• 10% of all tumors. (10 to 17 per 100,000)

• Commonest solid cancers in children.(2nd to Leuk)

• Age: double peak 1st & 6th decade

• Adults - 70% supratentorial

• Children - 70% infratentorial

• Metastatic tumors - 50-70%

• Special features:

  • Glial origin, rarely neural
  • Rarely spread outside CNS
  • No capsule (no collagen tissue), No in-situ stage.
  • Location & not type of tumor determines clinical outcome.

  

  above line = adult tumours below line = Childhood tumours

Classification

• Metastasis – common ~50%* breast, lung, GIT, Melanoma.

• Primary Tumors: (rarely from neurons...!)

• Glial cells: Glioma * commonest. Low grade Astrocytoma to high grade Glioblastoma rarely Oligodendroma, ependymoma.

• Nerve sheath – Schwanoma, Neurofibroma.

• Meninges: Meningioma* commonest.

• Germ cell: Medulloblastoma, neuroblastoma, teratoma, neuroma, neuroganglioma (also occurs in peripheral nerves).

• Other: Lymphoma, angioma, hemangioma, Pituitary & Pineal gland tumors. Epithelial – Craniopharyngioma, AV malformation – not true tumor*

• Peripheral Nerve Tumors: Neurofibroma, Neurofibrosarcoma, Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST).

• Meningioma

• Glioma