title: Gliosarcoma with melanocytic differentiation.
abstract: We present an unusual case of gliosarcoma containing numerous islands of well-differentiated melanocytes in a 65 year-old man. Melanocytic differentiation of medulloblastomas is well described, and it has also rarely been reported in low-grade glial neoplasms. Histologic features and immunophenotyping are helpful in differentiating divergent differentiation in a gliosarcoma from melanoma. To our knowledge, this is the first description of a gliosarcoma with melanocytic differentiation. Awareness of the phenomenon of melanocytic differentiation within primary neuroepithelial and glial neoplasms is important to prevent the misdiagnosis of these tumors such as metastatic melanoma or primary melanocytic neoplasms of the CNS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Stanford University Medical Center, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
authors.forename: Mohanpal S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Dulai
authors.forename: Gregory S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Moes
authors.forename: Anita L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Briley
authors.forename: Ilana B
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Galperin
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Smyth
authors.forename: Athena M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Cherry
authors.forename: Norman L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Lehman
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D018316:Gliosarcoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor