Aggressive giant cell glioblastoma with negative p53 expression: case report

Abstract

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common intrinsic brain tumor in adults, accounting for 67% of primary brain tumors. Giant cell glioblastoma (GCG) is a rare variation of GBM, occurring in less than 5% of the cases. GCG has been demonstrated to affect younger patients and have a more indolent course than traditional GBM with longer survival rates. Age, surgical resection, and genetic features are likely related with better prognosis. The presence of a p53 mutation is found in 75% of GCG with this more indolent behavior. We present a case of a 72 years-old female who presented with an extremely aggressive GCG without p53 expression who had an unusually rapid neurological deterioration and tumor regrowth after surgical excision.

Keywords

• glioblastoma
• astrocytoma
• brain neoplasms