HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Correspondence: Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when Correspondence are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Macdonald, D. R. Articles by Cairncross, J. G. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Macdonald, D. R. Articles by Cairncross, J. G.

Metastatic anaplastic oligodendroglioma

From the Departments of Clinical Neurological Sciences, Oncology, and Pathology, Victoria Hospital, University of Western Ontario and London Regional Cancer Centre, London, Ontario, Canada.

We report 7 patients, ages 21 to 49 years, with systemic metastasis from anaplastic oligodendroglioma. Metastases developed in the scalp, cervical lymph nodes, bone, and other organs 1 to 76 months after the most recent surgery and 18 to 86 months after diagnosis. Systemic metastases responded to focal radiotherapy or nitrosourea-based chemotherapy for 6 to 18 months. Five patients have died, 4 to 24 months after the appearance of systemic metastases, all with progressive cerebral and systemic tumor. We observed 2 distinct patterns of spread of oligodendroglioma. Pattern 1, initial scalp or regional lymph node involvement followed by distant metastasis, was associated with multiple craniotomies. Pattern 2, distant metastasis without scalp or regional lymph node spread, was associated with early radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Longer-than-expected survival was not essential to metastasis. We speculate that anaplastic oligodendrogliomas possess special characteristics favoring metastasis and that early aggressive treatment alters the biology of this disease.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Cairncross, London Regional Cancer Centre, 790 Commissioners Road, East, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 4L6.

Supported in part by grant SRC-5-P50-NS20023 from the National Institute of Health.

Presented in part at the thirty-seventh annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, Dallas, TX, April 1985.

Received March 28, 1989. Accepted for publication in final form June 8, 1989.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K. K. Koeller and E. J. Rushing From the Archives of the AFIP: Oligodendroglioma and Its Variants: Radiologic-Pathologic Correlation RadioGraphics, November 1, 2005; 25(6): 1669 - 1688. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Al-Ali, A. J. Hendon, M. K. Liepman, J. L. Wisniewski, M. J. Krinock, and K. Beckman Oligodendroglioma Metastatic to Bone Marrow AJNR Am. J. Neuroradiol., October 1, 2005; 26(9): 2410 - 2414. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. A. Paleologos and J. G. Cairncross Treatment of oligodendroglioma: An update Neuro-oncol, January 1, 1999; 1(1): 61 - 68. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. G. Cairncross and D. R. Macdonald Chemotherapy for Oligodendroglioma: Progress Report Arch Neurol, February 1, 1991; 48(2): 225 - 227. [Abstract] [PDF]