Glioblastoma mimicking metastatic small cell carcinoma: A case report with ultrastructural findings
- 20 February 2021
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Wiley in Diagnostic Cytopathology
- Vol. 49 (8), E291-E296
- https://doi.org/10.1002/dc.24715
Abstract
It is often straightforward to distinguish glioblastoma (GBM) from metastatic carcinoma by cytology; however, small cell variants of GBM or GBM with primitive neuronal component (GBMPNC) can mimic metastatic small cell carcinoma (SCC). Herein, we report a case of GBMPNC mimicking metastatic SCC and present cytological and ultrastructural findings. A 65‐year‐old man with memory disturbance was hospitalized. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed the presence of a 6 cm sized tumor in the right anterior temporal lobe. Intraoperative cytology slides indicated that the tumor consisted of small‐sized cells with scant cytoplasm showing high cellularity. The initial intraoperative diagnosis was metastatic SCC; however, any primary visceral tumor was not detected clinically. Immunohistochemical and ultrastructural studies of postoperative histological sections revealed that the lesion was GBMPNC. This case shows that some GBMs may have the potential to closely mimic metastatic SCC, which expands the differential diagnosis and emphasizes the importance of clinical correlation.Keywords
This publication has 19 references indexed in Scilit:
- The 2016 World Health Organization Classification of Tumors of the Central Nervous System: a summaryActa Neuropathologica, 2016
- Extracranial metastasis of gliobastoma: Three illustrative cases and current review of the molecular pathology and management strategiesMolecular and Clinical Oncology, 2015
- Myc protein expression correlates withMYCamplification in small-cell lung carcinomaHistopathology, 2015
- Prognostic Relevance of c-Myc and BMI1 Expression in Patients With GlioblastomaAmerican Journal of Clinical Pathology, 2012
- Malignant Gliomas with Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumor‐like Components: A Clinicopathologic and Genetic Study of 53 CasesBrain Pathology, 2008
- TTF-1 staining in glioblastoma multiformeVirchows Archiv A Pathological Anatomy and Histopathology, 2007
- Immunohistochemical Distinction Between Merkel Cell Carcinoma and Small Cell Carcinoma of the LungThe American Journal of Dermatopathology, 2006
- The Oligodendroglial Lineage Marker OLIG2 Is Universally Expressed in Diffuse GliomasJournal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology, 2004
- The bHLH Transcription Factor Olig2 Promotes Oligodendrocyte Differentiation in Collaboration with Nkx2.2Neuron, 2001
- Vimentin and glial fibrillary acidic protein in human brain tumorsJournal of Neuro-Oncology, 1985