Background: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most frequent malignant neoplasm in the adult brain. In contrast, arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are presumably congenital lesions, usually presenting with hemorrhage. Hypervascular low-grade gliomas associated with AVMs were previously called "angioglioma." An association of AVMs and GBM was also described.
Study aims: We discuss the data of the largest series of locally coincident GBM with AVM in a single institution so far. All analyses were explorative only.
Patients: We report a series of four patients presenting at our department from 2006 to 2014. All patients underwent surgery. The cases were analyzed regarding initial presentation, clinical findings, tumor localization, and histopathologic results.
Conclusions: A local coincidence of cerebral AVM and GBM is rare. Only a few reports can be found in the literature. The radiologic as well as the clinical presentations are individual. Proangiogenic factors are discussed as involved in the appearance of both entities in the same location. However, the presence of pathologic vessels within malignant gliomas is well known to all neurosurgeons and proangiogenic activity has been proven. Therefore, it seems possible that tumor activity itself contributes to the pathogenesis of a vascular malformation.
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