Long-term survival of a patient with giant cell glioblastoma - Case report

The authors report on a patient who had undergone resection of a left-sided temporal giant cell glioblastoma at the age of 69 years and who survived f or more than 17 years. This man had not undergone postoperative radiotherap y or adjuvant chemotherapy. He died at the age of 86 years without clinical evidence of tumor recurrence. Histologically, the lesion was characterized by highly pleomorphic tumor cells (including bizarre multinucleated giant cells) with high mitotic activity, large necroses, and prominent mononuclea r infiltration. A point mutation in the TP53 tumor suppressor gene (c.524G> A: R175H) and no epidermal growth factor receptor gene amplification were r evealed on molecular genetic analysis. No diagnostic chromosomal imbalances were identified on comparative genomic hybridization, although the average ratio profile for chromosome 10 indicated loss of 10p15 in a subpopulation of tumor cells. This patient is exceptional because tumor resection, proba bly in conjunction with a marked antitumor immune response, apparently resu lted in eradication of the lesion.