Adjacent Meningioma and Astrocytoma in the Brain

A case of coincidental meningioma and astrocytoma is described. The patient, a 75-year-old female, suffered from motor aphasia, right hemiparesis, vomiting, and urinary incontinence for about 1 month prior to hospitalization. Plain computed tomography scan demonstrated a round iso-or high density area in the medial frontal lesion and a large low density area in the left frontal lobe adjacent to the medial round tumor. After injection of contrast medium, the medial round tumor was enhanced homogeneously, and the left frontal low density area was enhanced irregularly, with low density in its central portion. Bilateral frontal osteoplastic craniotomy was performed, followed by left frontal lobectomy and extirpation of the falx meningioma. Histologically the two tumors were diagnosed as a transitional meningioma and an anaplastic astrocytoma. After surgery, post-operative irradiation combined with chemotherapy was administered. Three months after the operation, the patient was discharged with slight hemiparesis and motor aphasia. The authors have found 38 cases in the literature of meningioma and glioma combined in the same patient, but can-not find any case in which both meningioma and glioma were diagnosed preoperatively and were surgically treated successfully.