Premium
Intravascular thrombosis is more frequent in glioblastoma than other central nervous system malignancies
Author(s) -
Tehrani Mahtab,
Friedman Theodore M.,
Olson Jeffrey J.,
Brat Daniel J.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.5.a26-c
Subject(s) - thrombosis , pathology , medicine
Intravascular thrombosis is a frequent neurosurgical finding in glioblastoma (GBM) and microscopic studies have demonstrated intravascular thrombosis in a large percentage of GBM resection specimens. Vaso‐occlusion due to thrombosis may initiate or promote necrosis and hypoxia‐induced GBM progression. We investigated whether intravascular thrombosis was more frequent or prominent in GBM than other CNS malignancies. Histological sections were examined from 228 neoplasms, including 102 GBMs, 46 anaplastic astrocytomas (AAs), 31 primary central nervous system lymphomas (PCNSLs) and 49 metastatic carcinomas. H&E stained sections were evaluated for the presence of necrosis, vascular proliferation and degree of intravascular thrombosis. Intravascular thrombosis was present in 81% of GBMs, 11% of AAs, 10% of metastatic carcinomas and 6% of PCNSLs. Among those tumors with thrombosis, GBMs had significantly more involved vessels (mean, 16.2±2.0) than AAs (3.0±0.9; p<0.05), but had similar numbers of involved vessels as PCNSLs (15.0±5.1) and metastatic carcinomas (16.4±8.9). Nearly all (97%) GBMs with intravascular thrombosis showed both necrosis and vascular proliferation. In conclusion intravascular thrombosis is more frequent in GBM than other CNS malignancies. The greater prominence of thrombosis in GBM than AA may indicate a role in tumor progression and have diagnostic implications. The utility of intravascular thrombosis as a prognostic marker in AA has yet to be determined.