Gliosarcoma is a rare type of glioma, a cancer of the brain that comes from glial, or supportive, brain cells, as opposed to the neural brain cells. Gliosarcoma is a malignant cancer, and is defined as a glioblastoma consisting of gliomatous and sarcomatous components.[3] Primary gliosarcoma (PGS) is classified as a grade IV tumor and a subtype of glioblastoma multiforme in the 2007 World Health Organization classification system (GBM).[4] Because of a lack of specific and clear diagnostic criteria, the word "gliosarcoma" was frequently used to refer to glial tumours with mesenchymal properties,[5] such as the ability to make collagen and reticulin.[6]

Gliosarcoma
Other namesSarcomatous glioblastoma [1]
Micrograph showing a gliosarcoma. Elastic van Gieson's stain.
SpecialtyNeuro-oncology
Usual onsetBetween 40 and 60 years old[2]
PrognosisFive-year survival rate: 5.6%[2]
Frequency~215 new diagnoses per year (United States)[2]

It is estimated that approximately 2.1% of all glioblastomas are gliosarcomas. Although most gliomas rarely show metastases outside the cerebrum, gliosarcomas have a propensity to do so, most commonly spreading through the blood to the lungs, and also liver and lymph nodes.[7]

They most commonly present in the temporal lobe[8][9] and frontal lobe.[10]

Pathogenesis

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Early reports claimed that the hyperplastic blood vessels that are frequently present in high grade gliomas underwent neoplastic change to become the sarcomatous components.[6] Feigin's early reports components of perivascular sarcomatous and hyperplastic arteries in gliosarcoma offered evidence for the "collision tumor" hypothesis.[11] Also, Studies demonstrating the sarcomatous component's histological sensitivity to markers of vascular endothelium such factor CD34, von Willebrand factor, and VIII supported this theory.[12][13][14] An alternative view that has recently gained support suggests that both gliosarcoma components have a monoclonal origin, with the sarcomatous component deriving from abnormal differentiation of malignant gliomal mesenchyma. First, gliomatous and sarcomatous components were shown to have similar p53 alterations by Biernat and colleagues.[15] In both tumor regions, Reis and colleagues found similar nuclear accumulation of p53, deletion of p16, mutations of PTEN,and amplifications of CDK4.[16] Other scientists then noted that both gliosarcoma components had similar genetic changes and chromosomal abnormalities of the kind often seen in GBM.[17][18]

Clinical characteristics

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Gliosarcoma is rare; incidence ranges from 1.8 to 2.8 percent lower than that of GBMs.[19] PGS affects persons in their 6th to 7th years of life, and it is much more frequent in males than in females (with 1.4-1.8:1 ratio).[19] Depending on where the tumor is located, the reported presenting signs and symptoms, such as aphasia, headaches, hemiparesis, seizures, and cognitive loss, are similar with those of a fast developing intracranial tumor. Many researchers have come to the conclusion that these tumors are clinically identical to GBM due to their clinical similarities.[20]

Imaging

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On CT imaging, the lesions might show as Well-defined high-density lesion edges and homogeneous enhancement, replicating the meningioma appearance, or as lesions with large necrotic regions and GBM-like heterogeneous contrast enhancement.[21][22] Marked peritumoral edema is a characteristic and frequent hallmark of gliosarcomas observed on MRI.[19]

Metastasis

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GBM and other cerebral gliomas rarely metastasize outside the brain. Numerous authors described incidences of metastatic foci that mixed gliomatous and sarcomatous components,[23][24] while others reported metastatic foci that were entirely composed of the sarcomatous component.[25][26][27] Most gliosarcoma extracranial metastases are found in the lung and liver, but there have been reports of metastases elsewhere as well,[28][29][30][31][32] including evidence of intramedullary metastases to the cervical spine.[33]

Treatment

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Tumor removal, postoperative radiation treatment, and chemotherapy with nitrosureas, misonidazole, dacarbazine, temozolomide, doxorubicin , vincristine, cisplatin, mithramycin, ametophterin, thalidomide, or irinotecan have all been recorded as treatment options for gliosarcoma[34] and radiotherapy with temozolomide.[35]

Prognosis

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PGS has a poor prognosis,[36] a prognosis of median survival of 4 months in untreated individuals.[37] The National Cancer Institute states that the relative five-year survival rate of gliosarcoma is only 5.6%.[2]

