A mixed glioma is often a combination of an astrocytoma and an oligodendroglioma (see oligodendroglioma for more).
Characteristics
- Composed of two or more types of glioma cells
- Graded according to the most aggressive type of tumor cells
- Common among men and women in their 20s-50s
- Accounts for one percent of all brain tumors
Symptoms
- Headaches
- Seizures
- Weakness or paralysis
- Nausea and vomiting
- Visual problems
- Behavioral and cognitive changes
Treatment
Mixed gliomas are generally treated for the most anaplastic (cancerous) type of cell found in the tumor. For example, in the case of a tumor composed of an anaplastic astrocytoma and a low-grade oligodendroglioma, the treatment would be based on the anaplastic astrocytoma – the more aggressive of the two cell types.
