Brain Tumors

• Read More

Brain tumors may be benign or malignant.

Benign tumors don't contain cancer cells. If completely removed by surgery, they often don't return. Benign tumors that can't be completely removed, however, may continue to grow and may require treatment such as chemotherapy or radiation.

Malignant or cancerous brain tumors usually grow quickly, spread to surrounding tissue and may return after treatment.

UCSF neurologists and neurosurgeons are supported by one of the most advanced diagnostic imaging centers in the world, staffed by pioneers in the field. We are the only hospital in Northern California that offers MRI scanning during operations to increase the accuracy of surgery and one of only a few centers in California offering noninvasive treatment with the Gamma Knife and CyberKnife.

We also lead the way in research for new treatments. We are one of nine members of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium, a nationwide cooperative of the National Cancer Institute that develops new treatments for children with malignant brain tumors. Through the consortium, we offer the most advanced therapies available.

Our patients have the opportunity to participate in studies of promising new medications and treatments. Our research laboratories also study the molecular foundations of childhood brain tumors.

Types of Brain Tumors

There are two types of brain tumors — primary and secondary.

Primary Brain Tumors

Tumors that begin in brain tissue are known as primary brain tumors. The most common brain tumors are gliomas, which begin in the glial, or supportive, tissue. There are several types of gliomas including:

• Astrocytomas arise from small, star-shaped cells called astrocytes. They may grow anywhere in the brain or spinal cord. In children, they occur in the brain stem, the lowest stem-like part of the brain that connects to the spinal cord; the cerebrum, the upper part of the brain that controls mental processes; and the cerebellum, the lower part of the brain that controls coordinated movement and possibly even some forms of cognitive learning. Astrocytomas can be either low grade, which are usually benign, or high grade, which are malignant.

• Brain stem gliomas occur in the lowest, stem-like part of the brain that connects to the spinal cord. The brain stem controls many vital functions. Tumors in this area generally can't be removed. Most brain stem gliomas are high-grade astrocytomas.

• Ependymomas usually develop in the lining of the ventricles or cavities of the brain. They also may occur in the spinal cord. Although these tumors can develop at any age, they are most common in childhood and adolescence.

Other types of primary brain tumors that do not begin in glial tissue include:

• Medulloblastomas are malignant tumors that are thought to arise from developing nerve cells that normally don't remain in the body after birth. Most medulloblastomas arise in the cerebellum, the lower part of the brain that controls coordinated movement and possibly some forms of cognitive learning, as well as in other areas of the brain. These tumors most often occur in children and are more common in boys than girls. A related tumor called supratentorial primative neuroectodermal tumor (SPNET) occurs in the cerebral hemispheres or the upper parts of the brain that control mental processes.
• Craniopharyngiomas develop in the region of the pituitary gland near the hypothalamus that regulates body heat and other vital functions such as food intake. These tumors most often occur in children and adolescents and are usually benign.
• Germ cell tumors arise from developing sex cells or germ cells. The most frequent germ cell tumor in the brain is the germinoma. Germ cell tumors account for about 3 percent of all cancer in children and adolescents.
• Pineal region tumors occur in or around the pineal gland, a tiny organ near the center of the brain that affects hormones and other functions. This tumor can be pineocytoma, which is slow growing, or a pineoblastoma, which is a fast growing tumor. Pineoblastoma, which is a malignant tumor, is in the same family of tumors as supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumors (SPNET).
• Choroid plexus tumors arise from tissues that make cerebrospinal fluid, the fluid that surrounds and protects the brain and spinal cord. These tumors are rare, representing only 3 percent of pediatric brain tumors, but they account for 10 to 20 percent of the tumors that occur in the first year of life. There are two forms: choroid plexus papillomas, which is slow growing, and choroid plexus carcinomas, which is more aggressive in growth. They occur most frequently in infants and young children.

Secondary Brain Tumors

Cancer that begins in other parts of the body but spreads to the brain is called a secondary brain tumor. For example, if lung cancer spreads to the brain, it is a secondary brain tumor resulting from metastatic lung cancer. The cells in the secondary tumor resemble abnormal lung cells, not abnormal brain cells. Secondary brain tumors are rare in children, accounting for less than 5 percent of cases.