Abstract
Background : Gliosarcoma is one of the rare brain tumors and carries a poor prognosis. Here, we report a case of gliosarcoma in which squash cytology with Ultrafast-Papanicolaou (U-Pap) staining provided useful diagnostic information.
Case : A 68-year-old woman was hospitalized with paralysis of the right upper extremity and cognitive decline. A head magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed an abnormal shadow, 47 mm in diameter, in the left frontal lobe. Tumor resection was performed, and frozen section examination was performed in combination with squash cytology during the operation. The tumor was diagnosed histopathologically as a gliosarcoma. However, it was difficult to make the diagnosis by squash cytology at that time.
The tumor recurred and a repeat resection was performed. A squash cytology preparation stained with U-Pap stain at the second surgery showed two different types of tumor cells, glioblasts and fibrous mesenchymal cells with atypia, which represents important and useful information for the diagnosis of gliosarcoma.
Conclusion : Examination of a squash cytology preparation using U-Pap staining provides useful information for the cytodiagnosis of brain tumors, especially gliosarcomas, which are composed of both glial fibers in glioblastic tumor cells and mesenchymal cells.
