title: Cavernoma: New Insights From an Unusual Case.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rapid growth in cerebral cavernous malformation is rare. A review of the literature revealed 4 patients with known cerebral cavernous malformations who later developed a high-grade glioma at the same site. All 4 patients were females, ranging in age from 25 to 71 years, with imaging confirming rapid growth in the lesion.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present the case of a 71-year-old patient with known multiple cavernomas over many years in whom one lesion showed rapid expansion in size. Histological examination revealed the coexistence of a glioblastoma within the cavernoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that, although rare, rapid expansion of an existing cavernoma should be considered suspicious for the development of other malignant tumors, and propose adding chronic inflammation in the surrounding brain caused by microbleeds and hemosiderin deposition from the cavernoma to the list of possible causes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, King's College Hospital, London, United Kingdom. Electronic address: giannis.sokratous@nhs.net.
authors.forename: Giannis
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sokratous
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Birmingham University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Ismail
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ughratdar
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, King's College Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Selway
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropathology, King's College Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Safa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al-Sarraj
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, King's College Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Keyoumars
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ashkan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005910:Glioma / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006392:Hemangioma, Cavernous / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D020786:Hemangioma, Cavernous, Central Nervous System / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D009378:Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis
keywords: Cavernoma; Glioblastoma; High-grade glioma; Transformation