Gliosarcoma

Gliosarcoma
Classification and external resources

Micrograph showing a gliosarcoma. Elastic van Gieson's stain.
ICD-O: M9442/3

Gliosarcoma is a rare type of glioma, a cancer of the brain that comes from glial, or supportive, brain cells, as opposed to the neural brain cells. Gliosarcoma is a malignant cancer, and is defined as a glioblastoma consisting of gliomatous and sarcomatous components.[1]

It is estimated that approximately 2.1% of all glioblastomas are gliosarcomas. Although most gliomas rarely show metastases outside the cerebrum, gliosarcomas have a propensity to do so, most commonly spreading through the blood to the lungs, and also liver and lymph nodes. [2]

Gliosarcomas have an epidemiology similar to that of glioblastomas, with the average age of onset being 53 years, and males being affected twice as often as females. most commonly present in the temporal lobe. It has been suggested that gliosarcomas are radiation-induced.

References

  1. ^ Ayadi L, Charfi S, Khabir A, et al. (March 2010). "[Cerebral gliosarcoma: clinico-pathologic study of 8 cases]" (in French). Tunis Med 88 (3): 142–6. PMID 20415184. 
  2. ^ Beumont et al.; Kupsky, WJ; Barger, GR; Sloan, AE (2007). "Gliosarcoma with multiple extracranial metastases: case report and review of the literature". J. Neurooncology 83 (1): 39–46. doi:10.1007/s11060-006-9295-x. PMID 17171442. 

External links

 This article incorporates public domain material from the U.S. National Cancer Institute document "Dictionary of Cancer Terms".

References