# Metastatic extra-axial medulloblastoma involving the trigeminal nerve: a rare prognostic entity with a comprehensive literature review

**Authors:** Federica D’Antonio, Andrea Carai, Giada del Baldo, Sabrina Rossi, Giovanna Stefania Colafati, Eleonora Piccirilli, Sabina Barresi, Isabella Giovannoni, Veronica Capelli, Selene Cipri, Rita Alaggio, Antonella Cacchione, Angela Mastronuzzi

PMC · DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2025.1573781 · Frontiers in Oncology · 2026-01-19

## TL;DR

This paper reports a rare case of a child with a medulloblastoma tumor in the trigeminal nerve and unusual metastases, highlighting a new genetic variant.

## Contribution

The paper presents the first reported case of a pediatric patient with a CHEK2 germline variant and extra-axial medulloblastoma with CNS and extra-neural metastases.

## Key findings

- A pediatric patient with a CHEK2 germline variant developed extra-axial medulloblastoma in the trigeminal nerve.
- The tumor metastasized to the central nervous system and extra-neural sites.
- This case expands the known genetic associations with medulloblastoma.

## Abstract

Medulloblastomas (MB) are the most common malignant central nervous system tumors in children. They usually develop in the cerebellar vermis or the fourth ventricle, while in adults they typically originate from the paramedian region or the lateral cerebellar hemispheres. It’s rare for MBs to originate outside the brain and spinal cord (extra-axial), such as in the skull, meninges, and nerves. Metastases of MB typically occur within the central nervous system, with metastases outside the nervous system (extra-neural) being uncommon at the time of diagnosis (1-2%), but can increase to 5-10% during advanced stages. Around 5-6% of MBs are associated with inherited cancer predisposition syndromes, with common genetic variants including PTCH1, SUFU, TP53, and SMO. This report describes the first pediatric patient harboring a CHEK2 germline variant of uncertain significance and developing a EA- MB localized at the trigeminal nerve and subsequent CNS and EN metastases.

## Linked entities

- **Genes:** CHEK2 (checkpoint kinase 2) [NCBI Gene 11200], PTCH1 (patched 1) [NCBI Gene 5727], SUFU (SUFU negative regulator of hedgehog signaling) [NCBI Gene 51684], TP53 (tumor protein p53) [NCBI Gene 7157], SMO (smoothened, frizzled class receptor) [NCBI Gene 6608]
- **Diseases:** medulloblastoma (MONDO:0002794)

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** TP53 (tumor protein p53) [NCBI Gene 7157] {aka BCC7, BMFS5, LFS1, P53, TRP53}, SUFU (SUFU negative regulator of hedgehog signaling) [NCBI Gene 51684] {aka BCNS2, JBTS32, PRO1280, SUFUH, SUFUXL}, SMO (smoothened, frizzled class receptor) [NCBI Gene 6608] {aka CRJS, FZD11, Gx, PHLS, SMOH}, PTCH1 (patched 1) [NCBI Gene 5727] {aka BCNS, BCNS1, NBCCS, PTC, PTC1, PTCH}, CHEK2 (checkpoint kinase 2) [NCBI Gene 11200] {aka CDS1, CHK2, HuCds1, LFS2, PP1425, RAD53}
- **Diseases:** inherited cancer predisposition (MESH:D009386), Metastases (MESH:D009362), central nervous system tumors (MESH:D016543), -axial medulloblastoma (MESH:D008527), MBs (MESH:C567291)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]

## Full text

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## Figures

4 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12861904/full.md

## References

64 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12861904/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12861904