[Clinicopathological and molecular characteristics of clear cell meningioma: analyses of seventeen cases].

Objective

To investigate the clinicopathological features, immunophenotype, molecular genetic characteristics, and prognosis of clear cell meningioma (CCM).

Methods

Seventeen cases with diagnosed of CCM from four hospitals [Xuanwu Hospital (6 cases), Sanbo Brain Hospital (3 cases), Beijing Children's Hospital (4 cases) Affiliated with Capital Medical University; Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University (4 cases)], from August 2017 to April 2025, were analyzed. All specimens of CCM cases were H&E stained, followed by immunohistochemistry (IHC), next-generation sequencing (NGS), and DNA methylation profiling. Clinical follow-up and prognostic analysis were performed.

Results

The cohort included six males and eleven females, with a median age of 11 (6, 44) years; 10 were pediatric patients, 7 were adult patients. None had neurofibromatosis type 2. Tumor locations included spinal canal (n=5), cerebellopontine angle (n=4), middle/posterior fossa (n=4), petroclival region (n=3), and jugular foramen (n=1). Histologically, tumors showed sheets of polygonal cells with clear glycogen-rich cytoplasm, round/oval nuclei with inconspicuous nucleoli, prominent perivascular and interstitial hyalinized collagen proliferation, and scattered lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates. No other meningioma subtypes were identified (17/17). IHC showed variable expression of EMA, vimentin, SSTR2, and PR, with universal loss of SMARCE1 nuclear expression. The median Ki-67 index was 6%. NGS revealed no NF2 alterations (0/10), while SMARCE1 mutations were detected in 9/10 of cases, including: 2 sites with splice-site mutations, 2 sites with nonsense mutations and 3 sites with frameshift mutations. DNA methylation unsupervised clustering demonstrated distinct profiles separating CCMs (8/33) from other meningiomas (25/33). Among 14 patients with follow-up (median 32 months, range 2-145 months), recurrence occurred in 6 cases and death in 1 case; all recurrence/death cases were pediatric patients. CCM patients had significantly higher recurrence/progression risk compared with WHO grades 1 and 2 meningiomas (HR=3.863, 95%CI: 1.435-10.401,P=0.02), with earlier recurrence. High Ki-67 index (≥10%) was associated with increased risk of recurrence (P<0.01).

Conclusions

CCMs exhibit unique age distribution, anatomical predilection, histopathological changes, immunophenotype (SMARCE1 loss), and molecular profile (SMARCE1 mutations, distinct methylation signature). They demonstrate aggressive behavior, particularly in pediatric patients and cases with high proliferative activity, warranting close clinical surveillance and consideration of adjuvant therapy.