CONDITIONS WE TREAT: Gliomas

A glioma is a type of tumor that starts in the brain or spine. It is called a glioma because it arises from glial cells. The most common site of gliomas is the brain. The exact causes of gliomas are not known. Hereditary genetic disorders such as neurofibromatoses and tuberous sclerosis are known to predispose to the development of gliomas, and obesity during adolescence increased the risk by three to four times greater than having normal weight. Being tall also increased the risk; each 10 centimeter increase in height increased the risk nearly 20 percent.

Treatment for brain gliomas depends on the location, the cell type and the grade of malignancy. Often, treatment consists of a combined approach, using surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. The radiation therapy is in the form of external beam radiation or the stereotactic approach using radiosurgery. Spinal cord tumors can be treated by surgery and radiation. Temozolomide is a chemotherapeutic drug that is able to cross the blood-brain barrier effectively and is being used in the therapy of some gliomas.