title: Cerebral astroblastoma: A case report and review of literature.
abstract: Astroblastomas are uncommon neuroepithelial tumors of uncertain origin. These occur predominantly in the cerebral hemisphere of young adults and children. They form only 0.45-2.8% of all neuroglial tumors. They can be easily misdiagnosed as they are rarely encountered in clinical practice and share common radiological and histopathologic appearance with other glial neoplasms. A 12-year-old female presented to us with progressive headache and diplopia. Her neurological examination showed right 6(th) nerve paresis with papilledema. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed well-demarcated, peripherally enhancing solid cystic mass of 6 cm in right parietal lobe with mass effect. She underwent gross total resection of the lesion through right parietal craniotomy. The histopathologic diagnosis was suggestive of low-grade astroblastoma. The patient had no evidence of recurrence of tumor without adjuvant radiotherapy during the last 14 months of follow-up. Supratentorial astroblastomas are very rare tumors. Complete excision without radiotherapy is sufficient in low-grade variants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Grant Medical College and Sir J. J. Group of Hospitals, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Vivek
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Agarwal
authors.forename: Rahul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mally
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Palande
authors.forename: Vernon
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Velho