A 20-year-old has been diagnosed with an astrocytic brain tumor located in the brain stem. Which of the following statements by the oncologist treating the client is most accurate?
A) "Your prognosis will depend on whether we can surgically resect your tumor."
B) "Our treatment plan will depend on whether your tumor is malignant or benign."
C) "This is likely a result of a combination of heredity and lifestyle."
D) "The major risk that you face is metastases to your lungs, liver, or bones."

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The prognosis of people with pilocytic astrocytomas is influenced primarily by their location. The prognosis is usually better for people with surgically resectable tumors, such as those located in the cerebellar cortex, than for people with less accessible tumors, such as those involving the hypothalamus or brain stem. Because of infiltration of brain tissue that prevents total resection, surgery rarely cures brain tumors. The binary of malignant and benign is not used to characterize brain tumors, and the etiology and substantive risk factors are largely unknown. Brain tumors rarely metastasize outside the CNS.

A 20-Year-Old Has Been Diagnosed with an Astrocytic Brain Tumor