These are tumors that arise from the brain itself and specifically from the support cells of the brain, the glia and not the nerve cells themselves (neurons)
Their origin involves a genetic disturbance affecting the cell cycle
These tumors tend to infiltrate and spread through the normal brain.
Gliomas are classified in 4 grades depending on their histologic appearance. The higher the grade, the more aggressive, infiltrative and fast growing these tumors are.
Treatment
Multimodal treatment is necessary
Combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation
Extent of surgical resection significantly impacts overall survival
The challenge for neurosurgeons is to resect as much tumor as it is safely possible and achieve the balance between maximal tumor resection while avoiding neurologic deficits
Sometimes the tumor location is too deep or the tumor is too infiltrative or located in a region of the brain that does not allow the safe resection of the tumor. In those cases a Stereotactic Brain Biopsy is performed in order to obtain necessary tissue to allow further treatment with chemotherapy and radiation.
support cells of the brain, the glia and not the nerve cells themselves (neurons)