Brain Cancer and Tumors: Types, Symptoms, Treatment
Author: Disabled World (DW)
Updated/Revised Date: 1 Aug 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 - Recent studies do not show proof of an association between brain tumors and cell phone use among adults.
- 3 - Glioblastoma Multiforme, a Grade IV Astrocytoma, makes up about 25 percent of every primary brain tumor.
- 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
Today, nearly 700,000 people in the U.S. live with a brain tumor, 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 respectability. 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 Neurinoma:
An Acoustic Neurinoma is a tumor affecting the eight-cranial nerve, located between the pons and the cerebellum. This tumor might be associated with Neurofibromatosis. This particular tumor is a primary intracranial tumor of the myelin-forming cells. These cells are called Schwann cells' or 'Schwannoma.' Therefore, the use of the term acoustic Neuroma' is a misnomer.
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 Multiforme:
A Glioblastoma Multiforme is a Grade IV Astrocytoma that can spread throughout the brain. These tumors are marked by the presence of dead tumor cells or necrosis.' About twenty-five percent of every primary brain tumor is a Glioblastoma Multiforme tumor.
Meningioma:
A Meningioma is a benign tumor that starts in the meninges, or the membranes covering the spinal cord and brain. About twenty percent of all primary brain tumors are Meningiomas. These tumors usually appear in middle-aged women.
Metastatic Tumor:
A Metastatic Tumor is created by cancer cells that metastasize in the brain, then form somewhere else in the body. This tumor can appear anywhere else in the spinal column or the brain.
Mixed Glioma:
A Mixed Glioma contains neuronal elements, astrocytic elements, and oligodendroglial cells. Neuropathologists are often confused by Mixed Gliomas, who may diagnose them as oligodendrogliomas, astrocytomas, or may even diagnose them as ganglioglioneurocytomas.
Oligodendroglioma:
Oligodendrogliomas are tumors that start from oligodendrocytes, brain tissue. These tumors often contain both astrocytes and oligodendrocytes and are considered mixed Gliomas. They are more common than Oligodendrogliomas and typically occur most frequently in younger or 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, Geminomas, 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.
- Nearly 700,000 people in the U.S. live with a brain tumor.
- This year, nearly 14,000 people will lose their battle with a brain tumor.
- Fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in females ages 20 to 39.
- Nearly 70,000 new cases of primary brain tumors will be diagnosed this year.
- second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in males ages 20-39 (leukemia is the first).
- More than 4,600 children between the ages of 0-19 will be diagnosed with a brain tumor this year.
- Brain and central nervous system tumors are the most common cancers among children ages 0-19.
- leading cause of cancer-related deaths in children (males and females) under age 20 (leukemia is the first).
- 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 more than 4,600 children in that range are diagnosed each year.
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 20 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.
Curated and edited by Ian C. Langtree, Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Disabled World. This section is maintained by the Disabled World editorial team.
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