Adult ; Brain Neoplasms ; pathology ; Glioblastoma ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Pineal Gland ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical and pathologic features of gliosarcoma of cerebral hemispheres.

METHODSThe clinicopathologic features of 10 cases of gliosarcoma involving cerebral hemispheres were reviewed. Immunohistochemical study was carried out using EnVision method.

RESULTSThe mean age of the patients was 54 years and the male-to-female ratio was 6 to 4. Clinical symptoms included headache (6/10), nausea/vomiting (5/10), and sensory or motor impairment (4/10). Nine of the cases were primary gliosarcoma, with maximum diameter ranging from 2.4 to 5.5 cm (mean = 4.2 cm). The remaining case represented secondary gliosarcoma involving skull base and extracranial tissues. Histologic examination showed a biphasic pattern in all cases. Regarding the glial component, there were 9 cases of pleomorphic glioblastoma and 1 case of giant cell glioblastoma. Reticulin stain was positive in all cases. Immunohistochemical study showed that the tumor cells variably expressed GFAP (10/10), p16 (4/10), EGFR (1/10), CD68 (1/10) and p53 (6/10). The Ki-67 index ranged from 15% to 70% (mean = 34%). Six patients had follow-up data available. One patient was disease-free for 45 months and 5 patients died of the disease at 3 to 17 months after the operation (mean duration of survival = 9 months).

CONCLUSIONSGliosarcoma is a highly aggressive tumor, often locates in the deeper part cerebral hemispheres and has a relatively short duration of symptoms. It carries a poor prognosis. GFAP immunostain and reticulin stain are helpful in confirming the diagnosis. p53 and p16 are also expressed in some cases.

Adult ; Brain Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cerebrum ; pathology ; Female ; Glioblastoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Gliosarcoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neuroglia ; pathology

A congenital neoplasm arising in the central nervous system is rarely encountered, and the majority of case reports that have dealt with intracranial tumors have been divided almost equally between teratomas and various gliomas. We experienced a rare case of congenital glioblastoma multiforme encountered in a three day-old male infant who presented with hydrocephalus since birth. Post-mortem examination revealed that the tumor seemed to have originated from the right thalamic region extending centrifugally to the cerebral cortex and through the brain-stem down to the cerebellum.
Autopsy ; Brain Neoplasms/*congenital/pathology ; Glioblastoma/*congenital/pathology ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus/*etiology/pathology ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Neoplasm Invasiveness

In this issue of the Chinese Journal of Cancer, European experts review current standards, trends, and future prospects in the difficult domain of high-grade glioma. In all fields covered by the different authors, the progress has been impressive. For example, discoveries at the molecular level have already impacted imaging, surgery, radiotherapy, and systemic therapies, and they are expected to play an increasing role in the management of these cancers. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) has pioneered new treatment strategies and contributed to new standards. The articles in this issue will cover basic molecular biological principles applicable today, novel surgical approaches, innovations in radiotherapy planning and delivery, evidence-based standards for radiotherapy alone or combined with chemotherapy, current standards and novel approaches for systemic treatments, and the important but often neglected field of health-related quality of life. Despite the advances described in these articles, the overall prognosis of high-grade glioma, especially glioblastoma, remains poor, and more research is needed to address this problem.
Brain Neoplasms ; pathology ; therapy ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Glioblastoma ; pathology ; therapy ; Glioma ; pathology ; therapy ; Humans ; Neoplasm Grading ; Quality of Life

