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Supratentorial gliomas: a comparative study by grade and histologic type

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Abstract

Purpose: To try and identify biologic differences based on tumor grade and histologic type between the major classes of glial tumors, including low-grade diffuse fibrillary andpilocytic astrocytomas, oligodendrogliomas, and mixed oligo-astrocytomas, andhigh-grade diffuse fibrillary astrocytomas, oligodendrogliomas, and mixed oligo-astrocytomas.Methods: Utilizing the St. Anne-Mayo (SAM) grading system, the incidence, patient characteristics, and survivals of 196 patientswith low-grade (SAM grade 1 + 2) and 318 patients with high-grade(SAM 3 + 4) supratentorial tumors were compared.Results: Among low-grade tumors, most favorable were 5- and 10-year survival rates for patients with pilocytic astrocytomas,which were 85% and 79%, respectively. Median survivaland 5- and 10-year survival rates for the other low-grade tumors were lower, and were proportionately improved by the presenceof an oligodendroglial component: diffuse fibrillary astrocytomas — 4.7 years, 46%, and 17%; oligodendroglioma — 9.8 years, 73%, and 49%; and mixed oligo-astrocytoma — 7.1 years, 63%, and 33%, respectively. For high-grade tumors, patients with either oligodendrogliomas or mixed oligo-astrocytomas had comparablefavorable survivals in comparison to diffuse fibrillary astrocytomas.Median survivals and 5- and 10-year survival rates were 4.5 years, 45%, and 15% for the oligodendrogliomas and mixed oligo-astrocytomas versus 0.8 years, 3%, and 0% forthe diffuse fibrillary astrocytomas, respectively.Conclusion: These survival data suggest that both low-grade and high-grade supratentorial gliomas have outcomes which are highly dependent upon histologic type.

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Shaw, E.G., Scheithauer, B.W. & O'Fallon, J.R. Supratentorial gliomas: a comparative study by grade and histologic type. J Neurooncol 31, 273–278 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005715703598

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