METASTATIC GLIOBLASTOMA-MULTIFORME IN CERVICAL LYMPH-NODES - REPORT OF A CASE WITH DIAGNOSIS BY FINE-NEEDLE ASPIRATION

Metastatic glioblastoma multiforme is a rare event usually seen in pat ients with previous and repeated surgery. Fine needle aspiration from enlarged lymph nodes in a patient with cerebral glioblastoma multiform e showed a highly cellular smear with dispersed single cells and cell clusters. The cells had marked pleomorphism, hyperchromasia, coarse ch romatin, prominent nucleoli and occasional intranuclear cytoplasmic in clusions. Multinucleate giant cells and marked endothelial proliferati on were also seen. The diagnosis of metastatic glioblastoma multiforme was supported by immunohistochemistry, which showed many cells with t hick and large cytoplasmic processes with intense immunoreactivity to glial fibrillary acid protein. The differential diagnosis with other m etastatic small cell tumors is discussed.