What is a mixed glioma?
Mixed gliomas (also called oligo-astrocytomas) are made up of more than one type of glial cell. Their diagnosis as a distinct tumor type is controversial and may be resolved with genetic screening of tumor tissue. These tumors are often found in the cerebrum and are most common in adult men.
Do gliomas always come back?
Will a low grade glioma come back? In some cases, low grade gliomas, in particular Grade 2 gliomas, come back after surgery and treatment. This is called recurrent low grade glioma. To monitor for this, you will have regular imaging tests of your brain after treatment, and you will continue to follow up with our team.
What is mixed Oligoastrocytoma?
An oligoastrocytoma is a “mixed glioma” tumor, which contains both abnormal oligodendroglioma and astrocytoma cells. Oligoastrocytomas (grade II) are considered low-grade tumors. They generally grow at a slower rate than anaplastic oligoastrocytomas (grade III), which are malignant.
What does a grade 3 tumor mean?
Grade 3: Cancer cells and tissue look very abnormal. These cancers are considered poorly differentiated, since they no longer have an architectural structure or pattern. Grade 3 tumors are considered high grade.
What is a Grade 2 oligoastrocytoma?
Oligoastrocytomas (grade II) are considered low-grade tumors. They generally grow at a slower rate than anaplastic oligoastrocytomas (grade III), which are malignant. Oligoastrocytomas may evolve over time into anaplastic oligoastrocytomas.
What are oligoastrocytomas (OAS)?
Rosalind Segal, in Oncology of Infancy and Childhood, 2009 Oligoastrocytomas (OAs) are tumors containing a mixture of two distinct neoplastic cell types that morphologically resemble the tumor cells of oligodendrogliomas and diffuse astrocytomas. These tumors correspond histologically to WHO grade II.
What is the difference between anaplastic and malignant oligoastrocytomas?
They generally grow at a slower rate than anaplastic oligoastrocytomas (grade III), which are malignant. Oligoastrocytomas may evolve over time into anaplastic oligoastrocytomas. These tumors can be found anywhere within the cerebral hemispheres of the brain, although the frontal and temporal lobes are the most common locations.
What are the treatment options for oligoastrocytoma?
If the tumor is accessible, standard treatment for oligoastrocytoma is surgical removal of as much of the tumor tissue as possible. Biopsy is typically performed on tumors that are not accessible to confirm the diagnosis and determine the grade of tumor. Your doctor may talk with you about chemotherapy as part of the treatment plan.