glioma
Meaning of glioma: A glioma is a tumor arising from glial cells that support the nervous system, ranging from slow growing to highly aggressive.
Definition of glioma
A glioma is a tumor that arises from glial cells, the supporting cells that surround and maintain nerve cells within the brain and spinal cord. Gliomas can develop in either location, though they occur most often within the brain, and they are classified into several types based on the specific kind of glial cell from which they arise, including astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and ependymal cells.
Gliomas range widely in behavior, from slower growing tumors that may remain relatively contained for a long period to highly aggressive, fast growing tumors that spread through surrounding brain tissue, with glioblastoma representing one of the most aggressive forms.
Because gliomas grow within brain or spinal cord tissue rather than as a clearly separate mass, they can be difficult to remove completely through surgery alone, and treatment often combines surgery with radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or both, depending on the tumor's specific type and behavior.
Used in a sentence
Imaging identified a glioma involving the frontal lobe of the brain.
Good to know
Gliomas range from slower growing to highly aggressive forms, so the word glioma alone does not indicate how a particular tumor is expected to behave without further classification of its specific type.
Word origin
Where “glioma” comes from
Formed from Greek glia, meaning glue, referring to the supportive role of glial cells, combined with the suffix -oma, meaning tumor or mass.