Gliofibromas (including malignant forms), and gliosarcomas: a comparative study and review of the literature

The presence of connective tissue elements in gliomas necessitates in every case a thorough analysis of the character and derivation of such elements to allow the formulation of an appropriate diagnosis. Four cases are presented in this paper. In cases 1 and 2 (anaplastic astrocytomas in two children, 9 and 4 years old, respectively) all the neoplastic elements were astrocytes and their ability to produce or indirectly promote the production of reticulin and collagen fibers accounted for the presence of such elements in close association with the tumor cells. The term "gliofibroma" has been coined for such tumors, but "desmoplastic astrocytoma", (low grade or anaplastic) or in highly malign…