Desmoplastic astrocytoma of infancy: a case report with histopathologic and immunohistochemistry profile

P R Health Sci J. 2002 Jun;21(2):129-32.

Abstract

The clinicopathological features and immunohistochemistry profile of desmoplastic cerebral astrocytoma of infancy are discussed in a 4 month old male infant who presented with an increasing head circumference more pronounced in the last two weeks prior to admission to the University Pediatric Hospital. This is a rare tumor that occurs in infants within the first two years of life and it is characterized by a massive, often cystic, supratentorial lesion usually in the frontoparietal region. It has a biphasic histologic pattern with an astrocytic and desmoplastic component and a good prognosis after total or near total surgical resection. This patient represents the first case of desmoplastic cerebral astrocytoma of infancy diagnosed in the Puerto Rico Medical Center.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Astrocytoma / chemistry
  • Astrocytoma / epidemiology
  • Astrocytoma / pathology*
  • Astrocytoma / surgery
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / analysis
  • Brain Neoplasms / chemistry
  • Brain Neoplasms / epidemiology
  • Brain Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Brain Neoplasms / surgery
  • Craniotomy
  • Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / analysis
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Neoplasm Proteins / analysis
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / analysis
  • Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / analysis
  • Prognosis
  • Proteins / analysis
  • Puerto Rico / epidemiology
  • Synaptophysin / analysis
  • Vimentin / analysis

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Proteins
  • Synaptophysin
  • Vimentin
  • phospholipase A2-activating protein
  • Phosphopyruvate Hydratase