There are many different types of benign and malignant brain and spinal tumors. They are usually categorized by either the type of cell where the tumor begins or the area of the brain or spine where they occur. Ask your treatment team for more information about a specific type of brain or spinal tumor. Be aware that different names are sometimes used for the same type of tumor; the most common types include the following:

Gliomas Ependymomas Optic nerve glioma Brain stem glioma or cerebellar glioma Oligodendroglioma Oligoastrocytoma Low grade astrocytoma Anaplastic Astrocytoma (AA) Gliobastoma Multiforme (GBM)   Craniopharyngioma   Germinomas   Medulloblastomas   Meningiomas   Metastatic tumors   Pituitary tumors   Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma   Primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNET)   Schwannomas   Pineal region tumors

Medulloblastomas These pediatric brain tumors are classified as PNETs (see Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumors) and are found near the midline of the cerebellum. Even though they are classified as pediatric tumors, they can be found in teens and young adults, too. These tumors grow rapidly and often block drainage of the cerebral spinal fluid, causing symptoms associated with increased intracranial pressure. Medulloblastoma cells can spread (metastasize) to other areas of the central nervous system, especially around the spinal cord. The typical treatment plan includes a combination of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy depending upon the age of the patient. Radiation is usually deferred in children under three years old. The incidence of medulloblastomas is 15-20% of all pediatric brain tumors.

Childhood Brain Tumors
Pediatric brain tumors affect nearly 1,500 to 2,000 children in the U.S. every year. They are diagnosed most often between the ages of three and eight, but can occur at any age.

Children with brain tumors are diagnosed and treated by our partner, Children's Memorial Hospital's Falk Brain Tumor Center. One of the first institutions in the country to develop a cohesive, multidisciplinary program for brain tumor treatment, Children's Memorial treats over 67 percent of children in the Chicago area who are newly diagnosed with this condition, and treat many additional patients with recurrent disease.