A Case Report of a Rare Pediatric Brain Tumor: Congenital Glioblastoma

Abstract

Congenital brain tumors are extremely rare; even with advances in prenatal imaging tests, it is still uncommon. Congenital glioblastoma (GBM) is a rare childhood tumor. With less than 50 cases described in the literature, it corresponds to less than 2% of tumors in children under two months of life. Moreover, it has a markedly poor prognosis due to the risk of intracranial hemorrhage, especially during surgical resection. This study reports the case of a 20-day-old asymptomatic child who presented with increased head circumference during a pediatric routine check-up. A transfontanellar ultrasound was performed, exhibiting hydrocephalus, large parenchymal hemorrhage, and expansive formation. Magnetic resonance imaging pointed to a massive infiltrative lesion, with heterogeneous enhancement, delimiting central areas of necrosis with hematic material inside, associated with a compressive effect on the adjacent parenchyma. Additional histopathological analysis, immunohistochemistry, and DNA methylation test confirmed the diagnosis of GBM. The patient was submitted to surgical intervention and chemotherapy, achieving a 26-month-old survival by the time this study was written.