Childhood's gliosarcomas: pathological and therapeutical considerations on three cases and critical review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Gliosarcoma is a rare cerebral tumor that has only recently been classified as a separate clinico-pathological entity, even though it remains closely related to glioblastoma in terms of both its clinical and therapeutic characteristics. The onset of this tumor during childhood is particularly unusual. DISCUSSION: The authors describe three cases of gliosarcoma in three patients of 13, 15, and 16 years old, in an attempt to identify any distinctive aspects of the "juvenile" variety. On the basis of their personal experience and in the light of the available literature, the authors review the salient features of this pathological condition in young patients to identify any distinctive aspects as well as to define the significance of the extent of the sarcomatous component and of a "meningioma-like" appearance of the lesion, in terms of survival. CONCLUSION: In particular, they emphasize how modern diagnostic-therapeutic protocols make it possible to achieve a massive cytoreduction of the lesion in absolute safety in many cases, while avoiding further deficits in others, thus ensuring not only significant survival times but also a good quality of life.