Central Nervous System Tumors

An adult central nervous system (CNS) tumor is a disease in which abnormal cells form in the tissues of the brain and/or spinal cord.

There are many types of brain and spinal cord tumors. The tumors are formed by the abnormal growth of cells and may begin in different parts of the brain or spinal cord. Together, the brain and spinal cord make up the central nervous system (CNS).

The tumors may be either benign (not cancer) or malignant (cancer):

• Benign brain and spinal cord tumors grow and press on nearby areas of the brain. They rarely spread into other tissues and may recur (come back).
• Malignant brain and spinal cord tumors are likely to grow quickly and spread into other brain tissue.

When a tumor grows into or presses on an area of the brain, it may stop that part of the brain from working the way it should. Both benign and malignant brain tumors cause signs and symptoms and need treatment.

Brain and spinal cord tumors can occur in both adults and children. However, treatment for children may be different than treatment for adults.

For information about lymphoma that begins in the brain, see Primary CNS Lymphoma Treatment.

A tumor that starts in another part of the body and spreads to the brain is called a metastatic brain tumor.

Tumors that start in the brain are called primary brain tumors. Primary brain tumors may spread to other parts of the brain or to the spine. They rarely spread to other parts of the body.

Often, tumors found in the brain have started somewhere else in the body and spread to one or more parts of the brain. These are called metastatic brain tumors (or brain metastases). Metastatic brain tumors are more common than primary brain tumors. Up to half of metastatic brain tumors are from lung cancer.

Cancer may spread to the leptomeninges (the two innermost membranes covering the brain and spinal cord). This is called leptomeningeal carcinomatosis.

The brain controls many important body functions.

The brain has three major parts:

• The cerebrum is the largest part of the brain. It is at the top of the head. The cerebrum controls thinking, learning, problem solving, emotions, speech, reading, writing, and voluntary movement.
• The cerebellum is in the lower back of the brain (near the middle of the back of the head). It controls movement, balance, and posture.
• The brain stem connects the brain to the spinal cord. It is in the lowest part of the brain (just above the back of the neck). The brain stem controls breathing, heart rate, and the nerves and muscles used to see, hear, walk, talk, and eat.

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Anatomy of the brain showing the cerebrum, ventricles (with cerebrospinal fluid shown in blue), cerebellum, brain stem (pons and medulla), and other parts of the brain.

The spinal cord connects the brain to nerves in most parts of the body.

The spinal cord is a column of nerve tissue that runs from the brain stem down the center of the back. It is covered by three thin layers of tissue called membranes. These membranes are surrounded by the vertebrae (back bones). Spinal cord nerves carry messages between the brain and the rest of the body, such as a message from the brain to cause muscles to move or a message from the skin to the brain to feel touch.

There are different types of brain and spinal cord tumors.

Brain and spinal cord tumors are named based on the type of cell they formed in and where the tumor first formed in the CNS. The grade of a tumor may be used to tell the difference between slow-growing and fast-growing types of the tumor. The World Health Organization (WHO) tumor grades are based on how abnormal the cancer cells look under a microscope and how quickly the tumor is likely to grow and spread.

The following types of primary tumors can form in the brain or spinal cord:

Having certain genetic syndromes may increase the risk of a CNS tumor.

Anything that increases a person's chance of getting a disease is called a risk factor. Not every person with one or more of these risk factors will develop a brain or spinal cord tumor, and they can develop in people who don't have any known risk factors. Talk with your doctor if you think you may be at risk. There are few known risk factors for brain tumors. The following conditions may increase the risk of certain types of brain tumors:

• Being exposed to vinyl chloride may increase the risk of glioma.
• Infection with the Epstein-Barr virus, having AIDS, or receiving an organ transplant may increase the risk of primary CNS lymphoma. For more information, see Primary CNS Lymphoma Treatment.
• Having certain genetic syndromes may increase the risk brain tumors:
  • Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) or 2 (NF2).
  • von Hippel-Lindau disease.
  • Tuberous sclerosis.
  • Li-Fraumeni syndrome.
  • Turcot syndrome type 1 or 2.
  • Nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome.

