[A case of paraventricular anaplastic astrocytoma following radiation therapy for craniopharyngioma].

A 20-year-old man received 60 Gy of radiation therapy after partial removal of craniopharyngioma. The patient had been well and follow-up CT scans did not show any aggravation for 16 years. Since his activity gradually diminished, he underwent an MRI at the age of 36 which revealed an abnormal mass on the corpus callosum. The mass lesion progressively enlarged thereafter, and was diagnosed as anaplastic astrocytoma by a stereotactic biopsy. He was treated with interferon, however, died at the age of 37. Review of literature disclosed 19 other cases of glioma following radiation therapy for sellar/parasellar tumors. Characteristic features of these cases included 1) lowness of age compared to common glioma cases, 2) tendency to be malignant, 3) tendency to occur in areas where significant doses of radiation had been received previously.