Astrocytoma with angiomatoid vascular proliferation ("angiomatous astrocytoma").

We report a surgical case of unusual anaplastic astrocytoma which was accompanied by an exuberant proliferation of abnormal blood vessels with features resembling those of capillary telangiectasis or cavernous angioma. The patient was a 39-year-old man, who presented with a generalized convulsive seizure, and neuroradiological examination revealed a tumor in the left frontal lobe. The resected tumor showed the features of an anaplastic astrocytoma, grade 3, The proliferation of abnormal blood vessels with dilated lumina and thin walls was seen throughout the tumor, and in the central area these vessels were densely packed and almost replaced the neoplastic astrocytic tissue. Although these dense vascular aggregates in the central area closely simulated capillary telangiectasis or cavernous angioma, they were considered to be of a reactive nature. The term angiomatous astrocytoma, which is analogous to angiomatous meningioma, seemed to be the most appropriate for the present tumor.