The cause of most adult brain and spinal cord tumors is not known.

The signs and symptoms of adult brain and spinal cord tumors are not the same in every person.

Signs and symptoms depend on the following:

• Where the tumor forms in the brain or spinal cord.
• What the affected part of the brain controls.
• The size of the tumor.

These and other signs and symptoms may be caused by CNS tumors or by other conditions, including cancer that has spread to the brain. Check with your doctor if you have any of the following:

Tests that examine the brain and spinal cord are used to diagnose adult brain and spinal cord tumors.

In addition to asking about your personal and family health history and doing a physical exam, your doctor may perform the following tests and procedures:

• Neurological exam: A series of questions and tests to check the brain, spinal cord, and nerve function. The exam checks a person's mental status, coordination, and ability to walk normally, and how well the muscles, senses, and reflexes work. This may also be called a neuro exam or a neurologic exam.
• Visual field exam: An exam to check a person's field of vision (the total area in which objects can be seen). This test measures both central vision (how much a person can see when looking straight ahead) and peripheral vision (how much a person can see in all other directions while staring straight ahead). Any loss of vision may be a sign of a tumor that has damaged or pressed on the parts of the brain that affect eyesight.
• Tumor marker test: A procedure in which a sample of blood, urine, or tissue is checked to measure the amounts of certain substances made by organs, tissues, or tumor cells in the body. Certain substances are linked to specific types of cancer when found in increased levels in the body. These are called tumor markers. This test may be done to diagnose a germ cell tumor.
• Gene testing: A laboratory test in which cells or tissue are analyzed to look for changes in genes or chromosomes. These changes may be a sign that a person has or is at risk of having a specific disease or condition.
• CT scan (CAT scan): A procedure that makes a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body, taken from different angles. The pictures are made by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. A dye may be injected into a vein or swallowed to help the organs or tissues show up more clearly. This procedure is also called computed tomography, computerized tomography, or computerized axial tomography.
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  Computed tomography (CT) scan of the brain. The patient lies on a table that slides through the CT scanner, which takes x-ray pictures of the brain.
  

• MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) with gadolinium: A procedure that uses a magnet, radio waves, and a computer to make a series of detailed pictures of the brain and spinal cord. A substance called gadolinium is injected into a vein. The gadolinium collects around the cancer cells so they show up brighter in the picture. This procedure is also called nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI). MRI is often used to diagnose tumors in the spinal cord. Sometimes a procedure called magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is done during the MRI scan. An MRS is used to diagnose tumors, based on their chemical make-up.
• SPECT scan (single photon emission computed tomography scan): A procedure to find malignant tumor cells in the brain. A small amount of a radioactive substance is injected into a vein or inhaled through the nose. As the substance travels through the blood, a camera rotates around the head and takes pictures of the brain. A computer uses the pictures to make a 3-dimensional (3-D) image of the brain. There will be increased blood flow and more activity in areas where cancer cells are growing. These areas will show up brighter in the picture.
• PET scan (positron emission tomography scan): A procedure to find malignant tumor cells in the body. A small amount of radioactive glucose (sugar) is injected into a vein. The PET scanner rotates around the body and makes a picture of where glucose is being used in the brain. Malignant tumor cells show up brighter in the picture because they are more active and take up more glucose than normal cells do. PET is used to tell the difference between a primary tumor and a tumor that has spread to the brain from somewhere else in the body.
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  PET (positron emission tomography) scan. The patient lies on a table that slides through the PET machine. The head rest and white strap help the patient lie still. A small amount of radioactive glucose (sugar) is injected into the patient's vein, and a scanner makes a picture of where the glucose is being used in the body. Cancer cells show up brighter in the picture because they take up more glucose than normal cells do.
  

A biopsy is also used to diagnose a brain tumor.

