A case of definitely congenital glioblastoma manifested by intratumoral hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND

A female infant was born with a left-sided glioblastoma that manifested clinically with weakened crying and feeding on day 1 of life, fever and bulging anterior fontanel on day 4, and right hemiparesis by day 10.

METHODS

Preoperative magnetic resonance imaging showed hemosiderin intensity indicating that hemorrhage had occurred during the prenatal period. Radical surgical removal of the tumor was performed on the 22nd postnatal day.

RESULTS

Postoperatively, the right hemiparesis did not worsen and the patient did not have any new neurological deficits. The right hemiparesis gradually improved after her initial surgery, and she was able to stand by herself at 18 months of age. Adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation were administered. This patient survived for 27 months following birth, which is a relatively long time for glioblastoma cases. Radical removal at the first operation with reliance on the plasticity of infant cerebral function was the key point in the long survival.