title: Pilocytic astrocytoma with neoplastic gemistocytes undergoing spontaneous transformation to glioblastoma multiforme without prior radiotherapy.
abstract: Pilocytic astrocytoma, the most common glioma of childhood, is considered a clinically benign tumour. Malignant transformation of this tumour is rare and thought to occur almost exclusively in the setting of prior radiotherapy. We describe a patient with mixed pilocytic and gemistocytic astrocytoma which transformed into a glioblastoma multiforme, leading to rapid deterioration and death of the patient, without prior radiotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Grattan Street, Parkville 3050, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Benjamin J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Privett
authors.forename: Simon V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Liubinas
authors.forename: Alpha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsui
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gonzales
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000473:pathology*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000473:pathology*; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male