Astrocytoma history and symptoms
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
The hallmark of Astrocytoma
Symptoms
Symptoms depend on the following.[1]
- Location of the tumor in the brain or spinal cord
- Size of the tumor
- How fast the tumor grows
- The child's age and development
Some tumors do not cause symptoms. The most common symptoms of Astrocytoma are:
- Morning headache or headache that goes away after vomiting
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Vision, hearing, and speech problems.
- Loss of balance and trouble walking.
- Worsening handwriting or slow speech.
- Weakness or change in feeling on one side of the body.
- Unusual sleepiness.
- More or less energy than usual.
- Change in personality or behavior.
- Seizures.
- Weight loss or weight gain for no known reason.
- Increase in the size of the head (in infants).
- Seizures- In almost half of the cases, the first symptom of an astrocytoma is the onset of a focal or generalized seizure. Between 60 to 75% of patients will have recurrent seizures in the course of their illness.
- Children with astrocytoma usually have decreased memory, attention, and motor abilities, but unaffected intelligence, language, and academic skills.
- Anaplastic Astrocytoma is often related to seizures, neurologic deficits, headaches, or changes in mental status.
[2] When metastasis occurs, it can spread via the lymphatic system, causing death even when the primary tumor is well controlled.[3]
References
- ↑ "National Caner Institute Astrocytoma".
- ↑ JL Ater; et al. (1996). "Correlation of medical and neurosurgical events with neuropsychological status in children at diagnosis of astrocytoma: utilization of a neurological severity score". Journal of Child Neurology. 11 (6): 462–469. PMID 9120225.
- ↑ JM Dewar, PJ Dady and V Balakrishnan (1985). "Metastatic astrocytoma". Australian and New Zealand Journal of Medicine. 15 (6): 745–747. PMID 3010926.