Diffuse astrocytoma treatment

The treatment for astrocytomas depends on the grade of the tumour, as well as its size and location. Diffuse astrocytoma treatment is usually brain surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or a combination of some or all of these.

On this page, we’ll discuss the following treatments for diffuse astrocytoma:

• Surgery
• Radiotherapy
• Chemotherapy

This page is about treating grade 2 astrocytomas. But, we also have information on:

• treating grade 1 astrocytomas
• treating grade 3 astrocytomas
• treating grade 4 astrocytomas (glioblastomas)

Make the right choices for you

Our Step by Step interactive guide outlines what happens following a diagnosis, to answer your questions and help you to understand what to expect.

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Diffuse astrocytoma treatment types

Surgery for astrocytoma

Surgery is usually the first treatment for grade 2 astrocytomas. The aim is to remove as much of the tumour as possible. How much can be removed will depend on where the tumour is in the brain. At this point you may be told about, or may like to ask about ‘biomarker testing’ and ‘biobanking’.

Complete tumour removal

If the tumour is in the cerebrum or cerebellum they can often be removed completely. You may hear this referred to as a ‘complete or total resection’.

If the tumour is completely removed, more treatment may not be needed. Your hospital will continue to monitor you with regular MRI scans, with no treatment given, unless you develop symptoms, existing symptoms worsen or your scan shows changes. This is often called ‘watch and wait’.

With tumour locations other than the cerebrum or cerebellum, complete removal may still be possible, but the benefits need to be weighed up against various possible after-effects. For example, if the tumour is in the optic nerve, complete removal may be achieved, but it can result in blindness in the affected eye. Or if the tumour is in one of the ‘midline structures’ (e.g. hypothalamus, brain stem, spinal cord), surgery can affect the functions these areas control, such as breathing, sleep, body temperature, particularly in children younger than 2 years old.

Partial tumour removal

With tumours that are more diffuse (less well-defined), complete removal is often not possible. It may be located in a difficult area of the brain to operate, or near important parts of the brain where surgery could do more harm than good.

If the tumour cannot be completely removed, the surgeon will remove as much as possible. This is known as ‘debulking’ or ‘partial resection’.

This is more likely the case with Grade 2 astrocytomas, whose edges are less well defined.

Depending on how much of the tumour is removed, you may be put on a ‘watch and wait’ approach after surgery. Alternatively you may be given radiotherapy after your surgery, though doctors try to avoid this in people with the genetic condition NF1 and also in children under three years old. Chemotherapy may also be given.

Further surgery may be needed later to remove the rest of the tumour that was left, or if it starts to regrow. You may also need further surgery if the tumour is blocking the flow of the cerebro-spinal fluid (a condition called ‘hydrocephalus’), to insert a shunt to remove the excess fluid from the brain.

Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy is a type of treatment that uses radiation to destroy tumour cells. It can be used on its own or alongside neurosurgery or chemotherapy.

If you are relatively fit, a long course of radiotherapy over several weeks may by suggested. If not, a shorter course may be more suitable. Radiotherapy is very rarely used in children under three years old.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is the use of special drugs to target a brain tumour.

Where chemotherapy is suggested, chemotherapy drugs are sometimes put inside a polymer wafer and inserted into the brain during surgery. The polymer gradually dissolves over 2-3 weeks, releasing the chemotherapy drug (usually carmustine) directly into the brain. Wafers are used to target cells which couldn’t be removed by surgery. You may also hear these implants referred to as Gliadel® wafers.

Find out more about chemotherapy for adults or chemotherapy for children.

Your oncologist may also recommend a drug called temozolomide (Temadol®). Both carmustine and temozolomide stop the tumour cells copying their DNA (genes), which needs to happen before the cells can divide. This in turn stops the tumour cells dividing.

Tessa Jowell BRAIN MATRIX

The Tessa Jowell BRAIN MATRIX is a study which aims to improve knowledge of glioma and identify potential new treatments. Participants in the study will have their tumour tested in a lab to uncover its molecular profile.

Find out more

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More information

Astrocytoma factsheet – PDF

Our fact sheet gives you an overview of astrocytomas in adults, how they are treated and answers some of the questions you may have about this type of tumour.

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