title: Astroblastoma with unusual signet-ring-like cell components: a case report and literature review.
abstract: We report a case of astroblastoma with unusual signet-ring-like cell components. A 33-year-old-woman presented with occasional partial seizures of the face. Radiological studies revealed an enhanced frontal mass lesion. At surgery, a gray, soft, well-circumscribed mass was seen and shelled out. Histologically, the tumor showed a perivascular arrangement and papillary-like patterns with compact cellularity. The tumor cells radiating from the hyalinized vessels showed broader, shorter, less tapered processes. A part of each tumor cell displayed prominent islands of signet-ring-like cells. Glial fibrillary acidic protein reaction revealed strongly positive staining of tumor cells and signet-ring-like cells. Eight years after the operation the patient remains well with no tumor recurrence. It remains to be determined whether, in this astroblastoma, the unusual signet-ring-like cell components were related to benign biological characteristics or to the tumor's low-grade form with incidental signet-ring-like cell appearance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology Saga Medical School, Japan. sugitaoy@post.sega-med.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sugita
authors.forename: Mizuhiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Terasaki
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shigemori
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morimatsu
authors.forename: Eiichiro
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Honda
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Oshima
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D018959:CD57 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007633:Keratins / Q000378:metabolism; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D018396:Mucin-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D018302:Neoplasms, Neuroepithelial / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D014746:Vimentin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018959:CD57 Antigens; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D018396:Mucin-1; D009418:S100 Proteins; D014746:Vimentin; D007633:Keratins