Etymed
astrocytoma
Definition
A tumor derived from astrocytes, which are star-shaped cells in the nervous system
Clinical context
A 28-year-old woman presents with headaches, seizures, and progressive weakness in her left arm over 6 weeks. MRI reveals a enhancing mass in the right cerebral hemisphere with surrounding edema. The tumor is composed of astrocytes and shows characteristic astrocytic differentiation on biopsy. This patient's tumor is most likely an astrocytoma, a glioma that arises from the astrocytic lineage in the brain parenchyma.
Mnemonic
Astronauts Are Star-Shaped Cells in the Brain (ASTROCYTE) - Astrocytoma tumors are made of star-shaped cells