[Malignant astrocytic glioma of the brain in adults: histologic criteria determining its classification, diagnosis and prognosis].

Eighty-three malignant supratenorial astrocytic gliomas in adult patients were evaluated. The patients underwent surgery and radiotherapy. To establish their influence on survival, 10 histological variables were evaluated (degree of cellularity, polymorphism, predominant cell type, nuclear atypia, mitotic index, vascular proliferation, endothelial hyperplasia, glomeruloid formations, lymphocytic infiltration, necrosis and pseudofences). Two definite levels of aggressivity were found (anaplastic astrocytoma and multiform glioblastoma) with statistically significant differences in survival (p less than 0.025). They were diagnosed on the basis of the presence or absence of necrosis. In the absence of this parameter, vascular phenomena, cellularity and nuclear atypia were found to be valid for the differentiation of the two mentioned groups.