Astrocytic tumors

Changed by Ayush Goel, 16 Sep 2014

Updates to Article Attributes

Body was changed:

Astrocytic tumours are primary central nervous system (CNS) tumour. They arise from astrocytes and are the most common glial tumour.

They can be divided into those that are diffuse in growth (the vast majority with poorer prognosis and given a higher grade (see diffuse astrocytoma grading) and those that are localised which tend to have lower grade. 

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

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

  • -<p><strong>Astrocytic tumours</strong> are <a href="/articles/primary-cns-tumours">primary central nervous system (CNS) tumour</a>. They arise from astrocytes and are the most common <a href="/articles/glial-tumour">glial tumour</a>. </p><p>They can be divided into those that are diffuse in growth (the vast majority with poorer prognosis and given a higher grade - see <a href="/articles/diffuse-astrocytoma-grading" title="Diffuse astrocytoma grading">diffuse astrocytoma grading</a>) and those that are localised which tend to have lower grade. </p><ul>
  • -<li>
  • -diffuse <ul>
  • -<li>
  • -<a title="low grade astrocytoma" href="/articles/low-grade-astrocytoma">low grade astrocytoma</a> : <a href="/articles/who-classification-of-cns-tumours">WHO grade II</a>  (10 - 15% of astrocytomas)<ul>
  • -<li><a href="/articles/fibrillary-astrocytomas" style="line-height: 1.5;">fibrillary astrocytoma</a></li>
  • -<li><a href="/articles/protoplasmic-astrocytoma" style="line-height: 1.5;">protoplasmic astrocytoma</a></li>
  • -<li><a href="/articles/gemistocytic-astrocytoma" style="line-height: 1.5;">gemistocytic astrocytoma</a></li>
  • +<p><strong>Astrocytic tumours</strong> are <a href="/articles/primary-cns-tumours">primary central nervous system (CNS) tumour</a>. They arise from astrocytes and are the most common <a href="/articles/glial-tumour">glial tumour</a>.</p><p>They can be divided into those that are diffuse in growth (the vast majority with poorer prognosis and given a higher grade (see <a href="/articles/diffuse-astrocytoma-grading">diffuse astrocytoma grading</a>) and those that are localised which tend to have lower grade. </p><ul>
  • +<li>diffuse <ul>
  • +<li>
  • +<a href="/articles/low-grade-astrocytoma">low grade astrocytoma</a>: <a href="/articles/cns-tumours-classification-who">WHO grade II</a>  (10-15% of astrocytomas)<ul>
  • +<li><a href="/articles/fibrillary-astrocytoma">fibrillary astrocytoma</a></li>
  • +<li><a href="/articles/protoplasmic-astrocytoma">protoplasmic astrocytoma</a></li>
  • +<li><a href="/articles/gemistocytic-astrocytoma">gemistocytic astrocytoma</a></li>
  • -</li>
  • -<li>
  • -<a href="/articles/anaplastic-astrocytoma">anaplastic astrocytoma </a>: WHO grade III (25% of astrocytomas)</li>
  • -<li>
  • -<a href="/articles/glioblastoma-multiforme"><span>glioblastoma multiforme </span></a>: WHO grade IV (50 - 60% of astrocytomas)</li>
  • -<li>
  • -<a href="/articles/missing" style="color: rgb(127, 127, 127);">giant cell glioblastoma</a> : WHO grade IV (rare)</li>
  • -<li>
  • -<a href="/articles/gliosarcoma">gliosarcoma</a> : WHO grade IV (rare)</li>
  • -<li><a href="/articles/gliomatosis_cerebri" title="Gliomatosis cerebri">gliomatosis cerebri</a></li>
  • +</li>
  • +<li>
  • +<a href="/articles/anaplastic-astrocytoma">anaplastic astrocytoma</a>: WHO grade III (25% of astrocytomas)</li>
  • +<li>
  • +<a href="/articles/glioblastoma">glioblastoma multiforme</a>: WHO grade IV (50-60% of astrocytomas)</li>
  • +<li>
  • +<a href="/articles/missing">giant cell glioblastoma</a>: WHO grade IV (rare)</li>
  • +<li>
  • +<a href="/articles/gliosarcoma">gliosarcoma</a>: WHO grade IV (rare)</li>
  • +<li><a href="/articles/gliomatosis-cerebri">gliomatosis cerebri</a></li>
  • -</li>
  • +</li>
  • -<li>
  • -<a href="/articles/pilocytic_astrocytoma" style="line-height: 1.5;">pilocytic astrocytoma </a>: WHO grade I</li>
  • -<li>
  • -<a href="/articles/pilomyxoid-astrocytoma" style="line-height: 1.5;">pilomyxoid astrocytoma</a> :  WHO grade II</li>
  • -<li>
  • -<a href="/articles/subependymal-giant-cell-astrocytoma" style="line-height: 1.5;">subependymal giant cell astrocytoma </a>: WHO grade I</li>
  • -<li>
  • -<a href="/articles/pleomorphic-xanthoastrocytoma" style="line-height: 1.5;">pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma </a>: WHO grade II</li>
  • +<li>
  • +<a href="/articles/pilocytic-astrocytoma">pilocytic astrocytoma</a>: WHO grade I</li>
  • +<li>
  • +<a href="/articles/pilomyxoid-astrocytoma">pilomyxoid astrocytoma</a>:  WHO grade II</li>
  • +<li>
  • +<a href="/articles/subependymal-giant-cell-astrocytoma">subependymal giant cell astrocytoma</a>: WHO grade I</li>
  • +<li>
  • +<a href="/articles/pleomorphic-xanthoastrocytoma">pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma</a>: WHO grade II</li>
  • -</li>
  • -</ul><p>Additionally some tumours also contains astrocytic components, and it is often this component that dictated biological behaviour. Examples include: </p><ul>
  • -<li><a href="/articles/ganglioglioma">ganglioglioma</a></li>
  • -<li><a href="/articles/oligoastrocytoma">oligoastrocytoma</a></li>
  • -</ul><p>All these tumours have strikingly differing imaging appearances, treatment and prognosis and thus they are, along with <a title="Spinal astrocytoma" href="/articles/spinal-astrocytoma" style="line-height: 1.5;">spinal astrocytomas</a> discussed separately.  </p>
  • +</li>
  • +</ul><p>Additionally some tumours also contains astrocytic components, and it is often this component that dictated biological behaviour. Examples include:</p><ul>
  • +<li><a href="/articles/ganglioglioma">ganglioglioma</a></li>
  • +<li><a href="/articles/oligoastrocytoma">oligoastrocytoma</a></li>
  • +</ul><p>All these tumours have strikingly differing imaging appearances, treatment and prognosis and thus they are, along with <a href="/articles/spinal-astrocytoma">spinal astrocytomas</a> discussed separately.  </p>

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