Treating unspecified gliomas

Normally, further testing would be performed so a more specific diagnosis can be made before glioma treatment begins.

The World Health Organization (WHO) discourages the diagnosis of tumours as unspecified gliomas, mixed gliomas or even oligoastrocytomas because they are too vague and unhelpful in finding the right treatment. 

Finding out the type of glioma

There are a number of genetic marker tests (to test for IDH mutation and 1p/19q codeletion) which could determine whether a tumour is more likely an:

• astrocytoma
• oligodendroglioma
• ependymoma. 

Once the tests are complete, you will usually receive the standard treatment for that type of tumour.

Treating unspecified gliomas

If a more specific diagnosis isn’t possible, your treatment will usually be based on how your tumour appears on scans and whether it closely resembles any other type of brain tumour.

For example, if the tumour seems to be diffuse, which means it stretches into surrounding healthy tissue in a tentacle-type way, your team may want to treat the tumour with the maximum doses of chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. If the tumour has well defined borders and seems not to be showing signs of growth, your team may choose to take a less aggressive treatment approach.

Research that The Brain Tumour Charity funded nearly 20 years ago, involving about dabrafenib and trametinib cancer drugs, has shown positive effect to stop or slow tumour cells by blocking proteins. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recently approved the combination of dabrafenib and trametinib cancer drugs for glioma treatment for children on the NHS.

Make the right choices for you

Our Step by Step interactive guide outlines what happens following a diagnosis, to answer your questions and help you to understand what to expect.

Read our guide