Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2023:1405:1-30.
doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-23705-8_1.

Malignant Glioma

Linda M Wang  1 , Zachary K Englander  1 , Michael L Miller  1 , Jeffrey N Bruce  2
Affiliations
Review

Malignant Glioma

Linda M Wang et al. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2023.

Abstract

This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of malignant gliomas, the most common primary brain tumor in adults. These tumors are varied in their cellular origin, genetic profile, and morphology under the microscope, but together they share some of the most dismal prognoses of all neoplasms in the body. Although there is currently no cure for malignant glioma, persistent efforts to improve outcomes in patients with these tumors have led to modest increases in survival, and researchers worldwide continue to strive toward a deeper understanding of the factors that influence glioma development and response to treatment. In addition to well-established epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and common histopathologic and radiologic features of malignant gliomas, this section considers recent advances in molecular biology that have led to a more nuanced understanding of the genetic changes that characterize the different types of malignant glioma, as well as their implications for treatment. Beyond the traditional classification of malignant gliomas based on histopathological features, this chapter incorporates the World Health Organization's 2016 criteria for the classification of brain tumors, with special focus on disease-defining genetic alterations and newly established subcategories of malignant glioma that were previously unidentifiable based on microscopic examination alone. Traditional therapeutic modalities that form the cornerstone of treatment for malignant glioma, such as aggressive surgical resection followed by adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy, and the studies that support their efficacy are reviewed in detail. This provides a foundation for additional discussion of novel therapeutic methods such as immunotherapy and convection-enhanced delivery, as well as new techniques for enhancing extent of resection such as fluorescence-guided surgery.

Keywords: Anaplastic astrocytoma; Anaplastic oligodendroglioma; Chemotherapy; Convection-enhanced delivery; Diffuse midline glioma; Fluorescence-guided surgery; Genetics; Glioblastoma; High-grade glioma; Immunotherapy; Malignant glioma; Molecular biology; Radiation therapy; Surgical resection.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Agnelli G, Piovella F, Buoncristiani P, Severi P, Pini M, D’Angelo A, Beltrametti C, Damiani M, Andrioli GC, Pugliese R, Iorio A, Brambilla G (1998) Enoxaparin plus compression stockings compared with compression stockings alone in the prevention of venous thromboembolism after elective neurosurgery. N Engl J Med 339(2):80–85. https://doi.org/10.1056/nejm199807093390204 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Baehring JM, Bi WL, Bannykh S, Piepmeier JM, Fulbright RK (2007) Diffusion MRI in the early diagnosis of malignant glioma. J Neurooncol 82(2):221–225. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11060-006-9273-3 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Balss J, Meyer J, Mueller W, Korshunov A, Hartmann C, von Deimling A (2008) Analysis of the IDH1 codon 132 mutation in brain tumors. Acta Neuropathol 116(6):597–602. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00401-008-0455-2 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Bent MJVD, Brandes AA, Taphoorn MJB, Kros JM, Kouwenhoven MCM, Delattre J-Y, Bernsen HJJA, Frenay M, Tijssen CC, Grisold W, Sipos L, Enting RH, French PJ, Dinjens WNM, Vecht CJ, Allgeier A, Lacombe D, Gorlia T, Hoang-Xuan K (2013) Adjuvant procarbazine, lomustine, and vincristine chemotherapy in newly diagnosed anaplastic oligodendroglioma: long-term follow-up of EORTC brain tumor group study 26951. J Clin Oncol 31(3):344–350. https://doi.org/10.1200/jco.2012.43.2229
    1. Biernat W, Kleihues P, Yonekawa Y, Ohgaki H (1997) Amplification and overexpression of MDM2 in primary (de novo) glioblastomas. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 56(2):180–185. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005072-199702000-00009 - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources