Malignant optic nerve glioma (glioblastoma multiforme): A case report and literature review

Primary gliomas of the optic nerve are very rare. We report a case of a 59-year-old male with sudden vision loss diagnosed with malignant optic nerve glioblastoma multiforme. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed thickening of optic tracts, chiasm, and hypothalamus. Histologically, the tumor was composed of glial cells with pleomorphic nuclei and areas of vascular proliferation and necrosis. The patient died eight weeks after initial presentation. In addition to our case, 30 previously reported cases of malignant optic nerve glioma are reviewed.