Background: Atypical rhabdoid teratoid tumors are very rare embryonal tumors that typically affect children younger than 3 years old and are encountered intracranially.
Case description: Here, we describe the case of a 19-year-old woman who presented with gait disturbances and coccydynia. Imaging revealed a cauda equina mass. The tumor was partially resected. Histology reported loss of SMARCB1/INI1 expression and therefore the diagnosis of atypical rhabdoid teratoid was established. The patient underwent radiation treatment, but within 3 months 2 relapses were manifested.
Conclusions: Atypical rhabdoid teratoids are exceptionally rare in adults and are seldom found in spine; only 8 such cases have been reported in the medical literature. They are invariantly characterized by multiple relapses and dismal prognosis. The clinician must be attentive of leptomeningeal disseminations and 22q11 deletion-associated comorbidities.
Keywords: ATRT; Adult; Atypical rhabdoid teratoid tumors; Spinal.
Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Inc.