GLIOFIBROMA - A DISTINCT ENTITY QR A SUBTYPE OF DESMOPLASTIC ASTROCYTOMA

Gliofibromas are rarely encountered astrocytic neoplasms characterized by an admixture of astrocytic and fibroblastic cell components, The e xact nature of these rare tumors are still a matter of considerable de bate. This article reports a case of gliofibroma occurring in a 3-mont h-old boy, The astrocytic component of the tumor stained diffusely pos itive for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and S-100 protein, Pr ominent reticulin staining was observed within the fibroblastic compon ent of the tumor, The MIBI labeling index (positive number of tumor ce lls divided by total tumor cells counted x100) was low (0.9), supporti ng the general stow growth of these tumors, Immunohistochemical staini ng with antibody against p53 protein was negative. Gliofibromas seem t o be a low-grade variant of an astrocytoma that shares many features w ith other desmoplastic astrocytic neoplasms (desmoplastic infantile as trocytoma, desmoplastic infantile ganglioglioma) including a generally favorable prognosis. Copyright (C) 1996 by W.B. Saunders Company