Glioma of the brain

What is glioma and why is it dangerous?

Brain gliomas are a group of primary neoplasms that form from the brain parenchyma. According to statistics, the incidence of this disease is 5-10 cases per 100 thousand people. At the same time, this pathology is found most often among primary brain tumors. Glioma is diagnosed in children and adults, but there are types that are characteristic of a certain age.

Neoplasms of this type differ from each other in terms of growth rate and degree of malignancy. The consequences of their development are quite different and depend on the location and type of tumor. But any brain gliomas, like cancer or benign neoplasms, with active growth, lead to disruption in the functioning of the brain. Therefore, this disease must be treated. And if treatment is started on time, contact the best specialists and use modern effective methods, there is every chance to defeat the disease.

Causes of brain glioma

The immediate cause of the development of gliomas is the degeneration of glial cells.

The exact reasons why this happens are unknown. But oncologists have identified several factors that can contribute to the appearance of this type of tumor:

• certain viruses;
• genetic predisposition;
• the influence of substances with a toxic effect;
• exposure to radiation.

Symptoms and signs of brain glioma

With a different location of the glial tumor of the brain, the manifestations of the disease can change quite a lot. The most characteristic symptoms include:

• prolonged headaches that do not go away even after taking painkillers;
• nausea, vomiting;
• convulsions;
• paralysis of different parts of the body;
• problems with coordination;
• problems with memory and other cognitive functions;
• hallucinations;
• personality changes.

However, these same symptoms can occur with tumors of another type located in the brain, as well as for a number of other pathologies. Therefore, when such symptoms appear, it is very important to do an examination and determine the exact cause of the manifestations listed above.

As the tumor grows, it can affect nearby areas of the brain, which leads to aggravation of symptoms, a person may fall into a coma, paralysis may develop, and breathing problems may occur.

MedTour will help you undergo a full diagnosis and make the diagnosis as accurately as possible.

Types of brain gliomas

There are several classifications that apply to glial tumors. Doctors distinguish them by type, depending on the characteristics of the cells and the degree of malignancy. Today, the WHO classification is used in medicine, according to which four degrees of malignancy are determined.

Grade of malignancy of gliomas

• First. Neoplasms of the 1st degree do not degenerate into cancer. These are benign gliomas of the brain.
• Second. Tumors of this type are considered “borderline”, they are called low-grade gliomas. Grade 2 gliomas are characterized by atypical cells, but they are slow growing and generally have a good prognosis. However, they can degenerate into neoplasms of the 3rd degree.
• Third. Malignant gliomas, which are characterized by fairly rapid growth.
• Fourth. These are the most aggressive neoplasms. Grade 4 brain gliomas grow very rapidly, and in the presence of such a tumor, the prognosis is unfavorable.

The most common types of glial tumors include: astrocytomas, oligodendrogliomas, ependymomas, mixed type of glioblastomas.

Astrocytomas

This is the most common type of glial tumor in the brain. According to statistics, more than 50% of gliomas are diagnosed with astrocytomas. They can develop in children, are often found in adolescence, but are also quite common in adults and the elderly.

• 1st degree – piloid astrocytoma;
• 2nd degree – diffuse astrocytoma;
• 3rd degree – fibrillar astrocytoma;
• 4th degree – glioblastoma, gliosarcoma, diffuse glioma.

Children often have tumors that are benign or borderline. In addition, aggressive diffuse glioma of the brain stem is also often diagnosed in children aged 5-10 years. Glioblastomas are considered the most aggressive of all gliomas and are usually diagnosed in adults and the elderly.

Oligodendrogliomas

They are found in about 7-10% of cases. The frontal lobes are most commonly affected. These glial tumors are characterized by the second degree of malignancy. But a more aggressive variant of the 3rd degree is also possible – anaplastic oligodendroglioma.

Ependymomas

They make up approximately 5-7% of all gliomas. They are diagnosed in children and adolescents. Such tumors are usually found in the walls of the ventricles of the brain. They are represented by different types of neoplasms, which are isolated depending on which ventricle they are located in. There are also varieties of ependymoma, which differ in histological characteristics.

How long does a glioma grow?

The type of neoplasm affects the rate of growth of glial brain tumors. Benign gliomas grow slowly. If a glioma of the 3rd or 4th degree is detected, they have a rapid growth, the symptoms quickly increase. For example, aggressive glioblastoma can double in size in a few months. Therefore, it is very important to accurately diagnose the disease as quickly as possible.

How long do people live with glioma?

When a brain glioma is diagnosed, the prognosis can differ markedly depending on the type of neoplasm. It is possible to live long enough with benign gliomas. Aggressive forms such as diffuse cerebral glioma or glioblastoma are difficult to treat and have a poor prognosis.

However, modern medicine has methods that even with aggressive glial tumors allow, if not completely curing the disease, then significantly extending life and improving its quality. Your task is to find a clinic and a doctor who can choose the best methods of therapy for your condition.

Diagnosis of brain glioma

The most informative method that is used for suspected brain cancer is magnetic resonance imaging. Positron emission CT, scintigraphy, angiography of the vessels of the head, and an encephalogram can also be prescribed. Laboratory testing of cerebrospinal fluid may be done.

With the help of such examinations, it is possible to determine the presence of a tumor, its size and location. But it is impossible to accurately determine the type of neoplasm in this way. For the final diagnosis, it is necessary to take cells from the tumor and conduct a laboratory histological analysis. There are two options for how this is done:

• During the operation, the doctor takes tumor tissue for laboratory diagnosis.
• Specialists perform a stereotactic biopsy. In this case, the doctor uses a special long needle, with which it enters the neoplasm and takes a tissue fragment. The procedure is carried out under the control of CT.

