title: Positive reaction for cysticercosis and multicentric anaplastic oligoastrocytoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An unusual case of positive immunological testing for cysticercosis in the cystic fluid obtained from an anaplastic oligoastrocytoma is presented.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 15-year-old boy was admitted with multiple brain lesions. The biggest was a cyst with a mural node and neurocysticercosis was suspected. In order to relieve intracranial pressure, the cyst was punctured and the immunological testing for cysticercosis was positive, reinforcing the clinical suspicion and leading to a clinical trial with albendazole and steroids. As the patient deteriorated the cystic lesion was removed and the diagnosis of anaplastic oligoastrocytoma was established. A second lesion was eventually approached and the histopathological diagnosis of both specimens concurred.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although some authors believe that chronic inflammatory changes following neurocysticercosis could induce the formation of brain tumors, this association may be a mere coincidence. In our case no clinical evidence of a prior infestation by Cysticercus was found. In fact, an exhaustive examination of the specimens did not reveal any areas of inflammatory reaction. We believe that the similarity of the glioma and cysticercosis antigens may be the cause of the positive reactions in the cystic fluid.
authors.affiliation: Section of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Department of Pediatric Surgery, Instituto Fernandes Figueira (Fundação Oswaldo Cruz), Av. Rui Barbosa, 716-Flamengo, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. fsalomao@ism.com.br
authors.forename: J Francisco
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Salomão
authors.forename: Marcos V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Pone
authors.forename: André R A
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: René D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Leibinger
authors.forename: Antonio R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Bellas
authors.forename: João Maurício S
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.forename: José Roberto P
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Garrido
authors.forename: Elide
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vanazzi
authors.forename: Ana C M W
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: de Barros
authors.forename: Sheila M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Pone
authors.forename: Márcia B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Boechat
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism; D003551:Cysticercosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D009837:Oligodendroglioma / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein