Granular cell astrocytoma: a report of two cases and review of literature
HONG Liu
MENG YU-hong
NING Hao-yong
WU Hui
ZHOU Yang
GAO Yi-qun
ZHANG Bing
DUAN Min-gang
Abstract：Objective To explore the clinicopathologic characteristics and differential diagnosis of granular cell astrocytoma (GCA).Methods The clinical data of two cases of GCA were reported.The histopathologic,histochemical,immunohistochemical features,isocitrate dehydrogenase 1/2 (IDH1/2) mutation and 1 p/19q delation were examined.Results Two GCA occurred in a 57-year-old woman and a 37-year-old man,and the tumors were located in the right periventricular and right basal ganglia,respectively.Microscopically,the tumor was almost entirely composed of large cells with round to oval,granular eosinophilic cytoplasm,which were admixed with short spindle neoplastic cells and lymphocytic infiltration.In one case,a little calcification was observed.In another case,the tmor cells displayed karyokinesis,microvascular proliferation and necrosis.The large tumor cells with granular cytoplasm showing positive staining for periodicacid-Schiff (PAS),and reticulin network were absent around the tumor cells.Immunohistochemical analysis showed that tumor cells were diffusely positive for vimentin,GFAP,S-100 and α-thalassemia/mental retardation syndrome X-linked (ATRX),and partially positive for oligodendrocyte transcription factor 2 (olig 2),epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) and p53,while negative for NeuN and IDH1R132H.In one case,CD68 was partially positive in granular tumor cells.Ki-67 labeling index was 2％ and 20％,respectively.IDH1/2 mutation and 1p/19q deletion were not detected in 2 cases.Conclusion GCA is a rare morphologic variant of astrocytomas,characterized by a prominent component of granular eosinophilic cytoplasm.As its histologic feature resembles that of a foamy histiocyte,GCA may be confused with some non-neoplastic diseases,such as infarct or demyelinating disease.In addition,its molecular type and prognosis need to be further explored.
Keywords：Brain neoplasmGranular cell astrocytomaHistochemistryImmunohistochemistryDifferential diagnosis
Publication Date：2017-01-01
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：6( 435-439,444 )