If imaging tests show there may be a brain tumor, a biopsy is usually done. One of the following types of biopsies may be used:

• Stereotactic biopsy: When imaging tests show there may be a tumor deep in the brain in a hard to reach place, a stereotactic brain biopsy may be done. This kind of biopsy uses a computer and a 3-dimensional (3-D) scanning device to find the tumor and guide the needle used to remove the tissue. A small incision is made in the scalp, and a small hole is drilled through the skull. A biopsy needle is inserted through the hole to remove cells or tissues so they can be viewed under a microscope by a pathologist to check for signs of cancer.
• Open biopsy: When imaging tests show that there may be a tumor that can be removed by surgery, an open biopsy may be done. A part of the skull is removed in an operation called a craniotomy. A sample of brain tissue is removed and viewed under a microscope by a pathologist. If cancer cells are found, some or all of the tumor may be removed during the same surgery. Tests are done before surgery to find the areas around the tumor that are important for normal brain function. There are also ways to test brain function during surgery. The doctor will use the results of these tests to remove as much of the tumor as possible with the least damage to normal tissue in the brain.
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  Craniotomy: An opening is made in the skull and a piece of the skull is removed to show part of the brain.
  

The pathologist checks the biopsy sample to find out the type and grade of the brain tumor. The grade of the tumor is based on how the tumor cells look under a microscope, and how quickly the tumor is likely to grow and spread.

The following tests may be done on the tumor tissue that is removed:

• Immunohistochemistry: A laboratory test that uses antibodies to check for certain antigens (markers) in a sample of a patient's tissue. The antibodies are usually linked to an enzyme or a fluorescent dye. After the antibodies bind to a specific antigen in the tissue sample, the enzyme or dye is activated, and the antigen can then be seen under a microscope. This type of test is used to help diagnose cancer and to help tell one type of cancer from another type of cancer.
• Light and electron microscopy: A laboratory test in which cells in a sample of tissue are viewed under regular and high-powered microscopes to look for certain changes in the cells.
• Cytogenetic analysis: A laboratory test in which the chromosomes of cells in a sample of brain tissue are counted and checked for any changes, such as broken, missing, rearranged, or extra chromosomes. Changes in certain chromosomes may be a sign of cancer. Cytogenetic analysis is used to help diagnose cancer, plan treatment, or find out how well treatment is working.

Certain factors affect prognosis (chance of recovery) and treatment options.

The prognosis and treatment options for primary brain and spinal cord tumors depend on the following:

• The type and grade of the tumor.
• Where the tumor is in the brain or spinal cord.
• Whether the tumor can be removed by surgery.
• Whether cancer cells remain after surgery.
• Whether there are certain changes in the chromosomes.
• Whether the cancer has just been diagnosed or has recurred (come back).
• The patient's general health.

The prognosis and treatment options for metastatic brain and spinal cord tumors depend on the following:

• Whether there are more than two tumors in the brain or spinal cord.
• Where the tumor is in the brain or spinal cord.
• How well the tumor responds to treatment.
• Whether the primary tumor continues to grow or spread.

There is no standard staging system for adult brain and spinal cord tumors.

The process used to find out if cancer has spread to other areas of the brain or to other parts of the body is called staging. Brain tumors that begin in the brain rarely spread to other parts of the body. There is no standard staging system for brain and spinal cord tumors.

Treatment of primary brain and spinal cord tumors is based on the following:

• The type of cell in which the tumor began.
• Where the tumor formed in the brain or spinal cord.
• The amount of cancer left after surgery.
• The grade of the tumor.

Treatment of tumors that have spread to the brain from other parts of the body is based on the number of tumors in the brain.

Imaging tests may be repeated after surgery to help plan more treatment.

Some of the tests and procedures used to diagnose a brain or spinal cord tumor may be repeated after treatment to find out how much tumor is left.

Central nervous system (CNS) tumors often recur, sometimes many years after treatment.

A recurrent CNS tumor is a tumor that has recurred (come back) after it has been treated. The tumor may recur at the same place as the first tumor or in other parts of the CNS.

There are different types of treatment for patients with adult brain and spinal cord tumors.

