Oligodendroglioma Surgery and Treatment in New Jersey

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eing diagnosed with brain cancer poses many concerns and questions. Patients in northern New Jersey can receive the answers they need for peace of mind at Centers for Neurosurgery, Spine & Orthopedics (CNSO). The dedicated surgical team at CNSO is award-winning, board-certified, and experienced in treating every type of brain tumor, including oligodendrogliomas.

Oligodendrogliomas can arise in any brain or spine tissue. Patients with an oligodendroglioma may not know they have a brain tumor until the growth progresses to the extent that it disrupts essential brain functions. Treatment would require brain surgery, and possibly chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Learn more about oligodendrogliomas, the signs and symptoms, causes, and treatment options.

What Is Oligodendroglioma?

Oligodendroglioma is a type of brain tumor growing in the central nervous system. It originates from specific types of glial cells called oligodendrocytes. Glial cells are responsible for supporting the nervous system. They protect neurons, allowing them to send signals from the brain to the rest of the body. These signals are what allow the mind to think and the body to move and complete tasks.

Oligodendrocytes are small, tree-like glial cells. When a brain tumor grows from glial cells, it is called a glioma. In rare cases, these glial tumors can appear on the spinal cord (spinal tumors).

When a patient is diagnosed with oligodendroglioma, neurosurgeons and cancer specialists assign a grade to the brain tumor or spine tumor to indicate the level of threat to the afflicted individual’s life. Cases of oligodendroglioma are graded on a scale from one to four, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), with one being the lowest grade and four being the highest. The two most common stages of oligodendroglioma are:

• Oligodendroglioma WHO grade 2: These brain tumors and spine tumors are slow-growing and often respond positively to treatment.
• Oligodendroglioma WHO grade 3: These brain tumors and spine tumors are high-grade oligodendrogliomas, meaning they are aggressive, fast-spreading, and more challenging to treat.

Signs and Symptoms of Oligodendroglioma

Patients with many types of brain tumors may not experience symptoms until the growth has spread and invaded essential brain structures. The same is true for those with oligodendroglioma. Many patients with this tumor may not have noticeable symptoms until the disease progresses. As the tumor grows, it begins to push on nearby brain structures, which can impact how a patient acts or feels.

The most notable symptoms of oligodendroglioma are headaches and seizures. This is because oligodendrogliomas most commonly grow near the cerebral cortex, the outer brain surface. The cerebral cortex is responsible for helping people complete many essential aspects of daily living, including:

• Muscle control
• Vision
• Language

Other symptoms of oligodendroglioma include:

• Difficulty concentrating or thinking
• Muscle weakness
• Memory issues
• Paralysis, specifically on one side of the face or body
• Vision problems, like loss of vision, blurred vision, or double vision
• Hearing loss
• Aphasia, which is when patients have difficulty understanding others
• Problems with talking
• Detecting strange odors or hallucinating odors

The location of an oligodendroglioma tumor can impact the symptoms a patient feels. For example, tumors in the temporal lobe may affect memory, speech, and coordination. Tumors in the frontal lobe can cause changes in a patient’s personality and mood. They also can cause numbness or weakness on one side of the body.

Oligodendrogliomas also can cause other health conditions to arise, which introduce different symptoms. Complications of oligodendrogliomas include:

Changes to the Skull Structure

Oligodendrogliomas can calcify. This means calcium causes the growth to solidify. Tumors that grow outside the brain can change the structure of a patient’s skull.

Malignant Transformation

Benign oligodendroglioma tumors potentially can turn cancerous over time.

Strokes and Related Issues

When oligodendrogliomas grow in the brain, it causes brain tissues to shift, creating more space for the tumor to grow. As this happens, patients may experience strokes or stroke-like symptoms.

What Causes Oligodendroglioma?

Oligodendrogliomas arise because of specific DNA changes within a patient. These changes can cause disruptions to how the body produces oligodendrocyte cells. In turn, abnormal cells rapidly reproduce and cause an overgrowth within the brain, which is called a tumor. The following DNA changes have been found to lead to oligodendroglioma growth in the brain:

• IDH1 or IDH2 mutation: Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) is a type of enzyme that the body naturally produces. When a patient has an IDH1 or IDH2 mutation, oligodendrogliomas can develop.
• 1p/19q co-deletion: This DNA change leads to deletions of short (p) arms of chromosome 1 and long (q) arms of chromosome 19.

Oligodendrogliomas usually appear for no reason. Oligodendrogliomas are not inherited from afflicted family members.

Risk Factors for Oligodendroglioma

While research is still ongoing, there are a few risk factors that neurosurgeons believe can increase a patient’s chances of developing an oligodendroglioma, including:

Age

Age can be a risk factor for developing oligodendroglioma, as many patients are between 40 and 50 years old.

