Optic pathway gliosarcoma: A very rare location for a rare disease

Abstract

Gliosarcoma, a variant of glioblastoma, is a rare and aggressive tumor of the central nervous system (CNS) composed of glial and sarcomatous tissues. Up to now, there are only 2 reported cases of gliosarcoma of the optical pathway. We report a case from March 2018 of a 53-year-old male patient presented with 6 months’ of right fronto-orbital pulsatile headache, behavior changes, and visual loss. The MRI study showed an expansile optic pathway lesion involving the chiasm and right optic nerve. The diagnosis of gliosarcoma was obtained by open brain biopsy and immunohistochemical analysis. Although gliosarcoma is rare, it should be considered a differential diagnosis even in optic pathway tumors in older patients. The experience of the neuropathologist with a trained eye can be the differential in the accurate diagnostic process. Optic pathway, Gliosarcoma, Glioblastoma, Magnetic resonance imaging

Computed Tomography, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, and Pathological Features of Gliosarcoma

“…5,8,10 Gliosarcoma is rarest in the infratentorial region of the brain, the ventricles, the pineal gland, and the optic nerve. [12][13][14][15] Most cases present with a single mass, and multiple masses are rarely reported. 16,17 Gliosarcoma often grows across the brain lobes, and it generally has a large volume and an obvious space-occupying effect and can easily invade the adjacent meninges.…”