Definition

A type of cancer that forms in the brain or spinal cord from star-shaped cells called astrocytes.

Example

The doctor diagnosed her with an astrocytoma after reviewing the MRI results.

Conversation

Did you hear about the new research on astrocytoma treatment?

Yeah, it sounds promising! I read they’re making progress in early detection.

Exactly! It's important to catch that kind of tumor early.

For sure, every bit of advancement helps those affected.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Astrocytoma is formed from "astro-" (from Greek "astron", meaning star) and "cytoma" (from Greek "kytos", meaning cell, and "oma", meaning tumor). The word describes a tumor that originates from star-shaped glial cells in the brain.

Memory Tip

Think of 'star' ('astro-') shaped cells ('cytoma') forming a tumor — that's what an astrocytoma is.

Visually Confused Words