Different types of treatment are available for patients with adult brain and spinal cord tumors. Some treatments are standard (the currently used treatment), and some are being tested in clinical trials. A treatment clinical trial is a research study meant to help improve current treatments or obtain information on new treatments for patients with cancer. When clinical trials show that a new treatment is better than the standard treatment, the new treatment may become the standard treatment. Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial. Some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment.

The following types of treatment are used:

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high-energy x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing. External radiation therapy uses a machine outside the body to send radiation toward the area of the body with cancer.

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External-beam radiation therapy of the brain. A machine is used to aim high-energy radiation. The machine can rotate around the patient, delivering radiation from many different angles. A mesh mask helps keep the patient’s head from moving during treatment. Small ink marks are put on the mask. The ink marks are used to line up the radiation machine in the same position before each treatment.

Certain ways of giving external radiation therapy can help keep radiation from damaging nearby healthy tissue. These types of radiation therapy include the following:

• Conformal radiation therapy: Conformal radiation therapy uses a computer to make a 3-dimensional (3-D) picture of the tumor and shapes the radiation beams to fit the tumor.
• Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT): IMRT is a type of 3-dimensional (3-D) radiation therapy that uses a computer to make pictures of the size and shape of the tumor. Thin beams of radiation of different intensities (strengths) are aimed at the tumor from many angles.
• Stereotactic radiosurgery: Stereotactic radiosurgery uses a rigid head frame that is attached to the skull to keep the head still during the radiation treatment. A machine aims a single large dose of radiation directly at the tumor. This procedure does not involve surgery. It is also called stereotaxic radiosurgery, radiosurgery, and radiation surgery.

Supportive care is given to lessen the problems caused by the disease or its treatment.

This therapy controls problems or side effects caused by the disease or its treatment and improves quality of life. For brain tumors, supportive care includes drugs to control seizures and fluid buildup or swelling in the brain.

New types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials.

This summary section refers to new treatments being studied in clinical trials, but it may not mention every new treatment being studied. Information about clinical trials is available from the NCI website.

Treatment for adult central nervous system tumors may cause side effects.

For information about side effects caused by treatment for cancer, visit our Side Effects page.

Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial.

For some patients, taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice. Clinical trials are part of the cancer research process. Clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment.

Many of today's standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials. Patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment.

Patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future. Even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments, they often answer important questions and help move research forward.

Patients can enter clinical trials before, during, or after starting their cancer treatment.

Some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment. Other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better. There are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring (coming back) or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment.

Clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country. Information about clinical trials supported by NCI can be found on NCI’s clinical trials search webpage. Clinical trials supported by other organizations can be found on the ClinicalTrials.gov website.

Follow-up tests may be needed.

As you go through treatment, you will have follow-up tests or check-ups. Some tests that were done to diagnose or stage the cancer may be repeated to see how well the treatment is working. Decisions about whether to continue, change, or stop treatment may be based on the results of these tests.

Some of the tests will continue to be done from time to time after treatment has ended. The results of these tests can show if your condition has changed or if the cancer has recurred (come back).

The following tests and procedures may be used to check whether a brain tumor has come back after treatment:

• SPECT scan (single photon emission computed tomography scan): A procedure to find malignant tumor cells in the brain. A small amount of a radioactive substance is injected into a vein or inhaled through the nose. As the substance travels through the blood, a camera rotates around the head and takes pictures of the brain. A computer uses the pictures to make a 3-dimensional (3-D) image of the brain. There will be increased blood flow and more activity in areas where cancer cells are growing. These areas will show up brighter in the picture.
• PET scan (positron emission tomography scan): A procedure to find malignant tumor cells in the body. A small amount of radioactive glucose (sugar) is injected into a vein. The PET scanner rotates around the body and makes a picture of where glucose is being used in the brain. Malignant tumor cells show up brighter in the picture because they are more active and take up more glucose than normal cells do.
  Enlarge

  

  PET (positron emission tomography) scan. The patient lies on a table that slides through the PET machine. The head rest and white strap help the patient lie still. A small amount of radioactive glucose (sugar) is injected into the patient's vein, and a scanner makes a picture of where the glucose is being used in the body. Cancer cells show up brighter in the picture because they take up more glucose than normal cells do.
  