The method of taking a tumor sample is selected individually, taking into account the location of the tumor.

Treatment of brain glioma

When a glioma is diagnosed, treatment can be carried out by various methods, which are selected depending on the stage of the tumor, its type, size and location. One or more methods can be used at the same time. Surgical and non-surgical methods are used. This allows doctors to approach each case in a personalized way and select the optimal treatment that can give the best result.

Removal of brain glioma

Surgery, during which doctors remove the glioma, is considered one of the best methods to get rid of the tumor. For benign gliomas, removal is often used as the only treatment option, and this allows the disease to be completely cured. For high-grade glial tumors, the surgical method is usually combined with radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy.

In modern neurosurgical clinics, operating rooms are equipped with special equipment that allows such operations to be performed with high accuracy. The use of special staining substances and neuronavigation systems allows neurosurgeons to accurately excise tumor tissues without damaging healthy tissues, without the risk of touching important centers of the brain.

If inoperable glioma is diagnosed, doctors select other methods of therapy.

Radiation therapy for brain gliomas

Radiation therapy is often used in the treatment of brain glioma. It can be prescribed before surgery in order to preliminary reduce the size of the tumor. Or doctors may use it after the removal of the tumor to destroy any cancer cells left after the removal. Radiation can also be prescribed for inoperable gliomas.

There are different types of radiation therapy, which are selected taking into account the characteristics of the condition:

• Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). The specialist directs a beam of photons to the tumor at different angles and at the same time regulates the intensity of the radiation.
• Proton therapy. In this case, irradiation is carried out by proton beams.
• Radiosurgery. With this method, the cancerous tumor is destroyed using high concentration beams. This method is also called a cyber knife. It is usually used for small neoplasms and for tumors, the removal of which with a scalpel is problematic for some reason.

Chemotherapy in the treatment of gliomas

For brain gliomas, treatment may include the use of special drugs that stop the reproduction of cancer cells and destroy them. One or more drugs may be prescribed, which are used in courses. However, the disadvantage of such treatment is the negative impact of drugs on healthy tissues of the body.

Chemotherapy is usually used in combination with surgery and radiation therapy, but can also be used as an independent method. In some cases, a chemotherapy drug capsule is implanted into the area of the tumor during surgery.

Targeted therapy

This is a method of treatment of malignant diseases, in which special drugs are used that act with precision. They affect molecules that are important for the life of the neoplasm. At the same time, healthy cells of the body practically do not suffer. The use of targeted drugs is quite effective and has fewer side effects compared to conventional chemotherapy, but this method is not suitable for all types of gliomas.

Immunotherapy: cancer vaccines

In recent years, immunotherapy has also been used in the treatment of gliomas. The action of immunotherapeutic drugs is aimed at “turning on” the body’s defenses, activating the immune system, setting it up to fight cancer cells. One way to do this is to use special cancer vaccines. With their help, it is possible to “teach” the body to recognize malignant cells and destroy them.

There are several types of vaccines that can already be used today to fight cancer:

• Xenovaccine. It is made from quail tumor-associated antigens of embryonic origin, which are transformed in a special way. After the introduction of the drug, the immune system begins to perceive cancer cells as a “stranger” and attacks them.
• Autovaccine. It is made from the patient’s tumor cells. The use of one’s own tumor cells makes it possible to obtain a drug that effectively fights the body’s tolerance to tumor antigens. After its introduction, the immune system begins to distinguish cancer cells well and destroy them.

Both xenovaccine and autovaccine can be part of a comprehensive cancer treatment and can be used in conjunction with other therapies. The use of these cancer vaccines makes treatment more effective, reduces the likelihood of metastases, and increases overall survival. At the same time, vaccines do not have a toxic effect on the body and their use is well tolerated by patients.

You can take advantage of these vaccines in some clinics in Ukraine and Turkey. To learn more about cancer vaccines and the clinics where they are made, please contact the medical coordinator of MedTour.

Prevention of glioma

For the prevention of brain tumors and glioma, including, doctors give general recommendations:

• do not abuse alcohol and do not smoke,
• provide the body with moderate physical activity,
• eat regularly and healthy food and get enough rest,
• do not come into contact with carcinogenic substances.

These simple recommendations will help maintain the health of the body as a whole and reduce the likelihood of developing malignant processes.

Cancer vaccines can also be used to prevent the development of gliomas. For prophylactic purposes, they can be used by people who have a hereditary predisposition to the occurrence of neoplasms of this type. As well as those who have already undergone treatment for this disease.

The best clinics for the treatment of brain oncology

On the MedTour platform, you can find clinics that treat gliomas using the latest and most effective methods. Advanced medical centers that treat brain tumors are equipped with the latest medical devices and use the most modern medicines. They employ experienced doctors who are leading experts in this field.

On our website you can find a list of leading medical institutions that treat gliomas. MedTour coordinating doctor will help you make the best choice and find a clinic that best suits your needs.

The best doctors for the treatment of brain gliomas

Are you looking for the best doctors who specialize in the treatment of brain gliomas? We cooperate with leading doctors in the field of neurosurgery from Turkey, Spain, Israel, Germany and other countries, and we will help you find a good specialist with extensive clinical experience in this field.

A list of doctors who treat brain tumors can be found on our website. To get more detailed information about doctors and the possibility of treating glioma in the best clinics, contact the medical coordinator of MedTour.

Published: 16.08.2023

Updated: 23.08.2023

Medical author, Medical editor:

Natalia Segen

Medical author, Medical editor:

Olena Kursabaieva