Rhabdoid transformation of recurrent meningioma in the cervical cord: a case report

We report a case of persistent local recurrence of rhabdoid meningioma in the cervical spinal cord. Recently, the meningioma has been reported to be undergoing rhabdoid transformation, but the clinical course is still unclear. Histopathological examination of the tumor showed that it was composed of both meningothelial cells and rhabdoid cells. At each recurrence of the tumor, the population of the rhabdoid cells had increased and the ability to grow had also increased, confirmed by the MIB-1 labeling index. This case showed that phenotypic change of the cells with "rhabdoid" morphology may affect meningiomas and that such changes are associated with aggressive biological and clinical behavior. This newly classified tumor should be recognized in the differential diagnosis of meningioma.