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Cell kinetics underlying grading of gliomas
Author(s) -
Alvord Ellsworth C.,
Claridge Jonathan,
Anderson Alexander,
Swanson Kristin R
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.22.1_supplement.706.9
Subject(s) - glioma , grading (engineering) , angiogenesis , medicine , pathology , nuclear medicine , oncology , cancer research , biology , ecology
The development of a bio‐mathematical model of the dynamics of glioma growth (Tracqui et al 1995, Swanson 1999, Murray 2003) based on the net rates of proliferation (ρ) and dispersal (D) of glioma cells led to the discovery of the inevitability of “progression” of low‐grade gliomas to death (Pallud et al 2006) and provided a basis for predicting the development of contrast‐enhancement and the duration of survival given the size and velocity of expansion (Alvord & Swanson 2007). The addition of hypoxia‐driven neo‐angiogenesis and necrosis provides a dynamic picture of the continuum of changes in cell concentration, mitoses, vascular proliferation and necrosis, criteria commonly used in grading gliomas. We have applied these criteria to random high‐power fields of each of 15 D's x 15 ρ's = 225 ρ and D combinations (virtual gliomas) and generated a map of probabilities of a particular grade being associated with each combination of D and ; at each point in time/size. The grade progressively changes with time and size, consistent with about 30% of grade II gliomas “progressing” to grade III and essentially all of these “progressing” to grade IV. At the moment measurement of the velocity of radial expansion and calculation of D and ρ requires two MRI observations without intervening treatment, but the accuracy of the prognosis for the individual seems clear.