Low-Grade astrocytoma

Abstract

Low-grade astrocytomas reviewed in this chapter are grade 2 tumors according to the World Health Organization (WHO) classification [42], and correspond to grade 1 and 2 tumors of the Kernohan grading system [41] and to grade 2 tumors of the St Anne/Mayo classification [17]. They include fibrillary, protoplasmic, and gemistocytic astrocytomas [42]. In the literature, these histological entities are usually grouped together and referred to as 'low-grade gliomas'. Although this terminology is helpful in differentiating these tumors from higher grade gliomas which have a significantly different prognosis, grouping all histological subtypes together results in a heterogeneous group of tumors with different natural histories and therefore provides limited prognostic information. Various grading systems further complicate the overall picture. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2006.