title: Glioblastoma multiforme and cerebral cavernous malformations: intersection of pathophysiologic pathways.
abstract: Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCM) are known to occur in both sporadic and familial forms. To date, there has been no identified association of CCM with glioblastoma multiforme. We present a 69-year-old woman with a 14 year history of multiple CCM who developed progressive aphasia. She had no radiation exposure and had only undergone a single computed tomography scan in her entire life. MRI demonstrated irregular gadolinium enhancement in the area of a prior stable CCM, suspicious for a high grade tumor. Stereotactic biopsy revealed a glioblastoma multiforme. This is a unique case of glioblastoma multiforme arising from the "site" of a known CCM. We review the literature on the genetics of cavernous malformations and propose a mechanism for the tumorigenic potential of these vascular malformations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Mian
authors.forename: Brian V
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Nahed
authors.forename: Brian P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Walcott
authors.forename: Christopher S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Ogilvy
authors.forename: William T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Curry
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D020785:Central Nervous System Vascular Malformations / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000473:pathology