Brain Cancer and Tumors: Types, Symptoms, Treatment
Author: Disabled World (DW)
Updated/Revised Date: 2 Nov 2026
Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Definition - About This Section - FAQs - Publications - Subtopics
Synopsis
Learn about brain cancer and brain tumors, including benign and malignant types, common symptoms, causes, risk factors, and treatment and diagnosis information.
At a Glance
- 1 - There are more than 120 different types of brain tumors.
- 2 - Glioblastoma is the most common malignant primary brain tumor, making up about half of malignant cases.
- 3 - Recent studies do not show proof of an association between brain tumors and cell phone use among adults.
- 4 - The lifetime chance of developing a malignant brain or spinal cord tumor is less than 1 percent, about 1 in 140 for a man and 1 in 180 for a woman.
Topic Definition
- Brain Cancer (Brain Tumor)
A brain tumor is a growth of abnormal cells within the tissues of the brain, and it can be either benign, meaning it holds no cancer cells, or malignant, meaning it contains cancer cells that multiply. Doctors further divide these growths into primary tumors that begin in the brain itself and secondary or metastatic tumors that start elsewhere in the body and spread to the brain. Because the skull is a confined space, a tumor can press on nearby structures and produce a wide range of symptoms depending on its size and location, from headaches and seizures to changes in vision, balance, mood, and memory. Both the cell type, known as histology, and the location of the tumor guide how it behaves, how it is treated, and what outlook a patient can expect.
Overview
More than 93,000 Americans are diagnosed with a primary brain tumor each year, yet scientists are still searching for answers regarding pinpointing causes or risk factors. A brain tumor is the growth of abnormal cells in the brain's tissues. Brain tumors can be benign, with no cancer cells, or malignant, with cancer cells that increase. Some are primary brain tumors, which start in the brain. Others are metastatic and start somewhere else in the body and move to the brain. Causes of brain cancer are difficult to prove; avoiding compounds linked to cancer production is advised. Brain cancer can have various symptoms, including seizures, sleepiness, confusion, and behavioral changes.
The U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) has included Malignant Brain Stem Gliomas (Childhood) and Glioma Grade III and IV as a Compassionate Allowance to expedite a disability claim.
Brain cancer, 'histology,' or cell type, determines the behavior of the tumor. It also has a great deal of bearing on the prognosis a patient will find themselves facing. There is no single cell type classification universally agreed upon by doctors. One other approach to classification is by the location of the tumor. The tumor's location determines the kinds of symptoms, any neurological deficits a person may experience, and the safety of its resectability (whether it can be removed by surgery). Both means of classifying a tumor are important.
Recent studies do not show proof of an association between brain tumors and cell phone use among adults. With worldwide cellphone use increasing, researchers would expect a clear increase in brain tumor incidence over time, and studies show there is none.
Other unproven causes of brain tumors include power lines, cigarette smoking, most forms of diagnostic ionizing radiation, head trauma, exposure to air pollutants, and alcohol consumption. Despite ruling out these and other environmental and genetic risk factors, researchers still don't know what factors may cause brain tumors.
Different Brain Tumor Types
Acoustic Neuroma (Vestibular Schwannoma):
An acoustic neuroma is a benign tumor of the eighth cranial nerve, which runs between the inner ear and the brain, near the pons and the cerebellum. It may be associated with neurofibromatosis type 2. The tumor grows from the myelin-forming Schwann cells that cover the nerve, so its correct name is vestibular schwannoma.
Astrocytoma:
An Astrocytoma is a tumor that starts in the astrocyte cells, which constitute part of the human brain's supportive tissues, or 'neuroglial.'
Ependymoma:
An Ependymoma is a tumor that begins in the ependymal cells found in and along the ventricles and central canal in the spinal cord.
Glioblastoma:
Glioblastoma, formerly called glioblastoma multiforme, is a fast-growing grade 4 glioma that can spread throughout the brain. These tumors are marked by the presence of dead tumor cells (necrosis). Glioblastoma is the most common malignant primary brain tumor, making up about 14 percent of all primary brain tumors and about half of malignant ones.
