gms | German Medical Science

Objective: Spinal meningiomas represent about one third of all spine tumors. To date, few is known about the molecular profile of spinal meningiomas and its clinical impact. In this study, we correlate clinical parameters with targeted sequencing findings in a well-characterized cohort of 42 patients.

Methods: Samples from 42 spinal meningiomas (31 females and 11 males) were collected. Targeted sequencing for AKT1 E17K hot spot mutations was performed. Furthermore, clinical and imaging data were collected and correlated with the AKT1 mutation status.

Results: Gross total resection (Simpson grade I /II) was achieved in all patients. The mean follow-up period was 60 months (6 –288 months). None of the patients demonstrated a tumor recurrence. AKT1E17K mutations were detected in 8 patients (19%), in five male and three female patients (p= 0.019). Although the majority of resected meningiomas (n= 28, 66.6%) were located in the thoracic spine, meningiomas originating in the cervical spine harbored significantly more AKT1 E17K mutations (6 out of 14, p= 0.010). Notably, all AKT1 mutated meningiomas arose ventrally or ventrolaterally to the spinal cord. The histological examination revealed a WHO Grade 1 in 36 meningiomas (85.7%): 21 meningothelial, 8 psammomatous, 5 transitional, 2 fibrous. The remaining six meningiomas were classified as atypical WHO grade 2. Remarkably, AKT1 E17K mutations were significantly related to a meningothelial subtype (p= 0.044).

Conclusion: Our molecular study demonstrates that AKT1 E17K mutations are a frequent genomic event in spinal meningiomas. The majority of AKT1 mutated meningiomas occurred in male patients, originate in the cervical spine and exhibit a meningothelial histology.