The oligoastrocytoma is a brain tumor, which originates from two distinct cell lines called astrocytes and oligodendrocytes .
Astrocytes and oligodendrocytes are glia cells, therefore oligoastrocytomas belong to the category of gliomas, or neoplasms of the brain that derive from a genetic alteration of glia cells.
To be more precise, oligoastrocytomas are part of a subcategory of gliomas, called mixed gliomas .
The nature of an oligoastrocytoma can be both benign and malignant .
In the first case, it is a grade II slow-growing brain tumor with little infiltrative power; in the second case, it is a brain tumor of grade III, fast growing, with high infiltration power and high mortality.
Epidemiology
Gliomas represent at least 30% of all primary brain tumors (NB: the term "primary" indicates that they were formed and increased in the brain or spinal cord).Oligoastrocytomas constitute 5-10% of all gliomas and 1% of all primary brain neoplasms .
People who most frequently develop an oligoastrocytoma are adults aged between 30 and 50 years .
Children are rarely affected.
TYPICAL SEAT AND SYMPTOMS OF AN OLIGOASTROCYTOMA
Oligoastrocytomas can form in any point of the central nervous system (ie encephalon and spinal cord).However, they seem to prefer the cerebral hemispheres, in particular the frontal and parietal lobes .
Symptoms vary according to the site of tumor onset; may consist of: headache, epileptic seizures, problems with spoken language, alterations of the personality, weakness on one side of the body, etc.
THERAPY
If the oligoastrocytomas occupy a position accessible to the hands of the surgeon, the recommended treatment is always their removal .Subsequently, radiotherapy and chemotherapy may become necessary, as surgical excision may have been partial and dangerous cancer cells may have remained.
