The Glioma represents a collective term for brain tumors or tumors of the central nervous system that develop from the glial cells (supporting cells of the nervous system). There are both benign and malignant forms of these tumors. Most gliomas develop in the brain, but the spinal cord can also be affected.
What are gliomas?
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Gliomas are tumors that develop from the glial cells of the central nervous system. Glial cells represent so-called supporting cells of the nerve cells. They can be divided into astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and ependymal cells:
- The majority of glial cells can Astrocytes be assigned. These are star-shaped, branched cells that form boundary membranes to the blood vessels and the surface of the brain.
- Oligodendrocytes form the myelin sheaths of the axons and appear as satellite cells in the white and gray matter of the nervous system.
- The Ependymal cells form a single layer of cells around the brain ventricle and thus separate the liquor from the brain tissue.
In Greek, the word glia also means glue. So glial cells are connecting cells in the central nervous system. An increased cell growth of these glial cells forms a tumor, which is called a glioma. Gliomas can be divided into astrocytomas, oligodendrogliomas (formerly oligodendrocytomas), ependymomas and mixed gliomas. According to the WHO, your degree of malignancy is divided into WHO grades I - IV. WHO Grade I gliomas are considered benign.
WHO grade IV gliomas are already highly malignant. However, low malignancy tumors can transform into high malignancy tumors over time. Astrocytomas make up over 60 percent of gliomas. A grade IV astrocytoma is known as glioblastoma and is the most common malignant brain tumor.
causes
Not much is known about the causes of gliomas. Only up to five percent of all gliomas are hereditary. They form, among other things, in neurofibromatosis, Turcot syndrome or Li-Fraumeni syndrome. In all other cases the gliomas occur sporadically.
A connection between ionizing radiation and an increased incidence of gliomas has already been established. It is also reported that, based on studies that have been carried out, the WHO also classifies the intensive use of mobile phones as a risk for the development of gliomas.
Symptoms, ailments & signs
The symptoms of a glioma depend on the degree of malignancy and the location of the tumor. Slowly growing tumors can remain symptom-free for a long time. Only when the rest of the brain tissue has been displaced to a certain extent do complaints arise. The first symptom may be an epileptic fit.
Due to the increasing intracranial pressure, severe headaches, constant nausea and vomiting are typical. Rapidly growing tumors can suddenly lead to headaches and symptoms of paralysis. Therefore, there is a risk of confusion with a stroke. In the further course of the disease, personality changes can also occur.
Diagnosis & course
To diagnose a glioma, a thorough medical history is required first. When long-lasting headaches occur, which are associated with constant nausea and vomiting, a glioma can also be thought of, among many other diseases.
If imaging tests such as MRI or CT have confirmed a mass, the next step is to find out which tumor it is. To do this, a tissue sample is taken for histological examination in the laboratory. A glioma can be diagnosed this way. However, it is more difficult to determine the extent of the tumor.
Particularly malignant gliomas grow into the brain tissue and show a particularly inhomogeneous structure. So it is possible that the glioma cannot be fully captured. During the biopsy, fewer malignant areas could have been discovered, although the tumor is more aggressive elsewhere.
Complications
As a rule, glioma is associated with the usual symptoms and complications of a tumor. The further course depends heavily on whether the tumor is benign or malignant and whether it has already spread to other regions of the body. It is not uncommon for a glioma to lead to epileptic seizures and to other problems in the brain.
The pressure in the brain can increase, which can lead to severe headaches. Vomiting and nausea also occur. The patient's quality of life is severely impaired by the disease. Without treatment, the glioma can, in the worst case, lead to the patient's death. The pain occurs very suddenly. A stroke can also occur, which is associated with various complications and complaints.
Ailments in the brain can also have a negative impact on the patient's psyche and also lead to depression. If the glioma can be surgically removed, there are no further complications. Chemotherapy or radiation may also be necessary.
Successful removal usually does not reduce the quality of life. However, it cannot be ruled out that a glioma will recur. For this reason, the patient is dependent on regular preventive examinations.
When should you go to the doctor?
Such a brain tumor must be treated by a doctor, otherwise the chances of survival of the person concerned are very low. An early diagnosis is very important for an existing brain tumor, because the earlier it is diagnosed, the higher the chances of a full and quick recovery. Therefore, certain signs and symptoms should not be ignored. Unexplained and persistent headaches may indicate a brain tumor.
If the tumor presses on the auditory nerve from the inside, stabbing ear pain occurs, which general practitioners usually cannot explain. Seeing a doctor at an early stage is very important for an accurate diagnosis. This is the only way to initiate appropriate therapy so that the sick person's chances of survival increase significantly. However, if medical and drug treatment is not used, then the chances of recovery or survival are extremely low.
