What is a glioma?

The central nervous system consists of two main structures: the brain and the spinal cord, which are responsible for controlling all body functions.

The brain, on the other hand, consists of the cerebellum, cerebellum, and brainstem. It is formed by two hemispheres, the right and the left, which are separated from each other by a central longitudinal fissure. It is surrounded by membranes called meninges, between which cerebrospinal fluid circulates freely. The skull consists of a rigid bone structure that protects it from external influences.

Glioma is a type of cancer that develops in the brain or spinal cord. The brain is responsible for cognitive functions, including the ability to speak, think, learn, and remember, as well as certain motor and emotional responses.

Symptoms:

Generally, when a tumor is small, it usually causes no symptoms unless it affects a very sensitive area of the brain.

1. Relatively easy to detect with CT computed tomography, this is the very diagnostic test that is required when symptoms appear to diagnose it in its initial phase. The most common symptom is convulsions (90%), the appearance of intracranial hypertension is rare (5-10%), which can occur due to the reduction of intracranial free space as a result of tumor growth, since the brain is located inside the bony structure and thus the pressure increases.

2. Causes and prevention of brain glioma

The factors that contribute to the origin and development of brain tumors are unknown. It was not possible to demonstrate a link between environmental or viral factors in the development of gliomas.

A connection to cell phones and antennas is not confirmed either, as current research is contradictory.

Stages of glioma development

The TNM staging system is not useful for evaluating central nervous system tumors.

Whether ganglia are involved (N) alone cannot be used as a marker for CNS tumors because this structure lacks regional ganglia. On the other hand, extracranial metastases (M) from tumors of the central nervous system practically do not develop.

Therefore, gliomas are classified according to the characteristics of the cells and their aggressiveness (speed of division).

Biological classification or types of brain gliomas

Gliomas are classified according to the characteristics of the cells and their aggressiveness (speed of division). Gliomas are divided into 4 classes:

Grades 1 and 2: Also called low-grade glioma or astrocytoma. They are usually not very aggressive tumors, although over time, in some cases, they can develop and transform into more highly differentiated gliomas.

Grades 3 and 4: or high-grade gliomas (grade 3 is called anaplastic astrocytoma and grade 4 glioblastoma multiforme), are much more malignant than grade 1 and 2 gliomas.

80% of gliomas in adults are usually grade 3-4.

Treatment of glioma

• Chemotherapy

• Radiation oncology treatment

• Treatment of gliomas is multidisciplinary and depends on location, size at diagnosis, grade and general condition of the patient.

• In general, treatment is based on:

• surgery,

• radiotherapy

• A combination of systemic or pharmacological treatment (chemotherapy).

Glioma prognosis

The prognosis of this tumor depends on the age of the patient, the location of the lesion, the degree and the possibility of radical surgery.

In Western countries, this type of cancer does not have a high prevalence, being 8.73 in men and 5.4 in women per 100,000 population.

Survival rates for glioma patients have improved significantly in recent years, and although not high, disease-free life expectancy has been prolonged with current treatments.

Psycho-oncology

In recent years, significant progress has been made in the treatment of gliomas, which significantly increases the probability of survival and the quality of life of these people.

A diagnosis of AS glioma may be associated with emotional reactions of anxiety and worry about the future arising from the diagnosis, in addition to fear of possible cognitive deterioration secondary to fear of the tumor or treatment.

Added to this is uncertainty about the future and the person's ability to function in daily life, which can increase psychological discomfort for both the patient and the family.

Patients may experience cognitive and functional deficits that may affect their quality of life. Specifically, if there is an impact in the frontal or temporal lobe, behavioral changes such as emotional liability, disinhibition, increased irritability, and changes in thought content may be observed. However, currently neuropsychological rehabilitation programs allow to reduce the possible emotional reactions and consequences of the disease, which helps the adaptation of the patient and their relatives to the daily life.