Abstract
Gliosarcoma is a rare brain tumor that consists of both glial and mesenchymal components. We report the case of a 68-year-old female with cranial gliosarcoma metastatic to the spinal cord. Initially, the patient was diagnosed with cranial gliosarcoma and treated with surgical resection followed by radiotherapy. Four months after she completed treatment, she presented with a sudden onset of hemiplegia. MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scan demonstrated two masses at the thoracic spinal cord. Immediate surgery was performed and the lesions were resected. No further therapy was recommended due to the poor condition of the patient. The patient subsequently died 3 months after diagnosis of the spinal cord metastases. There are about 20 reported cases of metastatic gliosarcoma and most focus on systemic metastases of gliosarcoma. Spinal cord metastases are, however, very rare and here we report such a case. Available literature on metastatic gliosarcoma was also reviewed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Galanis E, Buckner JC, Dinapoli RP, Scheithauer BW, Jenkins RB, Wang CH et al (1998) Clinical outcome of gliosarcoma compared with glioblastoma multiforme: North central cancer treatment group results. J Neurosurg 89:425–430
Meis JM, Martz KL, Nelson JS (1991) Mixed glioblastoma multiforme and sarcoma. A clinicopathologic study of 26 radiation therapy oncology group cases. Cancer 7:2342–2349
Stroebe H (1895) Uber entstehung und bau der gehirngliome. Beitr Pathol Anat Allg Pathol 18:405–486
Feigin I, Gross SW (1955) Sarcoma arising in glioblastoma of the brain. Am J Pathol 31:633–653
Kleihues P, Burger PC, Scheithauer BW (1993) The new WHO classification of brain tumors. Brain Pathol 3:255–268
Lutterbach J, Guttenberger R, Pagenstecher A (2001) Gliosarcoma: a clinical study. Radiother Oncol 61:57–64
Salvati M, Caroli E, Raco A, Giangaspero F, Delfini R, Ferrante L (2005) Gliosarcomas: analysis of 11 cases do two subtypes exist? J Neurooncol 74:59–63
Morantz RA, Feigin I, Ransohoff J III (1976) Clinical and pathological study of 24 cases of gliosarcoma. J Neurosurg 45:398–408
Maiuri F, Stella L, Benvenuti D, Giamundo A, Pettinato G (1990) Cerebral gliosarcomas: correlation of computed tomographic findings, surgical aspect, pathologic features, and prognosis. Neurosurgery 26:261–267
Feigin I, Allen LB, Lipkin L, Gross SW (1958) The endothelial hyperplasia of the cerebral blood vessels with brain tumors, and its sarcomatous transformation. Cancer 11(2):264–277
Garret R (1958) Glioblastoma and fibrosarcoma of the brain with extracranial metastases. Cancer Phil 11:884–894
Ehrenreich T, Devlin JF (1958) A complex of glioblastoma and spindle-cell sarcoma with pulmonary metastases. Arch Pathol 66:536–549
Smith DR, Hardman JM, Earle KM (1969) Contiguous glioblastoma multiforme and fibrosarcoma with extracranial metastases. Cancer 24:270–276
Weaver D, Vandenberg S, Park TS et al (1984) Selective peripancreatic sarcoma metastases from primary gliosarcoma. Case report. J Neurosurg 61:599–601
Ojeda VJ, Sterrett GF (1984) Cerebral gliosarcoma, pulmonary adenoid-cystic carcinoma, and pulmonary metastatic gliosarcoma: report of an untreated case. Pathology 16:217–221
Cerame MA, Guthikonda M, Kohli CM (1985) Extraneural metastases in gliosarcoma: a case report and review of the literature. Neurosurgery 17:413–418
Yokoyama H, Ono H, Mori K et al (1985) Extracranial metastasis of glioblastoma with sarcomatous component. Surg Neurol 24:641–645
Wharton SB, Whittle IR, Collie DA et al (2001) Gliosarcoma with areas of primitive neuroepithelial differentiation and extracranial metastasis. Clin Neuropathol 20:212–218
Gjerdrum LM, Bojsen-Moller M (1999) October 1998 61-year-old male with brain tumor and oral, lung and palpebral masses. Brain Pathol 9:421–422
Beaumont TL, Kupsky WJ, Barger GR, Sloan AE (2007) Gliosarcoma with multiple extracranial metastases: case report and review of the literature. J Neurooncol 83:39–46
Matsuyama J, Mori T, Hori S et al (1989) Gliosarcoma with multiple extracranial metastases. Case report. Neurol Med Chir (Tokyo) 29:938–943
Witwer BP, Salamat MS, Resnick DK (2000) Gliosarcoma metastatic to the cervical spinal cord: case report and review of the literature. Surg Neurol 54:373–379
Fischer S, Lee W, Aulisi E, Singh H (2007) Gliosarcoma with intramedullary spinal metastases: a case report and review of the literature. J Clin Oncol 25:447–449
Okami N, Kawamata T, Kubo O, Yamane F, Kawamura H, Hori T (2002) Infantile gliosarcoma: a case and a review of the literature. Childs Nerv Syst 18:351–355
Woltjer RL, Weil RJ, Moots PL, Johnson MD (2003) Pathologic quiz case: cerebellar hemorrhage in an octogenarian. Gliosarcoma. Arch Pathol Lab Med 127:345–346
Pakos EE, Goussia AC, Zina VP, Tsekeris P, Tsekeris PG (2005) Multi-focal gliosarcoma: a case report and review of the literature. J Neurooncol 74:301–304
Hsu E, Keene D, Ventureyra E et al (1998) Bone marrow metastasis in astrocytic gliomata. J Neurooncol 37:285–293
Schuster H, Jellinger K, Gund A, Regele H (1976) Extracranial metastases of anaplastic cerebral gliomas. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 35:247–259
Cervio A, Piedimonte F, Salaberry J et al (2001) Bone metastases from secondary glioblastoma multiforme: a case report. J Neurooncol 52:141–148
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Demirci, S., Akalin, T., Islekel, S. et al. Multiple spinal metastases of cranial gliosarcoma: a case report and review of the literature. J Neurooncol 88, 199–204 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11060-008-9550-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11060-008-9550-4