There are many types and categories of brain tumour; at Brain Tumour Research we strive to provide accurate and useful information regarding as many of these as possible.
To learn more, please select from the list below to be taken to the appropriate page.
Acoustic neuroma
A sub-type of schwannoma that occurs in the inner ear, wrapping around the auditory (vestibular) nerve.
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Adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma
The most common form of craniopharyngioma, this tumour can be diagnosed in both children and adults.
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Anaplastic astrocytoma
An astrocytoma that has been classified as a grade 3 (World Health Organisation) WHO grade III tumour.
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Anaplastic glioma
Anaplastic gliomas are formed from glial cells that form a web of connective tissue to support the neurons (nerve cells) within the brain and spinal cord.
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Astrocytoma
Astrocytomas are the most common type of primary glioma brain tumour in both children and adults, occurring as both low and high-grade brain tumours.
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Atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumour (AT/RT)
A very rare but fast-growing tumour of the central nervous system which usually occurs in childhood.
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Brainstem glioma
The most common form of brain stem glioma is a high-grade 4 tumour commonly known as DIPG, but they can also appear as a low-grade tumour.
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Choroid Plexus
These develop from tissue that lines part of the ventricles (hollow spaces) in the centre of the brain and produces cerebrospinal fluid (CSF fluid).
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CNS lymphoma
A CNS lymphoma is a central nervous system tumour of the lymph cells, which are part of the body's immune system and help to fight infection.
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Craniopharyngioma
These tumours develop in an area of the brain called the hypothalamus, which is close to the pituitary gland.
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Diffuse astrocytoma
Grade 2 (low-grade) astrocytomas may be referred to as diffuse astrocytomas because they infiltrate through the brain, rather than having a clear boundary.
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Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG)
DIPG is an aggressive form of childhood brain cancer, renamed in 2016 as a diffuse midline glioma.
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Diffuse midline glioma
Diffuse midline glioma is an aggressive form of childhood brain cancer, also known as DIPG or brain stem glioma grade 4.
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Embryonal tumours
A group of tumours that develop from cells in the brain that were left over from when the embryo was forming in the womb.
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Ependymoma
A rare type of brain tumour that develops from ependymal cells, which line the passageways containing cerebral spinal fluid (CSF).
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Ganglioglioma
The combination of neuronal and glial cells makes this a unique subtype of the glioma group of brain tumours.
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Germ cell tumour (GCT)
Germ cell tumours develop from a type of stem cell that should have formed into either sperm or eggs, but were left behind in the brain or spine.
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Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM)
GBM is an aggressive and fast-growing form of brain cancer. It is the most common type of primary malignant (high-grade) brain tumour in adults.
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Glioma
Glioma brain tumours develop from damaged glial cells in the brain. Glioma brain tumours vary from low-grade (slow-growing) to high-grade (faster-growing).
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Haemangioblastoma
A tumour that is formed from cells that line the blood vessels, at an early stage of their development.
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Haemangiopericytoma
Categorised as a type of mesenchymal tumour, very similar to a solitary fibrous tumour and often referred to as an HPC-SFT.
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Medulloblastoma
Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumour in children, representing at least 15% of all childhood brain tumours, but can also occur in adults.
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Meningioma
Meningioma is the most common form of adult primary brain tumour, and is usually low-grade (non-cancerous).
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Mixed glioma
A glioma brain tumour that contains a mix of glial cells including astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and ependymal cells.
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Neuroblastoma
Neuroblastoma is a rare cancer that develops from immature nerve cells called neuroblasts.
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Neuronal and mixed neuronal-glial
A large group of tumours containing abnormal neurones (nerve cells), sometimes combined with abnormal glial cells.
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Oligodendroglioma
Sometimes called an oligodendroglial tumour, this is a rare, usually slow-growing tumour that forms from oligodendrocytes, which are a form of glial cell.
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Optic nerve / Optic pathway glioma
A slow-growing brain tumour that forms around the nerves that carry information from the eye to the brain.
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Peripheral fibroblastoma
A form of schwannoma tumour, found wrapped around neurons (nerves) in the peripheral nervous system.
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Pineal gland tumours
A number of different tumours can form in or around the pineal gland. As a group they are referred to as pineal region tumours.
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Pineal parenchymal tumour with intermediate differentiation (PPTID)
PPTIDs account for 20-62% of all pineal region tumours.
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Pineal region tumours
This a group of tumours that form in or around the pineal gland, which is located deep in the centre of the brain.
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Pituitary tumours
Tumours of the pituitary gland can affect many processes controlled by hormones: for example growth, development, and reproduction.
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Primary CNS Lymphoma (PCNSL)
Primary CNS lymphoma is a tumour of the lymph cells that begins in the brain or spine, developing from cells that are part of the body's immune system.
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Primitive neuroectodermal tumours (PNETs)
Primitive neuroectodermal tumour (PNET) is a name that is no longer used, as new techniques allow more detailed classification of these tumours.
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Schwannoma
Develops from schwann cells that form the myelin sheath, which wraps around neurons (nerves) to provide protection and support.
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Solitary fibrous tumour
Categorised as a type of mesenchymal tumour, very similar to a haemangiopericytoma and often referred to as an HPC-SFT
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Spinal cord tumours
Certain types of tumour found in the brain can either spread into the spinal cord or start there. A spinal cord tumour is not always cancerous.
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