Small gliomas: clinicopathological study.

The clinicopathological characteristics of small gliomas were investigated in nine patients with gliomas less than 2 cm in diameter. The tumor histology and proliferative activity were also examined. Three tumors occurred in the white matter and six at the corticomedullary junction. Histological diagnosis, Daumas-Duport's grading, bromodeoxyuridine labeling index, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen counts were well correlated. Most small gliomas were histologically benign, localized, and removable if not in eloquent areas of the brain. However, some cases showed high-grade glioma and invasive character at the early stage, resulting in a poor outcome.