Glioblastoma multiforme in a mature ovarian teratoma with recurring brain tumours

Abstract

Aims: We report a case study to highlight the occurrence of glioblastoma multiforme in an ovarian teratoma.

Methods and results: A 10-year-old girl presented with a left frontal lobe primitive neuroectodermal tumour which was successfully treated. After 6 uneventful years, she developed glioblastoma multiforme located posterior to the site of the initial tumour. Six years later, she presented with a mature cystic teratoma containing glioblastoma multiforme.

Conclusions: Glioblastoma in an ovarian teratoma is an exceptional event, which might have an initial clinical presentation as a metastatic brain tumour. Alternatively, recurring glial tumours may occur in a genetically predisposed person; the role of radiation and chemotherapy in this context remains to be elucidated.