Types of Brain Tumors

Types of Brain Tumors

There are many types of primary brain tumors. They differ in where they form in the brain and how severe they are. Your treatment plan depends on the type of tumor you have.

  • High grade gliomas (grades 3 and 4)
  • Low grade gliomas (grade 2)
  • Pilocytic astrocytoma
  • Ganglioglioma and gangliocytomas
  • Meningiomas
  • Schwannomas
  • Subependymomas
  • Ependymomas
  • Hemangioblastomas
  • Pineal tumors
  • Medulloblastomas
  • Pituitary adenomas
  • Craniopharyngiomas
  • Primary central nervous system lymphoma
  • Grow from the cells that make up brain tissue.
  • Four types: astrocytoma (with IDH mutation), astrocytoma (with histone mutations such as H3K27M), oligodendroglioma and glioblastoma (the most common primary brain tumor in adults).
  • Possible treatment: Surgery, then radiation and chemotherapy; clinical trial.
  • Grow from the cells that make up brain tissue.
  • Two types: astrocytomas and oligodendrogliomas.
  • Possible treatment: Surgery; adiation and chemotherapy; clinical trial; Physician may just monitor the tumor if it is not growing quickly or causing symptoms.
  • Grow from the cells that make up brain tissue.
  • Include juvenile pilocytic astrocytomas.
  • Possible treatment: Surgery; chemotherapy and radiation if the tumor is not fully removed.
  • Come from cells that make up brain tissue.
  • Not very common.
  • Often grade 1.
  • Malignant (cancerous) in rare cases.
  • Possible treatment: Low-grade tumors: surgery (and radiation if the tumor cannot be fully removed). High-grade tumors: surgery and radiation.
  • Grow from the lining of the brain.
  • Three grades: 1 (most common), 2 (less common) and 3 (rare).
  • Possible treatment: Grade 1: surgery or stereotactic radiosurgery (a type of radiation); Grade 2: surgery and possibly radiation; Grades 3: surgery and radiation.
  • Come from nerve cells, often the vestibular nerve (a nerve that sends sound and balance information from the inner ear to the brain).
  • Benign (not cancerous).
  • May cause brain compression, which can lead to hearing problems and other issues, such as hydrocephalus (buildup of fluid in the brain).
  • Possible treatment: Surgery and/or radiation.
  • Grow from the lining of the ventricles (parts of the brain that contain spinal fluid).
  • Very low-grade tumors.
  • Possible treatment: Surgery.
  • Grow from the lining of the ventricles or within the spinal cord.
  • May be low- or higher-grade.
  • Can spread throughout the nervous system.
  • Possible treatment: Surgery and possibly radiation.
  • Come from blood vessel cells. Tend to form in the cerebellum (part of the brain in the back of the head that controls balance).
  • Mostly benign.
  • Often times associated with Von Hippel Lindau Disease, a cancer predisposition syndrome.
  • Possible treatment: Surgery; stereotactic radiosurgery (a type of radiation) may be considered.
  • Form in the pineal gland at the center of the brain.
  • Several different types of tumors.
  • Rare.
  • Possible treatment: Depends on the type of tumor. Surgery, radiation and chemotherapy oftentimes have a role in this tumor type.
  • Come from undeveloped cells in the cerebellum.
  • Occur most often in children.
  • Malignant.
  • Can spread throughout the nervous system.
  • Possible treatment: Surgery, then radiation and chemotherapy.
  • Grow from the pituitary gland (a pea-sized gland on the underside of the brain that controls hormone glands).
  • Can cause problems with hormones.
  • Can cause loss of vision.
  • Possible treatment: Surgery; radiation if the tumor grows back or cannot be fully removed.
  • Form from the suprasellar location above the pituitary gland.
  • More common in children.
  • Can cause hormonal problems and loss of vision.
  • Possible treatment: Surgery; radiation if the tumor cannot be fully removed.
  • Grow from lymphocytes (white blood cells) in the brain.
  • Possible treatment: Chemotherapy; radiation.