Lecture 20: Brain Tumors

Question 1

Stats

Answer 1

• 2/10 people that are diagnosed will survive

Question 2

Types of CNS tumors

Answer 2

• Glial: astrocytomas, oligodendroglioma (primary)

- Metastatic: lung, breast, melanoma, colorectal

Question 3

Grading and prognosis

Answer 3

Grade I: excellent eg. astrocytoma, juvenile
Grade II: variable eg. astrocytoma
Grade III: poor eg. anaplastic astrocytoma
Grave IV: aggressive eg. glioblastoma

Question 4

Astrocytoma

Answer 4

80% of all adult primary brain tumours

Pilocytic astrocytoma -> filbrillary astrocytoma -> anaplastic astrocytoma -> glioblastoma mulitforme (GBM)

Question 5

Pilocytic Astrocytoma

Answer 5

• low grade, relatively benign
• Children and young adults
• slow growing
• good prognosis

Question 6

Fibrillary astrocytoma

Answer 6

• grade II
• 30-40 yrs
• mean survival 6-8yrs

Question 7

Anaplastic Astrocytoma

Answer 7

• Grade III
• Multinucleated cells
• High frequency of TP53 mutation
• Strong tendency to progress to GBM

Question 8

Glioblastoma Multiforme

Answer 8

• Grade IV
• Most common adult primary neoplasm
• 45-75 yrs
• Haemorrhage and necrosis present
• poor prognosis, usually 8-10 months
• 10% have 2 yr survival rate