• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.381-385
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• 2009

The first case of intracranial metastases of a cervical intramedullary low-grade astrocytoma without malignant transformation in adult is presented in this report. Seven years ago, a 45 year-old male patient underwent biopsy to confirm pathologic characteristics and received craniocervical radiation and chemotherapy for a grade II astrocytoma in the cervical spinal cord. Two years later, posterior fusion was necessary for progressive kyphosis in the cervical spine. He was well for approximately 7 years after the primary surgery. Two months ago, he presented with partial weakness and incoordination with gait difficulty. MRI Scan demonstrated multiple small lesions in the cerebellar vermis and left hemisphere. After suboccipital craniectomy and posterior cervical exposure, the small masses in the cerebellar vermis and hemispheres were excised to a large extent by guidance of an intraoperative navigation system. The tumor at the cervical and brain lesions was classified as an astrocytoma (WHO grade II). When a patient with low-grade astrocytoma in the spinal cord has new cranial symptoms after surgery, radiaton, and chemotherapy, the possibility of its metastasis should be suspected because it can spread to the intracranial cavity even without malignant transformation as shown in this case.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.130-137
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• 2001

Purpose : Our purpose was to compare maximum relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) with histologic grade of cerebral gliomas. Materials and methods : First-pass perfusion MR imaging was performed preoperatively in 16 patients with pathologically proven cerebral gliomas (7 glioblastoma, 2 anaplastic astrocytoma, 1 anaplastic oligodendroglioma, 5 low-grade astrocytoma, and 1 low-grade oligodendroglioma). Maximum rCBV was compared with histologic diagnosis and grade of the tumor. Results : Maximum rCBVs of glioblastomas were in the range of 433% to-1330% (average, 790 %), as compared with those of contra-lateral normal white matters. Maximum rCBVs of two non-enhancing anaplastic astrocytomas were 66% and 284%, respectively. Maximum rCBV of one well-enhancing anaplastic oligodendroglioma was 702%. Maximum rCBVs of low-grade astrocytomas were in the range of 80%-369% (average, 202%). Maximum rCBV of one low-grade oligodendroglioma was 1450%, even higher than those of glioblastomas. Conclusion : Maximum rCBV was higher in glioblastoma than in low-grade astrocytoma without overlapping. However, there was no difference of maximum rCBV between non-enhancing anaplastic astrocytoma and low-grade astrocrtoma.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.485-490
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• 2000

Objective : To study the expression of apoptosis and bcl-2 in the astrocytic tumors. Patients and Methods : A total of thirty-eight astrocytomas(9 cases in low grade astrocytoma, 12 cases in anaplastic astrocytoma and 17 cases in glioblastoma) are included in this study. Immunohistochemical stain for bcl-2 using monoclonal antibody, in situ end labelling technique for apoptosis were used. Results : The malignant group(anaplastic astrocytoma and glioblastoma) showed significantly higher apoptosis positive index(PI) compared to the benign group(low grade astrocytoma)(1.35 vs 0.14). However apoptosis PI and bcl-2 PI were not significantly different among three groups. Correlation between apoptosis PI and bcl-2 PI was not statistically significant(p=0.58). Conclusion : This result suggest that apoptosis PI and bcl-2 PI are not related the degree of malignancy in astrocytic neoplasm, but apoptosis PI in malignant group was higher possibly due to greater DNA damage.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.261-264
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• 2014

We report perfusion weighted imaging (PWI) findings of nonenhanced anaplastic astrocytoma in a 30-year-old woman. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed a nonenhanced brain tumor with mild peritumoral edema on the right medial frontal lobe and right genu of corpus callosum, suggesting a low-grade glioma. However, PWI showed increased relative cerebral blood volume, relative cerebral blood flow, and permeability of nonenhanced brain tumor compared with contralateral normal brain parenchyma, suggesting a high-grade glioma. After surgery, final histopathological analysis revealed World Health Organization grade III anaplastic astrocytoma. This case demonstrates the importance of PWI for preoperative evaluation of nonenhanced brain tumors.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.1333-1337
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• 2014

Background: Astrocytic tumors, the most common primary glial tumors of the central nervous system, are classified from low to high grade according to the degree of anaplasia and presence of necrosis. Despite advances in therapeutic management of high grade astrocytic tumors, prognosis remains poor. In the present study, the frequency and prognostic significance of c-erb-B2 in astrocytic tumors was investigated. Materials and Methods: Records of 72 patients with low- and high-grade astrocytic tumors were evaluated. The expression of C-erbB-2 was determined immunohistochemically and intensity was recorded as 0 to 3+. Tumors with weak staining (1+) or no staining (0) were considered Her-2 negative, while tumors with moderate (2+) and strong (3+) staining were considered Her-2 positive. Results: Of the 72 patients, 41 (56.9%) had glioblastoma (GBM), 10 (13.9%) had diffuse astrocytoma, 15 (20.8%) had anaplastic astrocytoma, 6 (8.3%) had pilocytic astrocytoma. C-erbB-2 overexpression was detected in the tumor specimens of 17 patients (23.6%). Six (8.3%) tumors, all GBMs, exhibited strong staining, 2 (2.7%) specimens, both GBMs, exhibited moderate staining, and 9 specimens, 5 of them GBMs (12.5%), exhibited weak staining. No staining was observed in diffuse astrocytoma and pilocytic astrocytoma specimens. Median overall survival of patients with C-erbB-2 negative and C-erbB-2 positive tumors were 30 months (95%CI: 22.5-37.4 months) and 16.9 months (95%CI: 4.3-29.5 months), respectively (p=0.244). Conclusions: Although there was no difference in survival, C-erbB-2 overexpression was observed only in the GBM subtype.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.60 no.3
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• pp.375-379
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• 2017

