Astrocytic Tumors

Music and Lyrics by Arie Perry, M.D.

Astrocytic tumors of the CNS, are the most common primaries,
More frequent than all the rest
In adults, differentiation is one of the following three
Low grade, anaplastic, glioblastoma multiforme


CHORUS:
Four criteria are important histologically
Atypia, necrosis, endothelial hyperplasia, mitotic activity
Low grade tumors can have one of these but no more
While glioblastomas must have three or four


They present most commonly, in middle age or elderly
Age is directly proportional to the anaplastic degree
Survival time depends on the grade, although fatality is rarely belayed
Transformation to a higher grade, is quite common I’m afraid

CHORUS

In adults, astrocytomas are most often fibrillary
They infiltrate diffusely through the centrum semiovale
Grossly or on CT, there’s midline shifts and asymmetry
Ring enhancement is indicative of glioblastoma multiforme

CHORUS

In children, they behave differently, there’s not uniform malignancy
Pilocytic morphology may confer survivability
They present infratentorially, well defined and cystic commonly
In a surgically resectable site, they can escape the adult’s plight

CHORUS