Astrocytic Tumors

Oligodendroglial Tumors

Treatment of oligodendrogliomas may include surgery with or without radiation therapy. Chemotherapy may be given after radiation therapy.

Treatment of anaplastic oligodendroglioma may include the following:

• Surgery followed by radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy.
• A clinical trial of a new treatment added to standard treatment.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

Mixed Gliomas

Treatment of mixed gliomas may include surgery and radiation therapy. Sometimes, chemotherapy is also given.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

Ependymal Tumors

Treatment of grade I and grade II ependymomas may include surgery to remove the tumor. Radiation therapy may also be given if some of the tumor remains after surgery.

Treatment of grade III anaplastic ependymoma may include surgery and radiation therapy.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

Medulloblastomas

Treatment of medulloblastomas may include the following:

• Surgery and radiation therapy to the brain and spine.
• A clinical trial of chemotherapy added to surgery and radiation therapy to the brain and spine.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

Pineal Parenchymal Tumors

Treatment of pineal parenchymal tumors may include the following:

• For pineocytomas, surgery and radiation therapy.
• For pineoblastomas, surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

Meningeal Tumors

Treatment of grade I meningiomas may include the following:

• Active surveillance for tumors with no signs or symptoms.
• Surgery to remove the tumor. Radiation therapy may also be given if some of the tumor remains after surgery.
• Stereotactic radiosurgery for tumors smaller than 3 centimeters.
• Radiation therapy for tumors that cannot be removed by surgery.

Treatment of grade II and III meningiomas and hemangiopericytomas may include the following:

• Surgery and radiation therapy.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

Germ Cell Tumors

There is no standard treatment for germ cell tumors (germinoma, embryonal carcinoma, choriocarcinoma, and teratoma). Treatment depends on what the tumor cells look like under a microscope, the tumor markers, where the tumor is in the brain, and whether it can be removed by surgery.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

Craniopharyngiomas

Treatment of craniopharyngiomas may include the following:

• Surgery to completely remove the tumor.
• Surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible, followed by radiation therapy.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

About PDQ

Physician Data Query (PDQ) is the National Cancer Institute's (NCI's) comprehensive cancer information database. The PDQ database contains summaries of the latest published information on cancer prevention, detection, genetics, treatment, supportive care, and complementary and alternative medicine. Most summaries come in two versions. The health professional versions have detailed information written in technical language. The patient versions are written in easy-to-understand, nontechnical language. Both versions have cancer information that is accurate and up to date and most versions are also available in Spanish.

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Purpose of This Summary

This PDQ cancer information summary has current information about the treatment of adult central nervous system tumors. It is meant to inform and help patients, families, and caregivers. It does not give formal guidelines or recommendations for making decisions about health care.

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Editorial Boards write the PDQ cancer information summaries and keep them up to date. These Boards are made up of experts in cancer treatment and other specialties related to cancer. The summaries are reviewed regularly and changes are made when there is new information. The date on each summary ("Updated") is the date of the most recent change.

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Clinical Trial Information

A clinical trial is a study to answer a scientific question, such as whether one treatment is better than another. Trials are based on past studies and what has been learned in the laboratory. Each trial answers certain scientific questions in order to find new and better ways to help cancer patients. During treatment clinical trials, information is collected about the effects of a new treatment and how well it works. If a clinical trial shows that a new treatment is better than one currently being used, the new treatment may become "standard." Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial. Some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment.

Clinical trials can be found online at NCI's website. For more information, call the Cancer Information Service (CIS), NCI's contact center, at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237).

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PDQ® Adult Treatment Editorial Board. PDQ Adult Central Nervous System Tumors Treatment. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute. Updated <MM/DD/YYYY>. Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/types/brain/patient/adult-brain-treatment-pdq. Accessed <MM/DD/YYYY>. [PMID: 26389458]

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