ABSTRACT
Oligodendrogliomas are a subset of primary brain tumors with characteristic pathological, genetic, and clinical features. Histologically, the tumor cells in oligodendrogliomas resemble normal oligodendroglial cells, hence the nomenclature. Tumors that have a combination of oligodendroglial and astrocytic elements are termed as ‘‘mixed’’ tumors or oligoastrocytomas. Because there are no objective diagnostic criteria established for these tumors, the determination that a tumor (or a portion of any given tumor) is an oligodendroglioma has been based to a large extent on a subjective decision on the part of the pathologist.
