Adult brain tumors
| Adult brain tumors |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Associate Editor in Chief: Cafer Zorkun, M.D., Ph.D. [2]
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Classification & Grading
The WHO grading of CNS tumors establishes a malignancy scale based on histologic features of the tumor. The histologic grades are as follows:
- WHO grade I includes lesions with low proliferative potential, a frequently discrete nature, and the possibility of cure following surgical resection alone.
- WHO grade II includes lesions that are generally infiltrating and low in mitotic activity but recur. Some tumor types tend to progress to higher grades of malignancy.
- WHO grade III includes lesions with histologic evidence of malignancy, generally in the form of mitotic activity, clearly expressed infiltrative capabilities, and anaplasia.
- WHO grade IV includes lesions that are mitotically active, necrosis-prone, and generally associated with a rapid preoperative and postoperative evolution of disease.
Brain Tumors in Adult Population
Neuroepithelial tumors
Glial tumors
- Astrocytic tumors: An increased risk of astrocytic tumors has been observed in patients who receive therapeutic radiation therapy for pituitary adenomas, craniopharyngioma, pineal parenchymal tumors, germinoma, and tinea capitis. In addition, children who receive prophylactic radiation therapy of the CNS for acute lymphoblastic leukemia have an increased risk of developing astrocytomas. Recurrent lesions often signal histologic progression to a higher grade; this malignant progression is associated with a cumulative acquisition of multiple genetic alterations.
- Pilocytic astrocytoma.
- Diffuse astrocytoma (including fibrillary, protoplasmic, and gemistocytic).
- Anaplastic astrocytoma.
- Glioblastoma (including giant cell glioblastoma, and gliosarcoma).
- Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma.
- Subependymal giant cell astrocytoma.
- Oligodendroglial tumors.
- Oligodendroglioma.
- Anaplastic oligodendroglioma.
- Mixed gliomas.
- Oligoastrocytoma.
- Anaplastic oligoastrocytoma.
- Ependymal tumors.
- Myxopapillary ependymoma.
- Subependymoma.
- Ependymoma (including cellular, papillary, clear cell, and tanycytic).
- Anaplastic ependymoma.
- Neuroepithelial tumors of uncertain origin.
- Astroblastoma.
- Chordoid glioma of the third ventricle.
- Gliomatosis cerebri.
Neuronal and mixed neuronal-glial tumors (some glial component may be present)
- Gangliocytoma.
- Ganglioglioma.
- Desmoplastic infantile astrocytoma / ganglioglioma.
- Dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor.
- Central neurocytoma.
- Cerebellar liponeurocytoma
- Paraganglioma.
Nonglial tumors
- Embryonal tumors.
- Ependymoblastoma.
- Medulloblastoma.
- Supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET).
- Choroid plexus tumors.
- Choroid plexus papilloma.
- Choroid plexus carcinoma.
- Pineal parenchymal tumors.
- Pineoblastoma.
- Pineocytoma.
- Pineal parenchymal tumor of intermediate differentiation.
Meningeal tumors
- Meningioma.
- Hemangiopericytoma.
- Melanocytic lesion.
Germ cell tumors
- Germinoma.
- Embryonal carcinoma.
- Yolk-sac tumor (endodermal-sinus tumor).
- Choriocarcinoma.
- Teratoma.
- Mixed germ cell tumor.
Tumors of the sellar region
- Pituitary adenoma.
- Pituitary carcinoma.
- Craniopharyngioma.
Tumors of uncertain histogenesis
- Capillary hemangioblastoma.
Primary CNS lymphoma
Tumors of peripheral nerves that affect the CNS
- Schwannoma.
Metastatic tumors