Gliomas

Gliomas are tumors that originate from the glial cells that surround, nourish and protect the neural cells of the brain and spinal cord. In the central nervous system there are four different types of glial cells: Astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, ependymal cells and microglia. Glial tumors tend to grow fast and along the nerval cells, using the neuronal axons as a lead to infiltrate healthy brain tissue. Gliomas are not hereditary, which means that you cannot pass the condition to your children with your genes.

Types of gliomas

Gliomas can be classified based on their growth rate: There are high-grade and low-grade gliomas, with high-grade tumors being associated with a shorter survival time.

In the last decade, genetic aspects of tumor cells and growth became more and more relevant and important in the diagnosis and treatment of glial brain tumors.

Symptoms

Depending on the location of the tumor, symptoms may vary from speech disturbances and limb palsy to epileptic seizures or other neurological deficits. More general symptoms are mostly associated with increasing intracranial pressure and include headaches, loss of appetite, fatigue, difficulties in concentration and personality changes.

Treatment

The most important factor in the treatment of a glial tumor is its histopathology, because different histological entities require different kinds of treatment. The first step is always surgery. The more tumor mass we can remove without causing any new neurological deficits, the more likely it is to achieve a longer progression-free survival. In tumors that are inoperable, a biopsy will help to gain tumor tissue for the histological assessment.

• Low-grade gliomas: If a complete removal of the tumor can be achieved, follow-up imaging studies will be scheduled to check on possible recurrence every 3-6 months. If there is still a tumor remnant  after surgery, radiation or chemotherapy or both might be considered necessary depending on the tumor’s molecular profile.
• High-grade gliomas always require a combination of surgical removal with a subsequent combined radiochemotherapy for 6 weeks. After that, you will need to continue chemotherapy. Also, we offer some new options like Optune® therapy.

Our multidisciplnary tumor board consists of specialized experts from the fields of Neurosurgery, Neurology and Radiotherapy. This team evaluates complex cases and determines the best treatment strategy for each patient.