CASE REPORT
Malignant brain tumour with challenging intraoperative findings
 
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1
Pathology Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
 
2
Department of Integrated Surgical and Diagnostic Sciences, Division of Anatomical Pathology, Scuola di Scienze Mediche e Farmaceutiche, Universita di Genova, Genoa, Italy
 
3
SSD Neuroradiologia, A.O. Santa Croce e Carle, Cuneo, Italy
 
4
SC Neurochirurgia, A.O. Santa Croce e Carle, Cuneo, Italy
 
5
SC Anatomia Patologica, A.O. Santa Croce e Carle, Cuneo, Italy
 
 
Submission date: 2024-10-12
 
 
Final revision date: 2025-07-11
 
 
Acceptance date: 2025-07-30
 
 
Publication date: 2025-09-22
 
 
Corresponding author
Gabriele Gaggero
Gabriele Gaggero Pathology Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
 
 
Pol J Pathol 2025;76(2):168-172
 
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
This case report describes a rare and challenging glioblastoma variant with a bi­phasic morphology comprising both giant cell and primitive neuronal components. The tumour exhibited aggressive features and was difficult to diagnose during the intraoperative evaluation due to the predominance of small blue cell morphology, which complicated differentiation from haematological and metastatic lesions. Im­munohistochemistry and molecular profiling confirmed a glioblastoma, IDH-wild­type, with combined giant cell and primitive neuronal features, and the p53 muta­tion in both components is a novel finding with potential implications for diagnosis and treatment. This report emphasises the importance of recognising morpholog­ical diversity in glioblastoma to avoid misdiagnosis and enable appropriate clinical management.
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Suwala AK, Stichel D, Schrimpf D, et al. Glioblastomas with primitive neuronal component harbor a distinct methylation and copy-number profile with inactivation of TP53, PTEN, and RB1. Acta Neuropathol 2021; 142: 179-189.
 
eISSN:2084-9869
ISSN:1233-9687
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