Meningioma:
A Meningioma is a benign tumor that starts in the meninges, or the membranes covering the spinal cord and brain. Meningiomas are the most common primary brain tumors, making up about 40 percent of all primary brain tumors. They are most common in middle-aged and older women.
Metastatic Tumor:
A metastatic tumor is formed by cancer cells that start somewhere else in the body, such as the lung or breast, and spread to the brain. These tumors can appear anywhere in the brain or spinal column.
Mixed Glioma:
A mixed glioma (oligoastrocytoma) contains both astrocytic and oligodendroglial cells. Since 2016, genetic testing has allowed almost all of these tumors to be classified as either astrocytomas or oligodendrogliomas, so the diagnosis is now rarely used.
Oligodendroglioma:
Oligodendrogliomas are tumors that start from oligodendrocytes, the cells that make myelin in the brain. They grow slowly and occur most often in younger and middle-aged adults.
Pineal Region Tumor:
A Pineal Region Tumor is a form of tumor that starts in the pineal gland. Several types of tumors can begin in the pineal gland. These tumors include Mixed tumors, pineoblastomas, Teratomas, Pineocytomas, Germinomas, and Astrocytomas. Less than one percent of primary brain tumors are Pineal tumors. Three to eight percent of childhood brain tumors are Pineal brain tumors.
Brain Tumor Facts
Brain tumors can cause many symptoms. Some of the most common are:
- Seizures.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Feeling weak or sleepy.
- Headaches, often in the morning.
- Problems with balance or walking.
- Problems with thinking or memory.
- Changes in your mood or behavior.
- Changes in your ability to talk, hear, or see.
Brain Tumor Statistics
- There are more than 120 types of brain tumors.
- More than 93,000 Americans were expected to be diagnosed with a primary brain tumor in 2025, and about 18,330 to die from a malignant brain tumor.
- The five-year relative survival rate for malignant brain tumors is about 35.7 percent.
- About 7 in 10 primary brain tumors are benign (non-malignant).
- Brain and other central nervous system tumors are the most common solid tumors in children and adolescents ages 0 to 19 and the largest contributor to cancer deaths in this age group.
- Overall, the chance that a person will develop a malignant brain or spinal cord tumor in their lifetime is less than 1% (about 1 in 140 for a man and 1 in 180 for a woman).
Frequently Asked Questions
Are all brain tumors cancerous?
No, brain tumors can be benign with no cancer cells or malignant with cancer cells that multiply, and both types are classified by cell type and location.
What is the difference between a primary and a metastatic brain tumor?
A primary brain tumor starts within the brain itself, while a metastatic tumor forms from cancer cells that begin somewhere else in the body and spread to the brain.
Do cell phones cause brain tumors?
Recent studies do not show proof of a link between brain tumors and cell phone use in adults, as brain tumor incidence has not risen with increasing worldwide cell phone use.
Are brain tumors common in children?
Yes, brain and central nervous system tumors are the most common cancers among children ages 0 to 19, and they are the largest contributor to cancer deaths in this age group.
Which brain tumor most often affects middle aged women?
Meningiomas, which are benign tumors that begin in the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, usually appear in middle-aged women and make up about 40 percent of primary brain tumors.
Can a brain tumor qualify for expedited disability benefits?
Yes, the U.S. Social Security Administration lists Malignant Brain Stem Gliomas in childhood and Glioma Grade III and IV as Compassionate Allowances to speed up a disability claim.
Why is the exact cause of brain tumors hard to identify?
Researchers have ruled out many environmental and genetic risk factors such as power lines and head trauma, yet they still cannot pinpoint what factors cause brain tumors.
What are the warning signs of a brain tumor?
Signs can include new or worsening headaches, seizures, nausea, changes in vision or speech, weakness on one side, and personality or memory changes. These symptoms have many other causes, but new ones should be checked by a doctor.
Curated and edited by Ian C. Langtree, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Disabled World. This section is maintained by the Disabled World editorial team. Last updated: