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Astrocytoma classification

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Fahimeh Shojaei, M.D.

Overview

Astrocytoma may be classified according to its histology into 4 grades: pilocytic astrocytoma, diffuse astrocytoma, anaplastic astrocytoma and glioblastoma multiforme.

Classification

  • Astrocytoma may be classified according to its histology into 4 grades:[1][2]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Astrocytoma
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Low grade
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
High grade
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Pilocyic astrocytoma
 
Diffuse astrocytoma
 
 
 
 
 
 
Anaplastic astrocytoma
 
Glioblastomas multiform
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fibrillary astrocytoma
 
Gemistocytic astrocytoma
 
Protoplasmic astrocytoma
 
Oligoastrocytoma
 
 
Primary glioblastoma multiforme
 
 
 
Secondary glioblastoma multiforme
 
 



  • Low-grade astrocytoma may be classified based on tumor spread into four subtypes including:


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Low-grade astrocytoma
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Localized low-grade astrocytoma
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Low-grade infiltrative astrocytoma
Diffuse astrocytoma
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
WHO grade I / II
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
WHO grade II
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fibrillary astrocytoma
 
Gemistocytic astrocytoma
 
Protoplasmic astrocytoma
 
Oligoastrocytoma
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Pilocytic astrocytoma
 
Pilomyxoid astrocytoma
 
Subependymal giant cell astrocytoma
 
Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
WHO grade I
 
WHO grade II
 
WHO grade I
 
WHO grade II
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

References

  1. Daumas-Duport C, Scheithauer B, O’Fallon J, Kelly P (November 1988). “Grading of astrocytomas. A simple and reproducible method”. Cancer. 62 (10): 2152–65. PMID 3179928.
  2. Louis DN, Perry A, Reifenberger G, von Deimling A, Figarella-Branger D, Cavenee WK, Ohgaki H, Wiestler OD, Kleihues P, Ellison DW (June 2016). “The 2016 World Health Organization Classification of Tumors of the Central Nervous System: a summary”. Acta Neuropathol. 131 (6): 803–20. doi:10.1007/s00401-016-1545-1. PMID 27157931.

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