Cavernoma: New Insights From an Unusual Case.

Abstract

Rapid growth in cerebral cavernous malformation is rare. A review of the literature revealed 4 patients with known cerebral cavernous malformations who later developed a high-grade glioma at the same site. All 4 patients were females, ranging in age from 25 to 71 years, with imaging confirming rapid growth in the lesion. We present the case of a 71-year-old patient with known multiple cavernomas over many years in whom one lesion showed rapid expansion in size. Histological examination revealed the coexistence of a glioblastoma within the cavernoma. We conclude that, although rare, rapid expansion of an existing cavernoma should be considered suspicious for the development of other malignant tumors, and propose adding chronic inflammation in the surrounding brain caused by microbleeds and hemosiderin deposition from the cavernoma to the list of possible causes.