References

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  1. ^ "Gliosarcoma: Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center (GARD) – an NCATS Program". rarediseases.info.nih.gov. Archived from the original on 13 July 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d "Gliosarcoma Diagnosis and Treatment". National Cancer Institute. 17 September 2018. Archived from the original on October 11, 2021. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  3. ^ Ayadi L, Charfi S, Khabir A, Kalle R, Sellami A, Makni S, et al. (March 2010). "[Cerebral gliosarcoma: clinico-pathologic study of 8 cases]". La Tunisie Médicale (in French). 88 (3): 142–146. PMID 20415184.
  4. ^ Louis D, Ohgaki H, Wiestler OD, Cavenee WK, Burger PC, Jouvet A, Scheithauer BW, Kleihues P (2007) The 2007 WHO classification of tumours of the central nervous system. Acta Neuropathol 114:97–109
  5. ^ Stroebe H (1895) Ueber Entstehung und Bau der Gehirnglioma. Beitr Pathol Anat Allg Pathol 19:405–486
  6. ^ a b Feigin I, Gross SW (1954) Sarcoma arising in glioblastoma of the brain. Am J Pathol 31:633–653
  7. ^ Beaumont TL, Kupsky WJ, Barger GR, Sloan AE (May 2007). "Gliosarcoma with multiple extracranial metastases: case report and review of the literature". Journal of Neuro-Oncology. 83 (1): 39–46. doi:10.1007/s11060-006-9295-x. PMID 17171442. S2CID 13171064.
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  10. ^ Meis J, Martz KL, Nelson JS (1990) Mixed glioblastoma multiforme and sarcoma: a clinicopathologic study of 26 radiation therapy oncology group cases. Cancer 67:2342–2349
  11. ^ Feigin I, Allen LB, Lipkin L, Gross SW (1958) The endothelial hyperplasia of cerebral blood vessels with brain tumors, and its sarcomatous transformation. Cancer 2:264–277
  12. ^ McComb R, Jones TR, Pizzo SV, Bigner DD (1982) Immunohistochemical detection of factor VIII/von Willebrand factor in hyperplastic endothelial cells in glioblastoma multiforme and mixed glioma-sarcoma. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 41:479–489
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  16. ^ Reis R, Konu-Lebleblicioglu D, Lopes JM, Kleihues P, Ohgaki H (2000) Genetic profile of gliosarcomas. Am J Pathol 156:425–432
  17. ^ Actor B, Cobbers JM, Buschges R, Wolter M, Knobbe CB, Lichter P, Reifenberger G, Weber RG (2002) Comprehensive analysis of genomic alterations in gliosarcoma and its two tissue components. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 34:416–427
  18. ^ Boerman R, Anderl K, Herath J, Borell T, Johnson N, SchaefferKlein J, Kirchof A, Raap AK, Scheithauer BW, Jenkins RB (1996) The glilal and mesenchymal elements of gliosarcomas share similar genetic alterations. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 55:973–981
  19. ^ a b c Lutterbach J, Guttenberger R, Pagenstecher A (2001) Gliosarcoma: a clinical study. Radiother Oncol 61:57–64
  20. ^ Machuca T, Prevedello DM, Pope LZ, Haratz SS, Araujo JC, Torres LF (2004) Gliosarcoma: report of four cases with immunohistochemical findings. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 62:608–612
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  22. ^ Maiuri F, Stella L, Benvenuti D, Giamundo A, Pettinato G (1990) Cerebral gliosarcomas: correlation of computed tomographic findings, surgical aspect, pathological features, and prognosis. Neurosurgery 26:261–267
  23. ^ Ehrenreich T, Devlin JF (1958) A complex of glioblastoma and spindle-cell sarcoma with pulmonary metastases. Arch Pathol 66:536–549
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  25. ^ Smith D, Hardman JM, Earle KM (1969) Glioblastoma multiforme and fibrosarcoma with extracranial metastasis. Cancer 24:270–276
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  28. ^ Weaver D, Vandenberg S, Park TS, Jane JA (1984) Selective peripancreatic sarcoma metastases from primary gliosarcoma.J Neurosurg 61:599–601
  29. ^ Cerame M, Guthikonda M, Kohli CM (1985) Extraneural metastases in gliosarcoma: a case report and review of literature. Neurosurgery 17:413–418
  30. ^ Slowik F, Balogh I (1980) Extracranial spreading of glioblastoma multiforme. Zentralbl Neurochir 41:57–68
  31. ^ Matsuyama J, Mori T, Hori S, Nakano T, Yamada A (1989) Gliosarcoma with multiple extracranial metastases. Case report. Neurol Med Chir (Tokyo) 29:938–943
  32. ^ Yokoyama H, Ono H, Mori K, Kishikawa M, Kihara M (1985) Extracranial metastasis of glioblastoma with sarcomatous component. Surg Neurol 24:641–645
  33. ^ Witwer B, Salamat MS, Resnick DK (2000) Gliosarcoma metastatic to the cervical spine cord: case report and review of the literature. Surg Neurol 54:373–379
  34. ^ Rodriguez F, Scheithauer BW, Jenkins R, Burger PC, Rudzinskiy P, Vlodavsky E, Schooley A, Landolfi J (2007) Gliosarcoma arising in oligodendroglial tumors (‘‘oligosarcoma’’): a clinicopathologic study. Am J Surg Pathol 31:351–362
  35. ^ Stupp R, Mason WP, Van den Bent MJ, Weller M, Fisher B, Taphoorn MJ et al (2005) Radiotherapy plus concomitant and adjuvant temozolomide for glioblastoma. N Engl J Med 352:987–996
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  This article incorporates public domain material from Dictionary of Cancer Terms. U.S. National Cancer Institute.