Phospholipids and calcification in human intracranial tumors.

Specimens of different intracranial tumors as well as samples of normal brain have been studied for calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, phospholipids and glycosaminoglycans contents. Tumor tissue showed calcium and magnesium concentrations higher than normal tissue. Brain tumors exhibit a decreased phospholipid concentration than normal brain, and its ability to complex divalent cations (specially magnesium) appears impaired. The glycosaminoglycans contents show no correlation with the concentration of calcium but in cases of observable calcification (meningiomas) a preponderance of chondroitin sulfate was observed.