Types of Gliomas

Grades of glioma:

How serious a glioma is depends on its grade. The grade (I to IV) is based on what the tumor cells look like under a microscope (its pathology). Grade I is the least serious and grade IV is the most serious. Gliomas are classified by whether they are low-grade (I or II) — slow or relatively slow growing, or high-grade (III or IV) – malignant, with fast growth and spread into normal brain tissue.

Types of gliomas:

Gliomas are also classified by the type of cells they affect. The types of glioma are:

Astrocytoma — develop in the connective tissue cells, called astrocytes
Brainstem glioma — develop in the brain stem
Ependymoma — develop from ependymal cells
Mixed glioma — develop from more than one type of glial cell
Oligodendroglioma — develop in the supportive tissue cells of the brain, called oliogendroctyes
Optic nerve glioma — develop in or around the optic nerve

Signs and symptoms of a glioma:

Gliomas cause symptoms by pressing on the brain or spinal cord. The most common symptoms are:

Headaches
Seizures
Personality changes
Weakness in the arms or legs
Numbness

Other symptoms include:

Nausea and vomiting
Vision loss

Symptoms of glioma appear slowly and may be slight at first. Some gliomas do not cause any symptoms and might be diagnosed when the patient sees the doctor about something else.