Key Points for This Section

The grade of the tumor is used in place of a staging system to plan cancer treatment. The information from tests and procedures done to detect (find) childhood cerebral astrocytoma is used to plan cancer treatment.

The grade of the tumor is used in place of a staging system to plan cancer treatment.

Staging is the process used to find out how much cancer there is and if cancer has spread. It is important to know the stage in order to plan treatment.

There is no standard staging system for childhood cerebral astrocytoma. Instead, the grade of the tumor is used to plan treatment. The grade of the tumor describes how abnormal the cancer cells look under a microscope and how quickly the tumor is likely to grow and spread.

The following grades are used:

• Low-grade cerebral astrocytoma is a tumor that is very slow-growing and rarely spreads.
• High-grade or malignant cerebral astrocytoma is a tumor that is fast-growing and may spread throughout the brain.

Childhood cerebral astrocytoma may form in more than one place in the brain and usually does not spread to other parts of the body.

The information from tests and procedures done to detect (find) childhood cerebral astrocytoma is used to plan cancer treatment.

Some of the tests used to detect childhood cerebral astrocytoma are repeated after the tumor is removed. (See the General Information ¹ section.) This is to find out how much tumor remains after surgery and plan further treatment.

Glossary Terms

Not normal. An abnormal lesion or growth may be cancerous, premalignant (likely to become cancer), or benign.

A tumor that begins in the brain or spinal cord in small, star-shaped cells called astrocytes.

A term for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control. Cancer cells can invade nearby tissues and can spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems. There are several main types of cancer. Carcinoma is cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs. Sarcoma is cancer that begins in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue. Leukemia is cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow, and causes large numbers of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter the blood. Lymphoma and multiple myeloma are cancers that begin in the cells of the immune system. Central nervous system cancers are cancers that begin in the tissues of the brain and spinal cord.

The individual unit that makes up the tissues of the body. All living things are made up of one or more cells.

One half of the cerebrum, the part of the brain that controls muscle functions and also controls speech, thought, emotions, reading, writing, and learning. The right hemisphere controls the muscles on the left side of the body, and the left hemisphere controls the muscles on the right side of the body.

The grade of a tumor depends on how abnormal the cancer cells look under a microscope and how quickly the tumor is likely to grow and spread. Grading systems are different for each type of cancer.

When referring to cancerous and precancerous growths, a term used to describe cells that look abnormal under a microscope. These cells are more likely to grow and spread quickly than cells in low-grade cancerous and precancerous growths.

When referring to cancerous and precancerous growths, a term used to describe cells that look nearly normal under a microscope. These cells are less likely to grow and spread quickly than cells in high-grade cancerous or precancerous growths.

Cancerous. Malignant tumors can invade and destroy nearby tissue and spread to other parts of the body.

The extent of a cancer in the body. Staging is usually based on the size of the tumor, whether lymph nodes contain cancer, and whether the cancer has spread from the original site to other parts of the body.

Performing exams and tests to learn the extent of the cancer within the body, especially whether the disease has spread from the original site to other parts of the body. It is important to know the stage of the disease in order to plan the best treatment.

An abnormal mass of tissue that results when cells divide more than they should or do not die when they should. Tumors may be benign (not cancerous), or malignant (cancerous). Also called neoplasm.