Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Prognostic parameters in benign astrocytomas

  • Clinical Articles
  • Published:
Acta Neurochirurgica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

To elucidate the prognosis of different types of benign astrocytomas and to ascertain whether patients with partially resected benign astrocytomas, or any subtype of these, would benefit from postoperative radiotherapy, we studied retrospectively material comprising 300 patients with benign astrocytomas treated in the period 1956 to 1991.

The pilocytic type of astrocytoma was found to have an outstandingly good prognosis and should be regarded as a distinct nosological entity.

For the non-pilocytic supratentorial astrocytomas, a multivariate regression analysis showed that age, tumour site, Kernohan grade and lymphocytic perivascular cuffing influenced survival.

The proportion of gemistocytes increased with age. After correction for age, the proportion of gemistocytes had no significant influence on survival.

It was not possible to demonstrate any influence of radiotherapy on median survival time of patients with non-pilocytic supratentorial benign astrocytomas.

The study emphasizes the necessity of a prospective combined multicenter analysis of the effect of radiation on benign astrocytomas.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Brooks WH, Markesbery WR, Gupta GD, Roszman TL (1978) Relationship of lymphocyte invasion and survival of brain tumor patients. Ann Neurol 4: 219–224

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Böker D-K, Kalff R, Gullotta F, Weekes-Seifert S, Möhrer U (1984) Mononuclear infiltrates in human intracranial tumors as a prognostic factor. Influence of preoperative steroid treatment. I. Glioblastoma. Clin Neuropathol 3: 143–147

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Clark GB, Henry JM, McKeever PE (1985) Cerebral pilocytic astrocytoma. Cancer 56: 1128–1133

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Cohadon F, Aouad N, Rougier A, Vital C, Rivel J, Dartigues JF (1985) Histologic and non-histologic factors correlated with survival time in supratentorial astrocytic tumors. J Neurooncol 3: 105–111

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Elvidge AR (1968) Long-term survival in the astrocytoma series. J Neurosurg 28: 399–404

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Fazekas JT (1977) Treatment of grades I and II brain astrocytomas. The role of radiotherapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2: 661–666

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Garcia DM, Fulling KH (1985) Juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma of the cerebrum in adults. J Neurosurg 63: 382–386

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Garcia DM, Fulling KH, Marks JE (1985) The value of radiation therapy in addition to surgery for astrocytomas of the adult cerebrum. Cancer 55: 919–927

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Gjerris F, Klinken L (1978) Long-term prognosis in children with benign cerebellar astrocytoma. J Neurosfurg 49: 179–184

    Google Scholar 

  10. Hoshino T, Wilson CB, Ellis WG (1975) Gemistocytic astrocytes in gliomas. An autoradiographic study. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 34: 263–281

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Kaplan EL, Meier P (1958) Nonparametric estimation from incomplete observations. J Am Stat Assoc 53: 457–481

    Google Scholar 

  12. Krouwer HGJ, Davis RL, Silver P, Prados M (1991) Gemistocytic astrocytomas: a reappraisal. J Neurosurg 74: 399–406

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Laws ER, Taylor WF, Clifton MB, Okazaki H (1984) Neurosurgical management of low-grade astrocytoma of the cerebral hemispheres. J Neurosurg 61: 665–673

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Leibel SA, Sheline GE (1987) Radiation therapy for neoplasms of the brain. Review article. J Neurosurg 66: 1–22

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Leibel SA, Sheline GE, Wara WM, Boldrey EB, Nielsen SL (1975) The role of radiation therapy in the treatment of astrocytomas. Cancer 35: 1551–1557

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Levin VA, Sheline GE, Gutin PH (1990) Neoplasms of the central nervous system. In: De Vita VT Jr, Hellman S, Rosenberg SA (eds) Cancer. Principles and practice of oncology, Vol 2, 3rd Ed. Lippincott, Philadelphia, pp 1557–1611

    Google Scholar 

  17. Maire JP, Coudin B, Guérin J, Caudry M (1987) Neuropsychologic impairment in adults with brain tumors. Am J Clin Oncol 10: 156–162

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Medbery CA III, Straus KL, Steinberg SM, Cotelingam JD, Fisher WS (1988) Low-grade astrocytomas: treatment results and prognostic variables. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 15: 837–841

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Morantz RA (1990) Controversial issues in the management of low-grade astrocytomas. In: Wilkins RH, Rengachary SS (eds) Neurosurgery update I. McGraw-Hill, New York, pp 245–251

    Google Scholar 

  20. Palma L, Guidetti B (1985) Cystic pilocytic astrocytomas of the cerebral hemispheres. J Neurosurg 62: 811–815

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Piepmeier JM (1987) Observations on the current treatment of low-grade astrocytic tumors of the cerebral hemispheres. J Neurosurg 67: 177–181

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Ridley A, Cavanagh JB (1971) Lymphocytic infiltration in gliomas: evidence of possible host resistance. Brain 94: 117–124

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Russell DS, Rubinstein LJ (eds) (1989) Pathology of tumours of the nervous system, 5th Ed. Edward Arnold, London, pp 83–92 and 126

    Google Scholar 

  24. Safdari H, Hochberg FH, Richardson EP Jr (1985) Prognostic value of round cell (lymphocyte) infiltration in malignant gliomas. Surg eurol 23: 221–226

    Google Scholar 

  25. Scanion PW, Taylor WF (1979) Radiotherapy of intracranial astrocytomas: analysis of 417 cases treated from 1960 through 1969. Neurosurgery 5: 301–308

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Shalet SM, Clayton PE, Price DA (1988) Growth and pituitary function in children treated for brain tumours or acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Horm Res 30: 53–61

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Shaw EG, Daumas-Duport C, Scheithauer BW, Gilbertson DT, O'Fallon JR, Earle JD, Laws ER, Okazaki H (1989) Radiation therapy in the management of low-grade supratentorial astrocytomas. J Neurosurg 70: 853–861

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Soffietti R, Chiò A, Giordana MT, Vasario E, Schiffer D (1989) Prognostic factors in well-differentiated cerebral astrocytomas in the adult. Neurosurgery 24: 686–692

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. SOLO Survival Analysis (computer program) (1989). BMPD Statistical Software, Los Angeles CA

  30. Weir B, Grace M (1976) The relative significance of factors affecting postoperative survival in astrocytomas, grades one and two. Can J Neurol Sci 3: 47–50

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University Clinic of Neurosurgery, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen

    L. Westergaard & F. Gjerris

  2. Institute of Neuropathology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

    L. Klinken

Authors
  1. L. Westergaard
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. F. Gjerris
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. L. Klinken
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Westergaard, L., Gjerris, F. & Klinken, L. Prognostic parameters in benign astrocytomas. Acta neurochir 123, 1–7 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01476278

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01476278

Keywords

Search

Navigation