LOCAL INVASIVITY OF GLIOBLASTOMA-MULTIFORME WITH DESTRUCTION OF SKULLBONE - CASE-REPORT AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Primary tumors originating from cells of the glial lineage usually aff ect predominantly the white matter of the brain. Only rarely do glioma s destroy the surrounding bone by invasion of the extracellular matrix , especially without prior surgery. This paper describes the unusual c ase of a 66-year-old female patient with a left-sided intra- and extra cranial tumor involving the temporal lobe, destroying the underlying s kull base, and growing into the paranasal sinuses, orbit, and temporal bone. Biopsy revealed glioblastoma multiforme with strong GFAP positi vity. Molecular biologic investigations of the p53, EGFR, and mdm2 gen es showed functional inactivation of the p53 gene but no overexpressio n of oncogenes. Because the tumor was considered inoperable, palliativ e irradiation was carried out. The patient died 7 months after diagnos is. The causes of this phenomenon are discussed and the literature rev iewed.