Clinical, radiological, and therapeutic features of pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma: report of three patients and review of the literature.

Two out of three patients with pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma were initially misdiagnosed and correctly interpreted only at tumour recurrence, with progression to malignancy in one. The third patient presented with a remarkably long history of epilepsy. Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma is a low grade astrocytoma that is still confused with other tumours. Because pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma can become malignant even after many years of benign behaviour, a long term follow up is necessary.