Midbrain gliomas are relatively rare neoplasms with a generally benign prognosis, with dissemination or metastasis not previously reported. We describe here a woman, in whom magnetic resonance imaging scans showed hydrocephalus and a tegmental lesion in the upper aqueduct. Endoscopic third ventriculostomy and biopsy were performed; during surgery, a second small lesion was observed in the infundibular recess. Histologically, the two lesions had the characteristics of low grade astrocytoma, suggesting that the midbrain astrocytoma may have been disseminated via the cerebral spinal fluid to the infundibular recess. Postoperatively this patient received radiotherapy for nearly one month. Although patients with these tumors are not usually administered adjunctive therapy, radiation and, combined modality therapy, including surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, may be beneficial in patients with midbrain gliomas with dissemination.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.57 no.6
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• pp.469-472
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• 2015

Undifferentiated sarcomas are rarely identified in the intracranial region. A 23-year-old man was admitted with a chief complaint of headache. Initial magnetic resonance images showed signs of low-grade glioma in the frontal lobe. Stereotactic biopsy was performed, and a diagnosis of diffuse astrocytoma was confirmed. Three months later, the patient presented with a high-grade tumor as seen on imaging studies. He underwent total resection of the tumor and histopathological tests identified an undifferentiated sarcoma. The patient died eight months later due to massive tumor bleeding. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of undifferentiated sarcoma arising from low-grade glioma without any chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 1995

Purpose : To evaluate the efficacy of radiotherapy for the low-grade astrocy-tomas and confirm the variables influencing treatment results. Materials and Methods : Forty-six patients with low-grade astrocytoma received radiotherapy after surgical removal (36 patients) or biopsy (10 patients) from 1979 to 1990. Twenty patients had grade I histology and 26 had grade II. External radiotherapy was done by conventional schedule with the total dose of 45 to 60 Gy (median: 54 Gy). The median follow-up period was 5 years. Results : The 2- and 5-year survival rates were $80\%$ and $72\%$, respectively and the 2- and 5-year progression-free survival was $75\%$ and $63\%$, respectively. The survival was influenced significantly by the histologic grade, the histologic type, and performance status. Major complication was not found. Conclusion: In spite of good survival, the local failure was still the major problem. Age and the extent of surgery as well as three favorable factors should be considered in the future treatments.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.62 no.3
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• pp.313-320
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• 2019

Brain tumors are the second most common type of structural brain lesion that causes chronic epilepsy. Patients with low-grade brain tumors often experience chronic drug-resistant epilepsy starting in childhood, which led to the concept of long-term epilepsy-associated tumors (LEATs). Dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor and ganglioglioma are representative LEATs and are characterized by young age of onset, frequent temporal lobe location, benign tumor biology, and chronic epilepsy. Although highly relevant in clinical epileptology, the concept of LEATs has been criticized in the neuro-oncology field. Recent genomic and molecular studies have challenged traditional views on LEATs and low-grade gliomas. Molecular studies have revealed that low-grade gliomas can largely be divided into three groups : LEATs, pediatric-type diffuse low-grade glioma (DLGG; astrocytoma and oligodendroglioma), and adult-type DLGG. There is substantial overlap between conventional LEATs and pediatric-type DLGG in regard to clinical features, histology, and molecular characteristics. LEATs and pediatric-type DLGG are characterized by mutations in BRAF, FGFR1, and MYB/MYBL1, which converge on the RAS-RAF-MAPK pathway. Gene (mutation)-centered classification of epilepsy-associated tumors could provide new insight into these heterogeneous and diverse neoplasms and may lead to novel molecular targeted therapies for epilepsy in the near future.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 1997

Purpose : To evaluate the role of radiotherapy in the management of incompletely resected supratentorial low grade astrocytoma with the analysis of the survival, the Pattern of failure, and the prognostic variables affecting survival. Material and methods : Between January 1990 and December 1995, fifty-one patients with supratentorial low grade astrocytoma received radiotherapy after subtotal resection(16 patients) or stereotactic biopsy(35 patients) at Asan Medical Center, External radiotherapy was done by conventional fractionation with the total dose of 4820cGy to 6000cGy(median 5580cGy) and partial brain volume. The follow-up was done from 6 to 79 months(median 48 months) Result : Overall actuarial survival rate at 2 and 5 years were $83.4\%\;and\;54.8\%$, respectively. Progression free survival at 2 and 5 years were $67.4\%\;and\;48.7\%$, respectively The significant prognostic factors affecting overall survival rate were the performance status, 1 stage, histologic subtype, radiation field and radiation response. The major pattern of failure was local failure, such as Progressive disease and primary site recurrence in 23 patients $(45.1\%)$. Progression free survivors excluding 2 patients were physically and intellectually intact without major neurologic deficit. Conclusion : Although the follow-up period of this study was relatively short, overall actuarial and progression free survival rate were encouraging. Patients with good performance status, lower T stage, pilocytic subtype, patients treated with small radiation field and radiation responder showed better survival. As the local failure was the major pattern of failure, the various efforts to decrease the local failure is necessary.