Brain tumor types

Doctors use a lot of words for brain tumors. Here is what the common ones mean, in plain words. Pick a type to read more.

Your care team knows your case and this page does not. Use it to help you ask them better questions.

Gliomas

Tumors that start in the glial cells, the cells that support nerve cells.

• Glioma

  A group of brain tumors that start in the glial cells.

• Low-grade glioma

  A glioma that grows slowly. Usually grade 1 or grade 2.

• High-grade glioma

  A glioma that grows fast. Usually grade 3 or grade 4.

• Glioblastoma

  The fastest growing glioma. It is graded 4.

• Astrocytoma

  A glioma that starts in star-shaped helper cells called astrocytes.

• Oligodendroglioma

  A glioma with two gene changes that doctors test for by name.

• Diffuse midline glioma

  A fast growing glioma in the middle of the brain or the spinal cord.

• DIPG (pontine)

  A diffuse midline glioma in the pons, a part of the brain stem.

• Ependymoma

  A tumor that starts in the cells lining the fluid spaces of the brain and spine.

Other tumors that start in the brain

These start in the brain or in the tissue around it.

• Meningioma

  A tumor that starts in the layers that cover the brain, not in the brain itself.

• Medulloblastoma

  A fast growing tumor at the back of the brain. It is most common in children.

• Pituitary tumor

  A tumor in the small gland under the brain that controls hormones.

• Acoustic neuroma

  A slow growing tumor on the nerve between the inner ear and the brain.

• CNS lymphoma

  A lymphoma that starts in the brain, spinal cord, or eyes.

• Craniopharyngioma

  A slow growing tumor near the pituitary gland and the nerves for sight.

• CNS germ cell tumor

  We are still writing this one. See research on CNS germ cell tumor.

• ATRT

  We are still writing this one. See research on ATRT.

• Hemangioblastoma

  We are still writing this one. See research on Hemangioblastoma.

• Chordoma

  We are still writing this one. See research on Chordoma.

Tumors that spread to the brain

These start somewhere else in the body and travel to the brain.

• Brain metastases

  Cancer that started somewhere else in the body and spread to the brain.

Tumors of the spinal cord

The spinal cord is not the brain. We list these because the same care teams treat them.

• Spinal cord tumor

  A tumor in or around the spinal cord. It is not a brain tumor.

Ways to group tumors

These are not types. They are other ways to sort what you read.

• Pediatric brain tumor

  Brain tumors in children. This is a way to group them, not one type.

• All brain tumors

  We are still writing this one. See research on All brain tumors.

Looking for something else? Try the glossary for single words, or all research updates.