Your brain and spinal cord make up your central nervous system (CNS). Like other parts of your body, your CNS can develop abnormal growths or tumors. In fact, there are more than 125 different CNS tumors.
At Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute, our CNS tumor specialists use advanced diagnostic techniques to reveal the exact type of tumor you have — something that’s crucial to getting the right treatment. They also use molecular information from your tumor to develop a personalized treatment plan.
Our experts work together to provide innovative, comprehensive primary CNS tumor care. When appropriate, that care includes new therapies available through clinical trials. To make things easier for you, our team can see you in one visit through our unique, multidisciplinary brain and spine tumor clinic. The clinic enables you to benefit from the combined knowledge of many specialists in one convenient appointment.
What are primary brain tumors?
Primary brain tumors originate in your brain. They’re different from metastatic brain and spine tumors, which start somewhere else in the body and spread to these areas.
Primary brain tumors can be either malignant (cancerous) or benign (noncancerous) and high-grade (fast-growing) or low-grade (slow-growing). Physicians don’t know what causes most types of these tumors.
Types of Primary Brain Tumors
Primary brain tumors and other primary CNS tumors are grouped by how quickly they develop. They’re named after the type of cell in which they form and the tumor’s location.
Some of the main types of primary brain tumors include:
Gliomas. These are the most common types of primary brain tumors in adults. They develop in glial cells — a group of cells that covers neurons and supports their activity. There are several types of gliomas. They can be benign or malignant, low-grade or high-grade. Glioblastomas are the most common cancerous brain tumors. These gliomas are aggressive.
Medulloblastomas — or cerebellar primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNETs). These are cancerous, embryonal brain tumors that affect the cerebellum (the part of the brain that controls voluntary muscle movements). Embryonal tumors begin in the embryonic cells in the brain before birth. Though medulloblastomas (PNETs) are the most common type of malignant brain tumor in children, they can be diagnosed in adults.
Meningiomas. These slow-growing tumors develop in the meninges (the tissue that protects the brain and spinal cord). A meningioma can be malignant or benign.
Pineal region tumors. These tumors start in cells around the pineal gland — a small endocrine gland in the brain that secretes melatonin and other hormones. Pineal region tumors can be benign or malignant and low-grade or high-grade. There are two main types: germ cell tumors, which begin in the cells that become sperm or eggs and surround the pineal gland, and pineal cell tumors, which begin in the pineal gland.
Pituitary tumors. These tumors begin in the epithelial cells that line your pituitary gland. The pituitary gland controls growth and metabolism and stimulates hormone production by other glands. Most pituitary tumors are benign.
Primary CNS lymphoma. This cancer occurs in lymphocytes — white blood cells that form lymphatic tissue and make up your immune system. It can affect the lymph system of the brain or spinal cord.
Vestibular schwannoma. This is a condition in which a benign tumor grows on the vestibulocochlear nerve — the nerve that begins in your inner ear as vestibular and cochlear nerves and ends in your brainstem.
Often, physicians can successfully treat brain tumors. But some of these tumors are challenging. Many factors, including the type of tumor you have and its location, your age and whether the tumor has spread beyond the brain affect prognosis. Physicians and researchers continue to study new ways to treat brain tumors with the hope of improving outcomes for everyone.
Risk Factors for Primary Brain Tumors
Risk factors for some — but not all — primary brain tumors include:
Having an immune system disorder like the Epstein-Barr virus or AIDS
Using immunosuppressants after an organ transplant
Genetic syndromes such as neurofibromatosis type 1 and type 2, von Hippel-Lindau disease, tuberous sclerosis and Li-Fraumeni syndrome
Exposure to vinyl chloride
Most people with a primary brain tumor have no known risk factors.
Miami Brain Symposium
Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute is constantly working to improve care for people with brain tumors. One way we do this is through the Miami Brain Symposium. The symposium focuses on state-of-the-art approaches in the management of primary and metastatic brain tumors. It helps physicians and others increase understanding of current standards of care as well as a look at future directions. Expert faculty navigate through complex cases sharing treatment strategies and lively panel discussions.
Clinical Trials
Our cancer specialists at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute expertly combine the best of clinical research with the best of patient care to deliver your best outcomes.
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