The case of a patient affected by primary gliosarcoma and neuroendocrine pancreatic cancer with prolonged survival. Issue 3 (May 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Trignani, Marianna; Taraborrelli, Maria; Cefaro, Giampiero Ausili
• Is Part Of: Tumori. Volume 99:Issue 3(2013)
• Page Start: e117
• Page End: e119
• Publication Date: 2013-05
• Subjects: gliosarcoma -- somatostatin -- gliomas; Cancer -- Periodicals; 616.994
• DOI: 10.1177/030089161309900329
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0300-8916

Abstract

Primary gliosarcoma (PGS) is a rare neoplasm with a poor prognosis. It is considered as a variant of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and as a grade IV neoplasm. There is little evidence on the optimal therapy for this disease: treatment of PGS includes surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and often the same treatment used for GBM is employed for PGS. Several studies have demonstrated that somatostatin receptors are overexpressed in gliomas; somatostatin analogues could therefore also be employed in this mixed form but to date the experience reported in the literature is unclear and there are no studies about the use of these agents in PGS. We present the case of a patient affected by both PGS and neuroendocrine pancreatic cancer. The case is interesting for the prolonged survival and for the stabilization of disease obtained during therapy with somatostatin analogues.