Astrocytoma, Diagnosis and Treatment. Literature Review
Authors/Creators
- 1. Hospital General de Zona 1-A Dr Rodolfo Antonio de Mucha Macías. Hospital de Especialidades Dr. Bernardo Sepulveda Gutiérrez. Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI.
- 2. Universidad de Guadalajara, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud. Guadalajara, Jalisco, México.
- 3. Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria. Ciudad de México, México.
- 4. Universidad de Guadalajara, Centro Universitario del Sur. Ciudad Guzman Jalisco, México.
Description
Most primary CNS tumors are astrocytic tumors. Glial tumors are classified according to histological criteria. The WHO classification for primary malignant gliomas in adults includes grades II through IV. Terms for tumors that classify in grade II are astrocytomas (A), oligodendrogliomas (ODG), or mixed gliomas (GM). Grade III tumors are named similarly, and preceded by the word anaplastic, for example, anaplastic astrocytoma (AA), anaplastic oligodendroglioma (ODGA), or mixed anaplastic glioma (GAM). The most malignant form, the grade IV tumor, is designated glioblastoma or GBM. GBMs are diagnosed more frequently than lower grade astrocytomas. The recent GBM classifications reflect the genetic aspects involved in the tumor and have prognostic value.
The most important prognostic factor in malignant gliomas is the histopathological diagnosis of the tumor. The survival of patients with AA is much higher than that of patients with glioblastoma. Other important factors that are associated with the survival of patients with malignant gliomas are the age of the patients, Karnofsky scale, surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. There is evidence suggesting an association between younger patients and longer survival in adults with supratentorial AA and glioblastoma