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Effects of radiotherapy on the astrocytomatous areas of malignant gliomas

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Summary

Little is known of the histological effects of radiation on low grade astrocytomas, whereas the clinical efficacy of radiotherapy on these tumors is still a matter of discussion. Since it is difficult to have large series of autoptic brains harboring astrocytomas, the wide astrocytomatous areas of conventionally irradiated secondary glioblastomas have been studied in whole mount preparations. It was assumed that these areas were already present at the time of irradiation. In these areas no histologic changes referable to ‘short-term’ effect of radiation have been found. When the astrocytomatous areas were located in the white matter, they were affected by chronic edema, which usually occurs in perighoblastomatous tissue. In one case necrotic foci in the astrocytomatous areas were interpreted as anaplastic foci damaged by radiation; radiotherapy of astrocytomas might therefore result in the eradication of undetected anaplastic foci.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. II Neurological Clinic, Turin, Italy

    D Schiffer, MT Giordana, R Soffietti & R Sciolla

  2. Radiotherapy Department, University of Turin, Turin, Italy

    GL Sannazzari & E Vasario

Authors
  1. D Schiffer
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  2. MT Giordana
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  3. R Soffietti
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  4. R Sciolla
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  5. GL Sannazzari
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  6. E Vasario
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Additional information

Partially supported by A.I.R.C. (Italian Association for Cancer Research), Grant No. 21, Regione Piemonte, 1983 and C.N.R. Grant No. 83.00949.96 (Control of Neoplastic Growth).

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Schiffer, D., Giordana, M., Soffietti, R. et al. Effects of radiotherapy on the astrocytomatous areas of malignant gliomas. J Neuro-Oncol 2, 167–175 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00253268

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00253268

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