Abstract
An 18-year-old female developed convulsive seizures and was hospitalized 3 months after their onset. On admission, she displayed no neurological deficits. Plain computed tomography showed a high-density area in the right frontal lobe. A ring-like enhanced mass lesion was visualized on contrast infusion. At surgery, a 3 × 3 × 3-cm cystic tumor was found in the right frontal lobe. On histological examination the tumor exhibited high cellularity and pleomorphism and contained spindle-shaped cells and bizarre, multinucleated giant cells, findings suggestive of a glioblastoma multiforme or malignant mesenchymal tumor. However, neither necrosis nor mitotic figures were evident. The tumor cells were surrounded by a dense network of reticulin fibers, and peroxidaseantiperoxidase staining was positive for cytoplasmic glial fibrillary acidic and S-100 proteins. These findings confirmed the diagnosis of pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma. The clinicopathological features of pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma are discussed.
