Hemangioblastomas and neurogenic polyglobulia.

Background: Neurogenic polyglobulia occurs with central nervous system hemangioblastomas. Among the suggested mechanisms are extramedullary hematopoiesis in the tumor tissue and germline mutations of the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) tumor suppressor gene.

Objective: To determine the frequency and driving mechanisms of polyglobulia in central nervous system hemangioblastomas.