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Gliosarcoma with melanocytic differentiation

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Abstract

We present an unusual case of gliosarcoma containing numerous islands of well-differentiated melanocytes in a 65 year-old man. Melanocytic differentiation of medulloblastomas is well described, and it has also rarely been reported in low-grade glial neoplasms. Histologic features and immunophenotyping are helpful in differentiating divergent differentiation in a gliosarcoma from melanoma. To our knowledge, this is the first description of a gliosarcoma with melanocytic differentiation. Awareness of the phenomenon of melanocytic differentiation within primary neuroepithelial and glial neoplasms is important to prevent the misdiagnosis of these tumors such as metastatic melanoma or primary melanocytic neoplasms of the CNS.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Marilyn Masek, Martin Estrada and Linda Andersen for excellent technical assistance, Anet James for skillful digital photo editing, and Dr. Andrew Connolly for helpful comments. Supported in part by NINDS grant K08 NS45077 (NLL).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, Stanford University Medical Center, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA

    Mohanpal S. Dulai, Gregory S. Moes, Anita L. Briley, Ilana B. Galperin, Athena M. Cherry & Norman L. Lehman

  2. Department of Pathology, Kaiser Permanente Redwood City Medical Center, 1150 Veterans Blvd, Redwood City, CA, 94063, USA

    Lawrence Smyth

Authors
  1. Mohanpal S. Dulai
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  2. Gregory S. Moes
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  3. Anita L. Briley
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  4. Ilana B. Galperin
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  5. Lawrence Smyth
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  6. Athena M. Cherry
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  7. Norman L. Lehman
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Norman L. Lehman.

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Dulai, M.S., Moes, G.S., Briley, A.L. et al. Gliosarcoma with melanocytic differentiation. Acta Neuropathol 115, 357–361 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00401-007-0232-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00401-007-0232-7

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