Oligodendroglioma is a different type of brain tumor with different genetic characteristics than glioblastoma, the most common type.
Classified as grade 4, glioblastoma is malignant and extremely aggressive. It affects glial cells called astrocytes, while oligodendroglioma affects glial cells called oligodendrocytes.
However, in rare cases, an oligodendroglioma may eventually progress into a higher grade tumor, such as a glioblastoma. This may happen due to molecular and genetic changes in the tumor cells.