Significance of hemorrhage into brain tumors: clinicopathological study

J Neurosurg. 1987 Dec;67(6):852-7. doi: 10.3171/jns.1987.67.6.0852.

Abstract

A retrospective clinical and pathological review of 905 consecutive brain tumor cases (excluding pituitary adenoma and recurrent tumor) was conducted to identify cases in which intratumoral hemorrhage was confirmed grossly and/or pathologically. There were 132 cases so identified, for an overall tumor hemorrhage rate of 14.6%; of these, 5.4% were classified as macroscopic and 9.2% as microscopic. The presence of hemorrhage was correlated with the neurological presentation. The highest hemorrhage rate (70.0%) was found in patients with prior neurological history who experienced apoplectic deterioration (acute-on-chronic presentation). Only 57.1% of patients with acute deterioration in the absence of prior neurological symptoms had hemorrhages. The highest hemorrhage rate for primary brain tumors was 29.2% for mixed oligodendroglioma/astrocytoma, while the highest hemorrhage rate for any tumor type was 50% for metastatic melanoma. The clinical relevance of tumor hemorrhage is discussed.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Brain Neoplasms / etiology*
  • Brain Neoplasms / pathology
  • Cerebral Hemorrhage / complications*
  • Cerebral Hemorrhage / pathology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies