Astrocytoma is a type of cancer that forms through cells called astrocytes, usually in the spinal cord or brain. It is a type of glioma, a glial tumor, which is usually benign and originates in the cells of the brain structure. Astrocytomas are the most common and can appear at any age. Not all astrocytomas are the same. They have a very diverse propagation speed: they can be slow or tremendously aggressive. The speed of development is what determines the treatment to be followed and the general prognosis.
There is no certainty about the main causes of the appearance of this type of cancer, although it has been determined that some factors, such as being exposed to radiation or having a family history, can increase the chances of having this disease.
The types of astrocytoma are:
- Grade I astrocytoma or pilocytic astrocytoma. It usually affects children and has a good prognosis after complete resection.
- Grade II astrocytoma or diffuse astrocytoma. There are different subgroups with their own characteristics. It is an infiltrating tumor and usually evolves into an aggressive histology (structure, composition and characteristics of organic tissues). Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma would be included in this group.
- Grade III astrocytoma or anaplastic astrocytoma. It is an invasive tumor with a poor prognosis that can evolve into glioblastomas multiforme.
- Grade IV astrocytoma or glioblastoma multiforme. It is the most aggressive and, probably, the most common of astrocytomas.
The symptoms of astrocytoma depend on several factors, but especially on the location of the tumor. If they are in the brain they usually cause seizures, headaches and vomiting. Those in the spinal cord can cause some disability in the area of the body affected by the tumor.
As a first step, the doctor must perform a neurological examination in which he talks to the patient and obtains information about his behavior and general condition. Afterwards, it is essential to resort to imaging tests to confirm the astrocytoma and reveal the real state of the tumor: its size, its location and the speed of its development.
There are a variety of treatments depending on the patient's condition and the speed of the disease. The first option is surgery to try to remove all the cancer cells or as many as possible. Sometimes damaged cells cannot be accessed because they are located in very delicate areas of the brain. Surgical intervention is sufficient in some cases.
If traces of cancer remain or the intervention could not be performed, then chemotherapy and radiotherapy are used.
In malignant tumors, survival is usually three months.
Since the exact cause is not known, an effective action protocol cannot be established. It is advisable not to expose yourself continuously to radiation because it has been shown that it is a risk factor for the development of this type of cancer.
