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Objetive: To determine the correlation between the presence of genetic anomalies identified in the RB1 gene and the development of trilateral retinoblastoma., Method: No patients with primitive neuroectodermal tumour (PNET) were identified out of a total of 206 patients, but there were 17 cases of pineal cysts, of which 11 had a genetic study., Results: Of the 11 patients who had a genetic study performed, the anomaly in the germinal line was identified in 8 cases, which was equivalent to 100% of the bilateral retinoblastomas, and 25% of the unilateral ones. It is more common to find a germinal mutation in patients with bilateral disease (P=.024). There are no significant differences in the type of anomaly identified, although the nonsense-frameshift type is more frequent in cases with bilateral involvement. Identification of the genetic anomaly is more frequent in patients who have pineal cysts (Fisher test; P=.490). Nine of the 17 patients received systemic chemotherapy (52.29% of the cases), which could be able to prevent the development of PNET. Although a certain trend was observed in all the mentioned parameters, there was a relationship between, the presence of pineal cysts and bilateral disease (Pearson Chi X2: P=.191), a known family history (Fisher test; P=.114) and age of early diagnosis (Fisher test; P=.114). There were no significant differences in the mutation type identified., Conclusions: Considering pineal cysts as a pre-malignant form of pinealoblastoma, we found a relationship between the germinal line mutation of the RB1 gene and the cases with bilateral or unilateral retinoblastoma., (Copyright © 2010 Sociedad Española de Oftalmología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.)

Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome is a rare autosomal dominant genodermatosis that is characterized by the presence of fibrofolliculomas and/or trichodiscomas, pulmonary cysts, spontaneous pneumothorax, and renal tumors. The most common histological types found in renal tumors from patients with the syndrome are oncocytoma-chromophobe carcinoma hybrids and pure forms of chromophobe carcinoma, oncocytic carcinoma, and clear cell or papillary cell carcinoma. The syndrome is linked to mutations in the FLCN gene, which encodes folliculin and is preferentially expressed in the skin, kidney, and lung. The syndrome can exhibit a high degree of clinical variability, and the skin lesions that are a warning sign for dermatologists may be absent in up to 70% of cases. Consequently, although skin lesions and mutations in FLCN are the main diagnostic criteria for Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome, a diagnosis can be made based on noncutaneous manifestations, with or without known family history of the syndrome, even in the absence of histological confirmation of fibrofolliculomas or trichodiscomas., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier España, S.L. and AEDV. All rights reserved.)

Kidney cancer is the tenth most common cause of cancer death. There are a growing number of genes known to be associated with an increased risk of specific types of kidney cancer. People with Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome have about a 40% risk of developing multiple bilateral clear cell kidney cancers. They can also develop retinal and brain hemangioblastoma, kidneys or pancreas cysts, pheochromocytoma and endolymphatic sac tumor. Four phenotypes with different renal cancer and pheocromocitoma risk have been described depending on the germline mutation. Hereditary papillary renal cell carcinoma syndrome has type 1 papillary renal cell carcinomas associated with protooncogene c-MET germline mutations. Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome has FLCN gene mutations associated with fibrofolliculomas, lung cysts with a high risk for spontaneous pneumothorax, and a 15% to 30% risk of kidney cancer (most classified as chromophobe carcinoma, oncocytoma or oncocytic hybrid, but clear cell and papillary kidney cancers have also been reported). Histopathological findings such as oncocytosis and oncocytic hybrids are very unusual outside the syndrome. Hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer syndrome shows mutations of Fumarate hydratase gene and cutaneous leiomyomata in 76% of affected individuals, uterine leiomyomata in 100% of females, and unilateral, solitary, and aggressive papillary renal cancer in 10 to 16% of patients. A specific histopathological change is eosinophilic prominent nucleoli with a perinucleolar halo. Tuberous sclerosis complex is one of the most prevalent (1/5.800) hereditary syndromes where renal disease is the second leading cause of death, associated with angiomyolipomas (70%), renal cysts, oncocytomas or clear cell cancer.

Introduction: Hemangioblastomas are histologically benign tumors that comprise 8%-12% of all posterior fossa lesions in the adult. Brain stem hemangioblastomas may be solid or cystic tumors, and surgical removal of these tumors is usually possible and is the optimal treatment. We describe a case of hemangioblastoma in the medulla oblongata diagnosed with MRI. Using microsurgery technic a total excision of this intramedullary tumor was performed., Clinical Case: A 37-year-old woman with a 3-months history of progressive dysphagia and occipital headache. Neurological examination at the time of admission revealed bilateral horizontal nystagmus, paresis of cranial nerves IX, X and XII, motor weakness of the four extremities. A MRI revealed a cystic intramedullary tumor. Using a suboccipital craniectomy the tumor was totally removed., Conclusions: Cystic hemangioblastomas of the medulla oblongata represent a small segment in the spectrum of brain stem tumors. Surgical removal of these tumors can be accomplished successfully with a low risk of neurological injury.

Multicystic encephalomalacia (ME) is a rare entity in the pediatric age. In ME brain tissue in substituted by cavities of variable size. ME has different etiologies being asphyxia and circulatory alterations the most important factors. In monozygotic twins there is an increased incidence of structural anomalies than dizygotic twins. We present four twin patients with ME. Three of them had a prenatal dead sibling. The fourth pair of twins had a twin-twin transfusion. We want to stress the utility of brain echography in early diagnosis of ME.

A case of nevoid basal-cell carcinoma syndrome in a four years old girl with preceding familiar history is reported. In her epithelioma father numerous basocellular, milia cysts, mandibular cysts, dentition disorders, brain falx calcifica ted and hiperkeratosis of the sole of the feet were described. Clinically, the girl presented initial migraine and vomits together with macrocephalus, bossing forehead, hypertelorism, physical disorders, retarded maturation, "keel" thorax, genu recurvatum, hallux valgus, hammerfinger, pigmented nevus and hyperkeratosis of the sole of the feet. Radiologically diastasis of the skull suture with jagged image, endocranial hypertension, signs of macrocephalus of the facial bones, calcification of the brain falx, bridge of the sella turcica, bifid ribs and fusion of the ribs was observed. The axial computed tomography showed calcification of the vermix cerebelosus and severe hydrocephalus suggesting the presence of an occupant mass. After total surgical removal of the mass, the histological examination revealed a medulloblastoma. The skin biopsy of a cutaneous nevic element showed a basal-cell epithelioma. With the exception of an ovarian fibroma and fusion of the vertebras non appreciable because of the age. With the exception of the ovarian fibroma and the fusion of the vertebras, the patient showed the same characteristics as those described in the classification of Gorlin. The importance of this paper communication lie on the preceding familiar history, infrequency, compromise of different systems, malignant tendency of the cutaneous lesions and frequent association with non cutaneous neoplasias.