genes like NF2, MEN1, and SMARCE1.
- Anaplastic meningioma is a rare and malignant subtype of pediatric brain tumor.

