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Low-Grade Astrocytomas

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Oncology of CNS Tumors

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Abstract

Glial tumors constitute approximately 50% of newly diagnosed primary brain tumors, with low-grade gliomas (LGG) accounting for approximately 15% of all brain tumors in adults [21]. The subset of tumors classified as LGG represents a heterogeneous group of tumors with astrocytic, oligodendroglial, ependymal, or mixed cellular histologies. In the adult population, the term LGG typically refers to the diffuse, infiltrating variety of tumors classified as World Health Organization (WHO) grade II lesions—specifically low-grade astrocytomas, oligodendrogliomas, or mixed oligoastrocytomas [33]. Among low-grade astrocytomas, the most common his-tologic subtypes are the fibrillary, protoplasmic, and gemistocytic variants. There is no indication in the literature that LGGs are more prevalent in a specific ethnic or national group.

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  1. Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California at San Francisco, 505 Parnassus Avenue, M-779, Box 0112, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA

    Nader Sanai & Mitchel S Berger

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  1. Nader Sanai
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  2. Mitchel S Berger
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Correspondence to Nader Sanai .

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  1. Universitätsklinikum München Klinikum Großhadern Neurochirurgische Klinik, Marchioninistr. 15, München, 81377, Germany

    Jörg-Christian Tonn

  2. Universitätsklinikum Hamburg Krankenhaus Eppendorf Klinik und Poliklinik für Neurochirurgie, Martinistr. 52, Neurologie, Hamburg, 20246, Germany

    Manfred Westphal

  3. Division of Neurosurgery, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue Suite 1502, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X8, Canada

    James T. Rutka

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Sanai, N., Berger, M.S. (2010). Low-Grade Astrocytomas. In: Tonn, JC., Westphal, M., Rutka, J.T. (eds) Oncology of CNS Tumors. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-02874-8_5

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