Astrocytic tumors

Changed by Frank Gaillard, 18 Oct 2021

Updates to Article Attributes

Body was changed:

Astrocytic tumours are primary central nervous system tumours that either arises from astrocytes or appear similar to astrocytes on histology having arisen from precursor cells. They are the most common tumours arising from glial cells and can be broadly divided into three groups: 

  1. diffuse, adult-type
  2. diffuse, paediatric type
  3. circumscribed

These can further be divided into individual entities (as described in the WHO classification of CNS tumour, 5th edition, 2021) many of which are molecularly defined 3

Additionally, some tumours also contain astrocytic components, and it is often this component that dictated biological behaviour. Examples include:

Most of these tumours have strikingly differing demographics, imaging appearances, treatment and prognosis and thus they are, along with spinal astrocytomas discussed separately.  

Note: anaplastic astrocytomagliomatosis cerebrifibrillary astrocytoma and  protoplasmic astrocytoma are no longer recognised in the current WHO classification of CNS tumours

  • -<p><strong>Astrocytic tumours</strong> are primary central nervous system tumours that either arises from astrocytes or appear similar to <a title="Astrocytes" href="/articles/astrocytes">astrocytes</a> on histology having arisen from precursor cells. They are the most common tumours arising from <a href="/articles/glial-cells">glial cells</a> and can be broadly divided into three groups: </p><ol>
  • +<p><strong>Astrocytic tumours</strong> are primary central nervous system tumours that either arises from astrocytes or appear similar to <a href="/articles/astrocytes">astrocytes</a> on histology having arisen from precursor cells. They are the most common tumours arising from <a href="/articles/glial-cells">glial cells</a> and can be broadly divided into three groups: </p><ol>
  • -<a href="/articles/astroblastoma">astroblastoma</a>: WHO CNS grade</li>
  • -<li>
  • -<a href="/articles/high-grade-astrocytoma-with-piloid-features">high-grade astrocytoma with piloid features</a>: WHO CNS grade</li>
  • +<a href="/articles/astroblastoma-mn1-altered">astroblastoma</a>: WHO CNS grade</li>
  • +<li><a href="/articles/high-grade-astrocytoma-with-piloid-features">high-grade astrocytoma with piloid features</a></li>
  • -</ul><p>Most of these tumours have strikingly differing demographics, imaging appearances, treatment and prognosis and thus they are, along with <a href="/articles/spinal-astrocytoma">spinal astrocytomas</a> discussed separately.  </p><p><strong>Note:</strong> <a href="/articles/anaplastic-astrocytoma">anaplastic astrocytoma</a>, <a href="/articles/gliomatosis-cerebri">gliomatosis cerebri</a>, <a href="/articles/fibrillary-astrocytoma">fibrillary astrocytoma</a> and  <a href="/articles/protoplasmic-astrocytoma">protoplasmic astrocytoma</a> are no longer recognised in the current <a href="/articles/who-classification-of-cns-tumours-1">WHO classification of CNS tumours</a></p>
  • +</ul><p>Most of these tumours have strikingly differing demographics, imaging appearances, treatment and prognosis and thus they are, along with <a href="/articles/spinal-astrocytoma">spinal astrocytomas</a> discussed separately.  </p><p><strong>Note:</strong> <a href="/articles/anaplastic-astrocytoma-historical">anaplastic astrocytoma</a>, <a href="/articles/gliomatosis-cerebri">gliomatosis cerebri</a>, <a href="/articles/fibrillary-astrocytoma-historical">fibrillary astrocytoma</a> and  <a href="/articles/protoplasmic-astrocytoma-historical">protoplasmic astrocytoma</a> are no longer recognised in the current <a href="/articles/who-classification-of-cns-tumours-1">WHO classification of CNS tumours</a></p>

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