J Neurol Surg A Cent Eur Neurosurg 2012; 73(06): 401-406
DOI: 10.1055/s-0032-1304810
Case Report
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Fluorescence-Guided Operation in Recurrent Glioblastoma Multiforme Treated with Bevacizumab—Fluorescence of the Noncontrast Enhancing Tumor Tissue?

Dorothee Wachter
1   Neurochirurgie, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
,
Kai Kallenberg
2   Neuroradiologie, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
,
Arne Wrede
3   Neuropathologie, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
,
Walter Schulz-Schaeffer
3   Neuropathologie, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
,
Timo Behm
1   Neurochirurgie, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
,
Veit Rohde
1   Neurochirurgie, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

29 July 2011

07 October 2011

Publication Date:
09 July 2012 (online)

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Abstract

The oral application of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) leads to an accumulation of fluorescent porphyrins in malignant glioma tissue, which simplifies complete tumor resection. If pretreated with bevacizumab, a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) antibody, these patients might not show a contrast enhancement on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) despite tumor progression. As VEGF antibodies induce a normalization of the tumor vasculature, it is not known whether fluorescence-guided surgery is of any value in patients pretreated with this antibody. One might speculate that missing contrast enhancement on MRI could result in minor or missing fluorescence after the application of ALA. Attempting to give some answers, we report the case of a patient who underwent fluorescence-guided reoperation of recurrent glioblastoma multiforme pretreated with bevacizumab.