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), a highly malignant and heterogeneous brain tumor, contains various types of tumor and non-tumor cells. Whether GBM cells can trans-differentiate into non-neural cell types, including mural cells or endothelial cells (ECs), to support tumor growth and invasion remains controversial. Here we generated two genetic GBM models de novo in immunocompetent mouse brains, mimicking essential pathological and molecular features of human GBMs. Lineage-tracing and transplantation studies demonstrated that, although blood vessels in GBM brains underwent drastic remodeling, evidence of trans-differentiation of GBM cells into vascular cells was barely detected. Intriguingly, GBM cells could promiscuously express markers for mural cells during gliomagenesis. Furthermore, single-cell RNA sequencing showed that patterns of copy number variations (CNVs) of mural cells and ECs were distinct from those of GBM cells, indicating discrete origins of GBM cells and vascular components. Importantly, single-cell CNV analysis of human GBM specimens also suggested that GBM cells and vascular cells are likely separate lineages. Rather than expansion owing to trans-differentiation, vascular cell expanded by proliferation during tumorigenesis. Therefore, cross-lineage trans-differentiation of GBM cells is very unlikely to occur during gliomagenesis. Our findings advance understanding of cell lineage dynamics during gliomagenesis, and have implications for targeted treatment of GBMs.
Mice ; Animals ; Humans ; Glioblastoma/pathology* ; Endothelial Cells/pathology* ; DNA Copy Number Variations ; Brain/metabolism* ; Brain Neoplasms/pathology*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of conventional postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy in the management of supratentorial malignant glioma and to determine favorable prognostic factors affecting survival. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From Sep. 1985 to Mar. 1997, the number of eligible patients who received postoperative radiotherapy completely was 69. They ranged in age from 7 to 66 years (median, 47). Forty-two (61%) patients were glioblastoma multiforme and the other 27 (39%) were anaplastic astrocytoma. Twenty patients (29%) had Karnofsky score equal or more than 80 preoperatively. Forty-three patients (62%) had symptom duration equal or less than 3 months. Twenty-four patients (35%) had gross total resection and forty patients(58%) had partial resection, the remaining five patients (7%) had biopsy only. Radiotherapy dose ranged from 50.4 Gy to 61.2 Gy (median, 55.8; mode, 59.4) with fraction size of 1.8 Gy-2.0 Gy for 33-83 days(median, 48) except three patients delivered 33, 36, 39 Gy, respectively with fraction size of 3.0 Gy due to poor postoperative performance status. Follow-up rate was 93% and median follow-up period was 14 months. RESULTS: Overall survival rate at 2 and 3 years and median survival were 38%, 20%, and 16 months for entire patients; 67%, 44%, and 34 months for anaplastic astrocytoma; 18%, 4%, and 14 months for glioblastoma multiforme, respectively (p=0.0001). According to the extent of surgery, 3-year overall survival for gross total resection, partial resection, and biopsy only was 38%, 11%, and 0%, respectively (p=0.02). The 3-year overall survival rates for patients age 40>, 40-59, and 60< or = were 52%, 8%, and 0%, respectively (p=0.0007). For the variate of performance score 80< or = vs 80>, the 3-year survival rates were 53% and 9%, respectively (p=0.008). On multivariate analysis including covariates of three surgical and age subgroups as above, pathology, extent of surgery and age were significant prognostic factors affecting overall survival. On another multivariate analysis with covariates of two surgical (total resection vs others) and two age (50> vs 50< or =) subgroups, then, pathology, extent of surgery and performancestatus were significant factors instead of age and 3-year cumulative survival rate for the five patients with these three favorable factors was 100% without serious sequela. CONCLUSION: We confirmed the role of postoperative conventional radiotherapy in the management of supratentorial malignant glioma by improving survival as compared with historical data of surgery only. Patients with anaplastic astrocytoma, good performance score, gross total resection and/or young age survived longest. Maximum surgical resection with acceptable preservation of neurologic function should be attempted in glioblastoma patients, especially in younger patients. But the survival of most glioblastoma patients without favorable factors is still poor, so other active adjuvant treatment modalities should be tried or added rather than conventional radiation treatment alone in this subgroup.
Astrocytoma ; Biopsy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glioblastoma ; Glioma* ; Humans ; Multivariate Analysis ; Pathology ; Radiotherapy ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVE: On the magnetic resonance image (MRI) of the infiltrating brain tumor, enhancement is usually higher in malignant tumor than in benign tumor, and tumor cells can invade into the peritumoral area without definite enhancement. In various pathological conditions, the blood brain barrier (BBB) becomes changed to pathological condition, allowing various materials extravasating into the interstitial space, and degree of enhancement is depend on the pathology. Authors performed dynamic MRI on enhancing and surrounding edematous area in order to evaluate the degrees of opening of BBB, to differentiate tumor from non-tumorous condition, and to determine its relationship with the recurrence of the tumor. METHODS: Dynamic MRI was performed in 25 patients. Dynamic scans were done every 15 seconds after administration of Gd-DTPA on the enhancing and surrounding area for maximum 300 seconds, and the patterns of enhancement were analysed. The enhancement curve with initial steep increase followed by slow decrease was defined as "N pattern", those with initial steep increase followed by additional slow increase as "T pattern", and those with initial steep increase followed by plateau as "E pattern". Histopathological findings were compared with the dynamic scan. RESULTS: The graphs taken from enhancing area showed "T pattern" regardless of pathology. In the surrounding area, "T pattern" was noticed in the malignant tumors, but "E pattern" or "N pattern" was noted in low-grade or benign tumors and non-tumorous condition. "T pattern" in the surrounding area was related to the malignancy with tumor cell infiltration and recurrence. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the malignant tumor infiltration changes the condition of BBB enough to extravasate the Gd-DTPA. Enhancement pattern in the surrounding edematous area may be a useful information to differentiate the malignant glioma with the low-grade and benign tumors or other non-tumorous conditions.
Blood-Brain Barrier ; Brain Neoplasms* ; Brain* ; Gadolinium DTPA ; Glioblastoma ; Glioma ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Pathology ; Recurrence

Interstitial irradiation using high-activity Iridium-192 sources was studied clinically to treat supratentorial malignant astrocytomas(including glioblastoma multifrome). As of 1988, in attempt to define the efficacy of this technique in patients with more extensive disease, we treated patients less rigid selection criteria. 15 eligible patients have been approached and ten have accepted randomization for follow-up study over two years. Pathology was anaplastic astrocytoma in 5 patients, glioblastoma multiforme in 5 patients. Mean survival of patients treated with this procedure was 18.4 months. Continued investigation will determine which patient may benefit from this techique.
Astrocytoma* ; Brachytherapy* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glioblastoma ; Humans ; Pathology ; Patient Selection ; Random Allocation

In the field of computational histopathology, computer-assisted diagnosis systems are important in obtaining patient-specific diagnosis for various diseases and help precision medicine. Therefore, many studies on automatic analysis methods for digital pathology images have been reported. In this work, we discuss an automatic feature extraction and disease stage classification method for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) histopathological images. In this paper, we use deep convolutional neural networks (Deep CNNs) to acquire feature descriptors and a classification scheme simultaneously. Further, comparisons with other popular CNNs objectively as well as quantitatively in this challenging classification problem is undertaken. The experiments using Glioma images from The Cancer Genome Atlas shows that we obtain 96:5% average classification accuracy for our network and for higher cross validation folds other networks perform similarly with a higher accuracy of 98:0%. Deep CNNs could extract significant features from the GBM histopathology images with high accuracy. Overall, the disease stage classification of GBM from histopathological images with deep CNNs is very promising and with the availability of large scale histopathological image data the deep CNNs are well suited in tackling this challenging problem.
Classification* ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted ; Genome ; Glioblastoma* ; Glioma ; Methods ; Pathology ; Precision Medicine ; Subject Headings

BACKGROUND: Mixed gliomas, such as oligoastrocytomas (OA), anaplastic oligoastrocytomas, and glioblastomas (GBMs) with an oligodendroglial component (GBMO) are defined as tumors composed of a mixture of two distinct neoplastic cell types, astrocytic and oligodendroglial. Recently, mutations ATRX and TP53, and codeletion of 1p/19q are shown to be genetic hallmarks of astrocytic and oligodendroglial tumors, respectively. Subsequent molecular analyses of mixed gliomas preferred the reclassification to either oligodendroglioma or astrocytoma. This study was designed to apply genetically integrated diagnostic criteria to mixed gliomas and determine usefulness and prognostic value of new classification in Korean patients. METHODS: Fifty-eight cases of mixed OAs and GBMOs were retrieved from the pathology archives of Seoul National University Hospital from 2004 to 2015. Reclassification was performed according to genetic and immunohistochemical properties. Clinicopathological characteristics of each subgroup were evaluated. Overall survival was assessed and compared between subgroups. RESULTS: We could reclassify all mixed OAs and GBMOs into either astrocytic or oligodendroglial tumors. Notably, 29 GBMOs could be reclassified into 11 cases of GBM, IDH-mutant, 16 cases of GBM, IDH-wildtype, and two cases of anaplastic oligodendroglioma, IDH mutant. Overall survival was significantly different among these new groups (p<.001). Overall survival and progression-free survival were statistically better in gliomas with IDH mutation, ATRX mutation, no microscopic necrosis, and young patient age (cut off, 45 years old). CONCLUSIONS: Our results strongly suggest that a genetically integrated diagnosis of glioma better reflects prognosis than former morphology-based methods.
Astrocytoma ; Classification ; Diagnosis ; Disease-Free Survival ; Genetics ; Glioblastoma ; Glioma ; Humans ; Necrosis ; Oligodendroglioma ; Pathology ; Prognosis ; Seoul