Brain tumors are collections of cells that grow uncontrolled in the tissues of the brain and spinal cord. Brain tumors are the third most common pediatric cancer, behind leukemias and lymphomas.

Brain tumors can be either benign (noncancerous) or cancerous. Both cancerous and benign tumors can press on surrounding brain tissue, causing serious disruptions in behavior and function.

Though benign tumors will not spread to other organs, if they press on surrounding tissues, they can still be life threatening.

Some of the most common types of brain tumors that form in children are:

• Central nervous system embryonal tumors arise in brain cells as the baby is beginning to develop. Most of these tumors are benign (noncancerous), but some can be cancerous. Subtypes of this tumor include medulloblastoma, pineal gland tumors, primitive neuroectodermal tumors, medulloepithelioma, and ependymoblastoma.
• Craniopharyngiomas are rare, slow-growing tumors that form at the base of the brain, near the pituitary gland. They can affect vision and production of hormones.
• Brainstem glioma develops in the part of the brain that connects to the spinal cord. Brainstem glioma and is often of high grade and hard to cure.
• Pilocytic astrocytoma is slow growing and is rarely life threatening. These tumors form in or around the pineal gland (a gland that produces a hormone responsible for the sleep-wake cycle).

Symptoms

Symptoms vary depending on the type of cancer. Many of the symptoms of childhood cancers can also be symptoms of other diseases. Be sure to consult your doctor if your child has symptoms that seem unusual for him or her.

Symptoms of a brain tumor may include:

• Nausea or vomiting
• Morning headache
• Headache that goes away after vomiting
• Loss of balance
• Change in personality
• Change in handwriting
• Loss of speech
• Unexplained fatigue or loss of energy

Brain Tumor Grades

Brain tumors are assigned grades according to how fast they grow and how different-from-normal their cells look to a pathologist examining them under a microscope.

Factors that influence the outcome of a brain tumor include the tumor’s grade, the age of the patient, where the tumor is, and whether it has spread to other parts of the central nervous system.

Grades range from I (low) to IV (high).

• Grade I: This tumor grows slowly and has cells that look very similar to normal ones. It is not likely to spread into nearby tissues.
• Grade II: This tumor is also slow growing but has the ability to spread into brain tissue nearby. It may progress to a higher grade, and it may recur (come back) after removal.
• Grade III: The tumor cells look very different than normal ones. The tumor grows quickly, and it is likely to spread into nearby brain tissue.
• Grade IV: Cells do not resemble normal cells, and the tumor grows and spreads into nearby tissue very quickly. Grade IV tumors are more difficult to cure than lower-grade tumors.

Treatment

Surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy are the standard treatments for many childhood cancers. Your child may receive one or more treatments depending on the stage or grade of the cancer, your child’s general health, and other factors.

For most brain tumors, surgery is both a diagnostic and treatment tool. A biopsy will be performed to remove a tissue sample. If cancer cells are found, the surgeon may remove as much of the tumor as possible during the same procedure.

Some tumors can be cured by surgery alone, or surgery combined with radiation therapy. If a tumor is in the brain stem or other vital area, surgery may not be possible because it would damage normal brain function.

Chemotherapy may be used to kill cancer additional cancer cells after surgery and radiation therapy, especially for high-grade tumors.

Learn more about pediatric cancer:

• Chemotherapy for Pediatric Cancer
• Radiation Therapy for Pediatric Cancer
• Pediatric Cancer Risk Factors
• Late Effects of Pediatric Cancer Treatment