Doctors & therapists in your area
Treatment & Therapy
WHO Grade I glioma can be completely surgically removed. Tumors of this degree of malignancy have not yet migrated into the brain tissue and have not yet metastasized. Complete removal of the tumor here also means complete cure. For gliomas with a higher degree of malignancy, surgery is usually no longer sufficient. A Radiotia (radio radiation treatment) must be connected. A targeted irradiation of the tumor bed takes place.
The extent to which whole-brain irradiation promises success in combating glioma is currently being investigated. In the case of glioblastomas, chemotherapy is also carried out at the same time. The results of the glioma treatment are currently not yet satisfactory. While a low-grade brain tumor can heal completely after an operation, life expectancy for a glioblastoma barely exceeds a year after its discovery.
However, therapy is often difficult for gliomas of grade II and III malignancy as well. These gliomas are characterized on the one hand by an infiltrating and on the other hand by an irregular growth. Often not all tumor foci can be removed during an operation. The diffuse penetration of tumor cells into the neighboring healthy tissue ultimately makes complete resection of the tumor impossible.
However, extensive resection of the glioma makes sense, because then only smaller residual tumors have to be subjected to subsequent therapy. This can delay the formation of a relapse. For astrocytomas, either radiation or chemotherapy is carried out as a follow-up therapy. Oligodendroglial tumors are treated exclusively chemotherapeutically with PCV.
Outlook & forecast
As with many other tumor diseases, the prognosis for glioma also depends on how early the disease was discovered and how far the tumor has progressed. Due to its location in the brain, the glioma has two further characteristics with regard to the prospects of healing that are usually not present in tumors in other organs:
On the one hand, in glioma it plays a major role in which part of the brain the tumor is located. If the mass is in a less important area, an operation may be performed with a large safety margin in healthy tissue. If this is the case, the chance that all cells of the tumor can be removed increases and the likelihood of recurrence drops significantly, especially with benign tumors.
On the other hand, a distinction can also be made between benign and malignant neoplasms in brain tumors. However, this is not always useful with regard to the prognosis. If a benign tumor is in an important center of the brain, i.e. if it is inoperable, it is dangerous despite its benign nature.
As it grows, it displaces brain structures whose function is increasingly endangered. This is because cells are destroyed because the rigid skull capsule offers no alternative. For this reason, the prognosis of a benign but rapidly growing tumor is not particularly favorable if the glioma does not respond adequately to radiation or chemotherapy.
prevention
There are no general recommendations for preventing gliomas. The causes of gliomas are still largely unknown today. According to the WHO, there is a certain risk of developing glioma through intensive use of cell phones. Ionizing radiation should also be avoided in the work area, because according to all studies this is a high risk factor for the development of glioma.
Aftercare
Glioma is a brain disease that requires consistent follow-up after treatment is complete. On the one hand, it is about regenerating the consequences of the stressful therapy in order to offer the body, but also mind and soul, the opportunity to relax. On the other hand, it is of course also about recognizing a possible recurrence as early as possible and carrying out adequate therapy.
Follow-up care is usually carried out by the attending physician, for example a neurologist, in conjunction with the family doctor. Physiotherapists, speech therapists and occupational therapists are often involved in follow-up care for glioma. The radiologist also takes control of the imaging process.
The patient can effectively support follow-up measures through a healthy lifestyle in everyday life. Sufficient sleep is just as important as a healthy diet with sufficient amounts of water to drink. Sport and exercise are discussed with the doctor and can have a positive effect on motor problems. Self-help groups support the psychological handling of the disease.
Relaxation methods and yoga also help the mind and soul to regenerate. For relaxation methods, Jacobsen's progressive muscle relaxation and autogenic training are recommended. Talking to family and friends will help you cope better with the situation. Social activities not only provide company, but also the distraction that is sometimes necessary.
You can do that yourself
Glioma is a type of tumor that generally requires medical treatment. Nevertheless, there are also some measures for the patient that can be taken as part of self-help in everyday life.
First of all, it is about supporting regeneration after a treatment such as an operation, radiation or chemotherapy. This is possible, for example, if a patient also carries out exercises they may have learned in physiotherapy or occupational therapy at home. Often, after intensive therapy, exhaustion can also be determined in the affected person.
This can often be absorbed by moderate sporty and fun training. In some sports such as swimming or climbing, it is important that any willingness to have seizures is prevented with good medication. Of course, this also applies in particular to driving vehicles. In the mental area, functional disorders can be improved through special memory training or puzzles on your own.
After being diagnosed with a brain tumor, many of those affected also feel emotionally stressed. Psychological tension can be reduced in different ways: those affected who want to deal with the disease directly can discuss their glioma in discussions with people they trust or in self-help groups. Anyone who does not want to make glioma an issue after therapy and outside of the important follow-up checks can stabilize their mental state through yoga or relaxation methods.
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