Genetics

Although people cannot inherit abnormal DNA from family members, they may still have DNA changes that can lead to oligodendroglioma production. Patients can complete DNA tests, like biomarker testing, to determine if they have the gene for oligodendroglioma.

Previous History of Cancer

While more research needs to be done, many neurosurgeons believe radiation from past cancer treatments can cause gliomas to form. Researchers have yet to confirm that radiation therapy contributes to oligodendroglioma growth.

Oligodendroglioma Surgery

To determine whether brain surgery is the best action for treating a patient’s oligodendroglioma, brain specialists first gather information about the patient and diagnosis. Brain specialists conduct a physical and neurological exam to evaluate the patient’s symptoms and complete an accurate diagnosis.

Next, brain surgeons will need a detailed image of the brain, tumor location, and tumor size. This is when patients undergo diagnostic imaging testing, including computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. From there, brain surgeons decide whether to monitor the tumor for growth or remove it through surgery.

Surgical treatment for oligodendroglioma also allows neurosurgeons to remove tumor tissues for biopsy. A biopsy will provide sample tissue to test for whether cancerous. If so, chemotherapeutic agents can be tested to prove effectiveness at shrinking the tumor.

Neurosurgeons send the biopsied sample to a lab, where it is tested for the presence of changes and the 1p/19q co-deletion or IDH mutations. Often, patients become officially diagnosed with an oligodendroglioma after having surgery to remove it. Those with certain health concerns may require additional testing for diagnosis.

The goal of brain tumor surgery is to remove as much of the tumor as possible without affecting nearby brain structures. If the growth is in an easy-to-access area, many neurosurgeons can remove the entire tumor with one brain surgery called a craniotomy or stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). The outlook for patients who have brain surgery to eliminate their oligodendroglioma tumor is positive. Even if the oligodendroglioma is cancerous, it is considered highly treatable and curable by CNSO brain surgeons.

Other Treatments for Oligodendroglioma

Patients with a brain tumor in a dangerous area of the brain or at too high a risk for brain surgery may opt not to have surgery. In this case, brain surgeons, known as neurosurgeons, will choose other methods to contain the tumor size and spread such as proton therapy, LINAC (CyberKnife), or Gamma Knife treatment. Some brain tumors in dangerous locations can be completely removed with the most appropriate equipment and technology by a neurosurgeon and may not require a craniotomy.

While surgery is the main treatment for oligodendrogliomas, some patients may require additional treatments to eliminate the cancer. Other treatments include:

Chemotherapy

Specific drugs in chemotherapy can treat cases of oligodendroglioma through IV administration.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy targets radiation beams at the site of the tumor to shrink it and preserve surrounding healthy tissues.

Radiosurgery

Radiosurgery is a more specialized, precise form of radiation therapy that does not involve incisions like traditional surgery. Instead, brain surgeons use focused beams directly on the problem area.

Patients should consult with a CNSO neurosurgeon to determine the best treatment for their specific type of oligodendroglioma. If neurosurgeons can remove the entire tumor during surgery, additional treatment is not necessary. If some or most of the growth remains even after surgical intervention, patients will need to undergo radiation therapy or chemotherapy.

Recovering From Oligodendroglioma Surgery

Recovery following brain surgery can look different for each patient. For some patients, it may take a few weeks to a few months to recover fully. Other patients may have permanent symptoms requiring adjustments, such as modifying how they work or engage in activities. Patients with certain physical symptoms can work toward improvements through physical therapy. These symptoms include:

• Difficulty moving
• Weakness
• Stiffness
• Trouble with talking

Physical therapists work to re-train the muscles, helping them regain strength through neuromodulation training. This can improve a patient’s strength and balance and help them with necessary daily functions, such as walking. Patients also may visit speech therapists or occupational therapists for assistance with speaking, understanding language, and coping with the aftermath of their condition.

During recovery, and depending on the extent of the brain tumor, patients might need to consider adding or installing tools around the home to help them get around. For example, they can install shower chairs and handrails in bathrooms. Rehabilitation specialists often can prescribe these tools, so patients should be sure to discuss their options with their brain care medical team.

Find Oligodendroglioma Treatment at CNSO

Patients receiving care at CNSO, Centers for Neurosurgery, Spine & Orthopedics, know that our brain specialist team is the best at determining the proper care for every type of brain tumor. The neurosurgeon team is highly experienced and trained for every step of the patient’s journey, including occupational therapy, pain management, physical therapy, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and brain surgery. The comprehensive team at CNSO consists of neurosurgeons, orthopedic spine surgeons, interventional pain management physicians, oncologists, physiatrists, rehabilitation specialists, and certified physical therapists.

Patients across northern New Jersey can find multiple convenient office locations, including facilities in Bergen, Passaic, Essex, Morris, and Hudson counties. To learn more about oligodendroglioma treatment, contact CNSO today.