BRAIN TUMORS

Brain tumors can arise from the brain itself or from other parts of the body. A tumor that originates from brain tissue is a "primary" brain tumor. Examples of primary brain tumors include meningiomas, pituitary adenomas, acoustic neuromas and gliomas. Metastatic tumors are not primary brain tumors. They come from tumors somewhere else in the body. The treatment of brain tumors may involve a needle biopsy, open brain surgery for removal, radiation therapy, medicines, or some combination of these techniques. Our team will work with you and other health care professionals to design the best treatment for you.

Astrocytomas (Astrocytomas, Glioblastoma Multiforme, GBM)

Astrocytomas, also called gliomas, are the most common brain tumor originating within the brain. Astrocytomas begin within the brain, from cells that support the brain’s neurons. During the cells’ life a wrong signal is given and that cell begins to multiply without control. Tumors in this category can occur anywhere in the brain or spinal cord. They may grow very quickly, causing problems in just a few months, or they can grow slowly over years. The preliminary diagnosis of an astrocytoma is initially made with a CT or MRI of the brain. While many tumors have a characteristic appearance on CT and MRI scans, a biopsy is required to confirm that the tumor is an astrocytoma and to determine its level of “aggressiveness”.

Because tumors that originate within the brain generally do not metastasize to elsewhere in the body, the terms “benign” and “malignant” are not used. Astrocytomas are graded on a three-tiered scale. The least aggressive tumors are the low-grade astrocytomas. Low-grade astrocytomas include pilocytic astrocytoma and cerebellar astrocytoma. More aggressive tumors are called anaplastic astrocytomas. The most aggressive tumors are called glioblastoma multiforme or GBM. Although any type of tumor can occur at any age, the more aggressive astrocytomas tend to occur in older patients.

Acoustic Neuromas

Acoustic neuromas (ANs), correctly defined as vestibular schwannomas, are benign tumors that originate from the abnormal growth of Schwann cells on the vestibular portion of the eighth cranial nerve. Schwann cells insulate and support neurons. Typically, and if unchecked, the tumors fill the small space between the brainstem and the skull. The radiographic appearance of ANs is distinct. Other tumors that occur in the same region include meningiomas and epidermoid tumors.

Meningiomas

Meningiomas comprise 20 percent of all brain tumors. Meningiomas originate from the arachnoid, a thin layer that covers both the brain and the spinal cord. Meningiomas may occur anywhere that there is arachnoid, including inside the ventricles of the brain. The most frequent locations are the along the midline, over the top of the skull, or along the skull base.

Typically, meningiomas are very slowly growing tumors that compress the surrounding brain or spinal cord. When the tumor becomes large enough, it may cause symptoms. The type of symptoms the tumor causes is directly related to its location. These tumors can also cause a significant amount of swelling in the surrounding brain, known as edema. The edema can also cause neurological problems. Fortunately, when the tumor is treated, the edema and the symptoms may go away.

Metastatic Brain Tumors

Metastatic brain tumors are tumors that have spread to the brain from a tumor somewhere else in the body. Most commonly, cells from the original tumor travel to another location in the bloodstream. As the tumor cells enter the capillaries in a distant part of the body, they become fixed and begin to multiply.
Metastatic brain tumors are the most common type of brain tumor. Between 100,000 and 200,000 patients are diagnosed annually with brain metastasis in the United States. The most common brain metastases are from lung, breast, colon and kidney cancer and malignant melanoma.

Pituitary Tumors

Pituitary tumors are slowly growing tumors that originate from one of the varied cell types that comprise the anterior pituitary gland. The pituitary gland is located at the base of the brain in the middle of the brain, several centimeters behind the bridge of the nose, and below the optic nerves. The pituitary gland controls endocrine function by the secretion of growth hormones, thyroid hormones, sex hormones, steroid hormones, and water regulatory hormones.