The 2007 World Health Organisation classification of tumours of the central nervous system, comparison with 2000 classification

WHO Classification of Tumours of the Central Nervous System from the 2007 is distinguished from the previous 2000 classification by a few conceptual modifications, changes in the terminology and seven newly codified tumour entities. The text shows a short comparison of both classifications emphasising the most important changes from the surgical neuropathology point of view. The newly codified entities are: angiocentric glioma, pilomyxoid astrocytoma, papillary glioneuronal tumor, rosette-forming glioneuronal tumor of the 4th ventricle, papillary tumour of the pineal region, spindle cell oncocytoma and pituicytoma. Mostly, they are rare tumours already known from the literature. Based on new knowledge from the molecular pathology the paragraphs about tumour genetics were markedly changed. The complexity and diversity of tumours of the nervous system is enormous, and, not surprisingly, some problematic questions of classification and grading remain unresolved.