Diseases

Astrocytoma

Neoplasms of the brain and spinal cord derived from glial cells which vary from histologically benign forms to highly anaplastic and malignant tumors. Fibrillary astrocytomas are the most common type and may be classified in order of increasing malignancy (grades I through IV). In the first two decades of life, astrocytomas tend to originate in the cerebellar hemispheres; in adults, they most frequently arise in the cerebrum and frequently undergo malignant transformation. (From Devita et al., Cancer: Principles and Practice of Oncology, 5th ed, pp2013-7; Holland et al., Cancer Medicine, 3d ed, p1082)

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

Neoplasms of the brain and spinal cord derived from glial cells which vary from histologically benign forms to highly anaplastic and malignant tumors. Fibrillary astrocytomas are the most common type and may be classified in order of increasing malignancy (grades I through IV). In the first two decades of life, astrocytomas tend to originate in the cerebellar hemispheres; in adults, they most frequently arise in the cerebrum and frequently undergo malignant transformation. (From Devita et al., Cancer: Principles and Practice of Oncology, 5th ed, pp2013-7; Holland et al., Cancer Medicine, 3d ed, p1082)

MeSH Record

Classification

Broader headings

Narrower headings

Related Concepts

Knowledge Graph

Loading graph…

Drag nodes to rearrange; hover to trace links; click a node to open its page.

MeSH Record

Synonyms

54 entry terms
  • Astroglioma
  • Glioma, Astrocytic
  • Astrocytic Glioma
  • Astrocytic Gliomas
  • Astrocytomas
  • Astrogliomas
  • Gliomas, Astrocytic
  • Anaplastic Astrocytoma
  • Astrocytoma, Grade I
  • Astrocytoma, Grade II
  • Astrocytoma, Grade III
  • Astrocytoma, Protoplasmic
  • Astrocytoma, Subependymal Giant Cell
  • Cerebral Astrocytoma
  • Childhood Cerebral Astrocytoma
  • Fibrillary Astrocytoma
  • Gemistocytic Astrocytoma
  • Intracranial Astrocytoma
  • Juvenile Pilocytic Astrocytoma
  • Oligoastrocytoma, Mixed
  • Pilocytic Astrocytoma
  • Pleomorphic Xanthoastrocytomas
  • Subependymal Giant Cell Astrocytoma
  • Anaplastic Astrocytomas
  • Astrocytoma, Anaplastic
  • Astrocytoma, Cerebral
  • Astrocytoma, Childhood Cerebral
  • Astrocytoma, Fibrillary
  • Astrocytoma, Gemistocytic
  • Astrocytoma, Intracranial
  • Astrocytoma, Juvenile Pilocytic
  • Astrocytoma, Pilocytic
  • Astrocytomas, Grade III
  • Cerebral Astrocytoma, Childhood
  • Cerebral Astrocytomas
  • Childhood Cerebral Astrocytomas
  • Fibrillary Astrocytomas
  • Gemistocytic Astrocytomas
  • Grade I Astrocytoma
  • Grade I Astrocytomas
  • Grade II Astrocytoma
  • Grade II Astrocytomas
  • Grade III Astrocytoma
  • Grade III Astrocytomas
  • Intracranial Astrocytomas
  • Juvenile Pilocytic Astrocytomas
  • Mixed Oligoastrocytoma
  • Mixed Oligoastrocytomas
  • Pilocytic Astrocytoma, Juvenile
  • Pilocytic Astrocytomas
  • Pleomorphic Xanthoastrocytoma
  • Protoplasmic Astrocytoma
  • Protoplasmic Astrocytomas
  • Xanthoastrocytoma, Pleomorphic

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

39 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings blood, blood supply, cerebrospinal fluid, chemically induced, chemistry, classification, complications, congenital, diagnosis, diagnostic imaging, diet therapy, drug therapy, economics, embryology, enzymology, epidemiology, ethnology, etiology, genetics, history, immunology, metabolism, microbiology, mortality, nursing, parasitology, pathology, physiopathology, prevention & control, psychology, radiotherapy, rehabilitation, secondary, surgery, therapy, ultrastructure, urine, veterinary, virology.

MeSH Record

Indexing Annotation

coordinate with precoordinated CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM neoplasm term + site; Grades I-III go here, with pathology; for ASTROCYTOMA, GRADE IV see GLIOBLASTOMA; for SUBEPENDYMAL ASTROCYTOMA see GLIOMA, SUBEPENDYMAL; for MIXED OLIGODENDROGLIOMA-ASTROCYTOMA see OLIGODENDROGLIOMA

MeSH Record

History Note

1963; for ASTROCYTOMA, SUBEPENDYMAL GIANT CELL use GLIOMA 1994-1999

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Numbers

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Astrocytoma. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D001254. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D001254
  2. Astrocytoma. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrocytoma
  3. Astrocytoma. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q177755