Context: Gliosarcoma is a rare tumor of the central nervous system characterized by a biphasic histologic pattern, consisting of a gliomatous and a sarcomatous component, respectively. In most instances the sarcomatous component is represented by a fibrosarcoma, but other stromal malignancies have also been described. Osteosarcomatous differentiation in gliosarcoma has been rarely reported.
Objective: To review characteristic radiologic and histopathologic features of this rare neoplasm, to debate about possible differential diagnoses that should be taken into consideration, and to provide an overview of the potential histopathogenesis of gliosarcomas.
Data sources: Relevant articles indexed in PubMed (National Library of Medicine) and reference medical texts.
Conclusions: Recent molecular studies suggest that sarcomatous and gliomatous components of gliosarcoma might be derived from a single precursor cell clone, progressing in 2 subclones with distinct morphologic features during tumor evolution. Nonetheless, events determining splitting of the original clone into 2 histologic populations remain to be investigated.