A Study of 182 Patients with Verified Astrocytoma, Astroblastoma and Oligodendroglioma of the Brain

Abstract

Between 1924 and 1949, 972 intracranial tumors were verified microscopically. Certain features of the clinical course and histopathology of the astrocytomas (16.6%), oligodendrogliomas (2.5%) and astroblastomas (0.51%) are presented. Solid astrocytomas appear to contain more actively proliferating neoplastic cells than cystic astrocytomas. This is reflected in the statistically longer survival time in the presence of the cystic, as compared with the solid, astrocytomas. The authors feel that the cell type of tumors is detd. early, with little tendency toward de-differentiation. X-ray irradiation has a very slight effect on this group of tumors. The clinical course of two of the female patients supports the authors'' opinion that pregnancy stimulates the growth of intracranial gliomas.