History

See the list below:

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In prior years, a long delay occurred between symptom onset and diagnosis (as long as 29 y in some
series). Because of earlier and better imaging availability, oligodendrogliomas have been diagnosed much
earlier in recent years.
Like other intracranial space-occupying lesions, oligodendrogliomas present with focal cerebral
dysfunction, depending on location, and rarely as increased intracranial pressure.
Most oligodendrogliomas present as a single lesion in the cerebral hemispheres.
Typically, they are cortical or subcortical; they rarely are found in deep gray structures, and
occasionally they may be primarily intraventricular.
Rarely, they can occur infratentorially or in the spinal cord.
Occasionally they may be multifocal, like other gliomas.
The most common presenting symptom is seizure, observed at diagnosis in as many as half of
patients. As many as 80% of patients have seizures at some time during their illness.
Depending on the location of the tumor, the seizure can be simple partial, complex partial, or
generalized.
Previously undiagnosed oligodendrogliomas may be identified with medically refractory
epilepsy.
Occasionally patients with oligodendrogliomas are brought to medical attention for headache,
symptoms of increased intracranial pressure, or focal neurological deficits.
Tumors that arise within the ventricles may cause obstructive hydrocephalus and are more likely to
disseminate through the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Rarely, they can metastasize outside the nervous system,
especially the anaplastic oligodendroglioma.
In long-surviving patients with 1p/19q co-deletion, indolent leptomeningeal disease may be a
complication of oligodendroglioma, which may have implications for the treatment. [2, 3]
Occasional patients present with strokelike transient ischemic attacks or withintracerebral hemorrhage.

Physical
Physical findings depend on the location of the tumor.

Frontal, parietal, and temporal lobe tumors most commonly present with seizures. Seizures may be
simple, complex partial, and even generalized.
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Frontoparietal tumors may present with hemiparesis and sensory neglect.
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Sensory neglect is pronounced in right hemispheric lesions.
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Temporal lobe tumors rarely may present with visual field defects, although patients may be
unaware of hemianopsia.

Rare intraventricular oligodendroglioma may present with signs and symptoms of increased
intracranial pressure such as headache, visual disturbance, and papilledema.

Posterior fossa oligodendrogliomas are uncommon. However, well-documented cases are described in
children and may present with cerebellar ataxia and increased intracranial pressure.

Causes
No causes or risk factors are known. Occasional clustering occurs in some families, although the mode of
inheritance is unknown. Patients with anaplastic oligodendrogliomas who have loss of heterozygosity on 1p or
combined loss of heterozygosity on 1p and 19q survive substantially longer (mean, 10 y) than patients whose
tumors lack these genetic changes (mean, 2 y).