Cytogenetics of cranial base tumors

Many different tumor types can arise in or invade the skull base. The more common tumors include, but are not limited to, angiofibromas, chondrosarcomas, chordomas, hemangiopericytomas, meningiomas, carcinomas, olfactory neuroblastomas, paragangliomas, pituitary adenomas, and rhabdomyosarcomas. Several of these tumors, including meningiomas, hemangiopericytomas, and rhabdomyosarcomas are characterized by nonrandom cytogenetic abnormalities. In this paper, we review the recognized chromosomal aberrations in cranial base tumors and illustrate the insights that can be gained into the genetic basis of tumor formation using karyotypes from skull base tumors that we have examined. As in tumors in other locations, chromosomal findings may be of diagnostic and prognostic value in cranial base tumors.