Ganglioglioma: a clinical and pathological study of 12 cases

We report the clinico-pathological and immunohistochemical findings of 12 cases of gangliogloma that were diagnosed at Legnano Civil Hospital over a period of 10 years. The patients' age at presentation ranged from 2-69 years with a mean duration of symptoms equal to 52 months. Seizures were the most common presenting symptoms. These tumors, mainly located in the temporal lobe (5/10), displayed in 10 cases a low density appearance at CT scan. Histologically the tumors were composed of neoplastic ganglion cells mixed together with a glial component. All but one of the tumors were surgically treated: complete removal was accomplished in 8 cases and incomplete in 3 cases; 1 case was an incidental autopsy finding. Radiotherapy was administered in the incompletely removed cases. The mean follow-up period was 40.8 months, with 3 patients deceased. Our findings support the notion that ganglioglioma is a slow-growing relatively benign tumor of young adults, ubiquitous in the central nervous system with a non-specific CT scan appearance and varied histological morphology, in which immunochemical stains will confirm the diagnosis and could provide a prognostic marker.