Astrocytoma is most often diagnosed in children. The tumor develops in the cerebellum, brain or brain stem, hypothalamus, optic tract, or spinal cord.

Brain tumors cause characteristic symptoms that cannot be ignored: nausea, dizziness, seizures, loss of coordination, fatigue, numbness in the extremities, hearing or vision impairment.

The difficulty in diagnosing cancerous tumors is directly related to their location: depending on which part of the brain or spinal cord is affected, there are different symptoms. That’s why the clinic “MDI“ in Israel is a comprehensive examination of a patient with suspected astrocytoma:

Diagnosis of astrocytoma

1. Examination by a specialized doctor, anamnesis collection.
2. Evaluation of the brain and its structures. When diagnosing astrocytoma, hearing, vision, memory, coordination, reflexes, etc. are tested.
3. MRI and CT scans.
4. When the location of the tumor is established, a biopsy is performed. A small piece is plucked from the astrocytoma to establish the degree of malignancy under a microscope.

How an astrocytoma is treated

Treatment methods are selected based on several factors:

• the location of the astrocytoma;
• the degree of malignancy;
• the age of the patient;
• The presence of other diseases or conditions.

If tests show that the astrocytoma is benign (low malignancy), the chances of a full recovery are very good. These tumors respond well to treatment and rarely recur. For high degrees of malignancy, the doctor will prescribe a comprehensive treatment and follow-up plan individually for each patient.

Astrocytoma treatment:

1. Surgical removal of the tumor. The removal of astrocytomas is the jewelry work of neurosurgeons. Tumor tissue is very similar to brain tissue, which requires a steady hand and experience. The neurosurgeon excises the tumor as much as possible without invading brain tissue.

If the astrocytoma is located very close to vital parts of the brain, other treatments are selected. Surgery in this case would be too dangerous or ineffective.

1. Chemotherapy – administering drugs that stop tumor growth or can shrink the tumor. For astrocytoma, chemotherapy is used as an adjuvant method.
2. Radiation therapy. It is administered after surgery to destroy the remaining cancer cells and prevent the tumor from growing again.
3. Targeted therapy is an innovative method of treating astrocytomas. The drugs act at the molecular level, “choosing“ target certain substances in cancer cells. This helps to stop the growth of the tumor.
4. Immunotherapy. During this treatment, the patient’s immune system is taught not to respond to cancer cell signals. This protects the tumor from an immune response that stops fighting against itself.

In an Israeli clinic “MDI“ do a full diagnostic workup on the astrocytomas. Taking into account the results of the tests, the optimal treatment is selected. We invite you to come in for a consultation for astrocytoma in children and adults.