Cerebral gliomas with palisading necrosis: glioblastoma multiforme or high grade cerebral neuroblastoma? A light and electron microscopical study of three cases.

Three adult patients had cerebral malignant gliomas composed predominantly of small cells and displaying many areas of palisading necrosis, which are usually characteristic of glioblastoma multiforme. Light and electron microscopy, however, revealed tumour cells with neuritic processes, while astrocytic differentiation was convincingly excluded. It is suggested that palisading necrosis is not pathognomonic of glioblastoma multiforme and that high grade cerebral neuroblastoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis. The need for comprehensive light and electron microscopic studies for the accurate classification of gliomas is stressed.