When people talk about brain tumours, they're often discussed as though they're a single disease. In reality, there are more than 100 different types, each with its own challenges, treatments and outlook. One of the rarer types is oligodendroglioma, a tumour that develops from cells that help support and protect the brain's nerve fibres. You may have heard about this tumour type recently in the news as champion swimmer Archie Goodburn – who was diagnosed with three oligodendroglioma tumours in 2024 – gave an impassioned appeal for more investment in research into brain tumours after competing at the Commonwealth Games.
Oligodendrogliomas account for around 3% of primary brain tumours diagnosed in England. They belong to a group of brain tumours known as gliomas, which develop from glial cells, the supportive cells found throughout the brain and spinal cord. More specifically, oligodendrogliomas develop from oligodendrocytes, the cells responsible for producing myelin, the protective coating that surrounds nerve fibres.
Like all brain tumours, oligodendrogliomas are given a grade to help doctors understand how quickly they are likely to grow and how they should be treated. Tumour grades range from grade 1, which tend to be the slowest growing, to grade 4, which are the most aggressive. Oligodendrogliomas are classified as either grade 2 or grade 3. Grade 2 tumours generally grow more slowly, although they can become more aggressive over time, while grade 3 tumours are faster growing and usually require more intensive treatment.
For some people, oligodendroglioma can be managed for many years. For others, it behaves more aggressively. Most develop in the frontal lobes of the brain and can cause symptoms such as seizures, headaches, memory or concentration difficulties, changes in speech, or weakness on one side of the body.
Oligodendroglioma tumours have specific features that distinguish them from other gliomas and support their diagnosis. They have a combination of genetic changes unique to this tumour type, including a change to a gene known as IDH.
What are the treatment options for oligodendroglioma?
Treatment depends on several factors, including the tumour's grade, size and location.
Surgery is often the first step and aims to remove as much of the tumour as possible while preserving healthy brain tissue. Depending on the individual's circumstances and behaviour of their tumour, treatment may also include radiotherapy, chemotherapy, regular monitoring scans, or a combination of these approaches.
While many patients respond well to treatment, oligodendrogliomas often return, sometimes years after the original diagnosis. This remains one of the biggest challenges facing patients and clinicians.
For people diagnosed in the UK between 2010 and 2014, almost 55% survived for five years or more. While some patients can live with oligodendroglioma for many years, this statistic highlights the stark reality of a brain tumour diagnosis and the urgent need for more effective treatments that can prevent tumours from returning and improve long-term outcomes.
Earlier this year, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) approved a drug called vorasidenib to treat adults and children aged 12 years and older, with grade 2 astrocytoma or oligodendroglioma with a susceptible isocitrate dehydrogenase mutation (IDH1 or IDH2). Vorasidenib has been shown to extend progression-free survival, lengthening the period of time for which patients could go without needing radiotherapy or chemo, thus delaying the harsh side effects caused by these treatments. You can learn more about vorasidenib on our blog.
How can clinical trials help?
Clinical trials are how new treatments move from the laboratory into the clinic. They give patients access to promising new approaches while helping researchers understand which treatments are safe and effective.
Unfortunately, brain tumours continue to be underserved when it comes to clinical trials. A Brain Tumour Research snapshot from June 2026 identified just 29 interventional brain tumour trials open in the UK, and only two specifically stated they were recruiting patients with oligodendroglioma.
There are many reasons for this including complex approval processes and a lack of funding to help promising discoveries progress into clinical testing. Other countries are also becoming increasingly attractive locations for clinical research because trials can often be opened more quickly.
There is currently a drug called safusidenib that is being trialled abroad in patients with oligodendroglioma whose tumour has progressed while on vorasidenib. This trial is not open in the UK, highlighting the inequalities facing patients in this country.
That’s why Brain Tumour Research is campaigning for an increase in the number of brain tumour clinical trials and calling on the Government to engage with industry to build a more attractive financial and regulatory environment that encourages pharmaceutical companies to invest in brain tumour drug development in the UK. This requires sustained funding. Not just in technologies and laboratory infrastructure, but in the research workforce, enabling brain tumour researchers to remain in the field and build momentum around promising ideas.
Improving access to clinical trials is vital if we are to accelerate progress, not only for people living with oligodendroglioma, but for everyone affected by brain tumours.
Research funding
To improve outcomes for patients, there is still much to learn about why these tumours develop, what drives some to become more aggressive, and how to prevent them from returning.
Research funded by Brain Tumour Research is helping answer these questions. At our Centre of Excellence at the University of Plymouth, scientists are investigating how gliomas form, grow and evade the immune system, to develop more effective treatments and bring new therapies closer to patients.
Every breakthrough starts with research. By deepening our understanding of oligodendroglioma and expanding opportunities for patients to take part in clinical trials, we move another step closer to finding a cure for all types of brain tumour.
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