oligo grade 2...how do you answer benign or maligant?

Rox

Just wondering how you who have an oligo grade 2 answer the question of benign or malignant when asked by friends or family. I usually explain that this not a classification currently being used for this tumor and go on to explain the grade thing, but they still don't get it. I will still have people say to me how glad they are that he has a benign tumor. I know that it really does not matter, but I do want people to realize that this thing is serious, could be life threatning and there is not a "cure". If you can relate to this, I'd like to hear your reply. TYA

Oligdendroglioma grade 2 -right frontal lobe
DH was dx 4-2003---debulked-- got 90% removed
2nd debulking 4-2007 for regrowth--got all but " scattered cells"
Maybe be getting a clinical trial at Duke University
_________________
<><
God is in control & He wants us to trust Him.

brainman

Hi Rox,

Good question. Unfortunately, I do not have an "official" definition for you. I usually talk of a grade 1 as being benign, a grade 2 as boarderline, and grades 3 or 4 as malignant. I think most people understand that any tumor in the brain is a serious issue... even if it is officially described as benign because they do know that at the very least it will be life altering if not life threatening. Read my story (the link is in my signature line) and you will see that what began as a grade 2 in 1992 became a grade 3 in 2005. I am still a survivor. However, I and my family and friends know that if I have a second recurrence it will probably be a grade 4. No, with most cancers we do not talk about "cures." However, we can still talk about quality of whatever life we still have left.

Astrocytoma grade 2 - left motor-strip - 1992 CCNU chemotherapy
Oligodendroglioma grade 3 - left motor-strip - 2005 surgery and radiation
Living one in 2007
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

rlee · Site Admin Joined: 15 Jan 2006 Posts: 245

Rox,
Just as Jim indicated, the grading represents a spectrum from benign to aggressive. Benign being something that essentially won't be a problem if left alone such as a lipoma. Things are rarely black and white.
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RLee, MD

Any information provided is NOT intended to provide specific medical advice to users but rather to provide users with information to help them better understand their health condition and related care. All readers are strongly encouraged to consult with a qualified physician for answers to their personal medical questions.

Derek

Rox,
I am sorry to read about your situation, like anyone else's here.
I personally think that the "Grading System" is too vague, and does not really correlate with clinical outcome.
In saying that, most grade 2's from what I have read are still , by definition, malignant - and hence rarely cured by surgery alone. They also can eventually mutate into a higher or more aggressive grade, so are not benign in my book.
I just hope eventually a cure can be found for gliomas, we support www.cureforlife.org.au here in Australia, which was founded by my wife's neurosurgeon.
However, as we know, surgery itself is not always a cure, improvements in molecular genetics seems to be the long term answer.
Good luck, Derek

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