Please explain this histopathology report of diffuse astrocytoma.

Question

Hello doctor,

I need a proper understanding of this histopathology report -

Sections studied show a tumor composed of diffusely proliferating glial cells which show round to oval nuclei in a loose fibrillary background. In focal areas, the cells show moderate nuclear pleomorphism with an increase in nuclear size. Mitotic activity is inconspicuous. Microcystic degeneration noted. No vascular proliferation or necrosis is seen. Fragments of normal brain parenchyma also noted. Ki-67 proliferation index is 3 %. Overall features are consistent with diffuse astrocytoma, WHO grade II.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I have thoroughly reviewed your query and can well understand your concerns.

There is a brain tumor named diffuse astrocytoma that is consistent with the features described in your question. If we take a chunk of the tumor out and examine it under special microscopes and with specialized techniques (as in this case there was seen a temporal lobe of the brain involved in a tumorous growth), it gives us the behavior of cells in the specimen under review. This is a method of diagnosing a disease process.

Diffuse astrocytoma is a tumor of the brain that has a specific slow-growing nature and is diagnosed based on its signs and symptoms, tests and sometimes biopsy that is sent for histopathological studies to be sure. In this case, the tumor was found to fall under WHO-II of WHO brain tumor grading. It is a grading to classify tumors of the brain to get help in diagnosis and treatment.

Surgical excision, radiotherapy or chemotherapy may be used to treat it.