Do brain tumors run in families?
There are rare cases where brain tumors can occur in families and have a known genetic link.  Most brain cancers, however, occur in patients with no known family history of brain cancer. We generally do not recommend screening family members for brain tumors. 

What are the symptoms of a brain tumor?
Brain tumors can sometimes cause seizures.  Often a seizure is the first symptom of a brain tumor.  Because brain tumors can occur anywhere within the brain – the symptoms depend on the location of the tumor.  For example, a tumor that pushes against the optic or visual nerve may cause loss of vision.  A tumor growing in the language centers of the brain may lead to trouble with speaking or understanding language.  A tumor in the area of the brain responsible for movement or strength could cause weakness or trouble walking. 

What is the difference between glioma and astrocytoma?
Brain cancers generally arise from the cells that support the nerve cells in the brain.  These supporting cells are called “glial” cells.  The term “glioma” is given to tumors that arise from glial cells.  There are several types of glial cells including astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. When these specific cells develop into tumors they are called “astrocytomas” and “oligodendrogliomas”. 

What is meant by “tumor grade”?
Brain tumors behave differently depending on their cell type and rate of cell division.  Rapidly dividing cells are classified as “malignant”, while more slowly dividing cells are “benign”.  In the brain, tumor cells are classified by their rate of division along a spectrum of malignancy.  Lower grade tumors (I and II) are more slowly dividing cells, while higher grade tumors (III and IV) are composed of more rapidly dividing cells.  The higher grade tumors are considered malignant. 

How is prognosis determined?
Prognosis or survival is determined by several factors including age of the patient and grade of the tumor.  Patients with low grade or slowly growing tumors have longer survival than patients with higher grade, malignant tumors. 

What is an “anaplastic tumor”?
An anaplastic tumor is another name for a malignant tumor – usually grade III.

Can brain tumors be removed completely?
Because brain cancers invade the normal brain, it is often very difficult to remove them completely.  This is especially true with tumors of higher grade (grades III or IV).  Usually, neurosurgeons attempt to remove as much of the tumor as is safely possible.  When the tumor infiltrates into a critical brain area, it may not be possible to remove it completely. 

If the tumor can not be completely removed, how else can it be treated?
Just because a tumor is “inoperable”, it does not mean that it can not be treated.  Often, surgeons will remove as much of the tumor as is safely possible, and then use radiation or chemotherapy to control the growth of the tumor. 

What is a metastatic tumor?
A metastatic tumor is a malignant cancer that started in another organ in the body and then separated and moved to another organ such as the brain. The most common brain cancer is metastatic.  Up to 30% of patients with a diagnosis of cancer will develop a metastatic tumor.  Some cancers have a preference or predilection to move to the brain.  These include kidney, lung, skin (melanoma), and breast. 

What options are there to treat a metastatic tumor in the brain?
Patients with a diagnosis of a metastatic brain tumor should be evaluated by a neurosurgical oncologist.  Currently, treatment options could include surgery to remove the tumor, radiation therapy or chemotherapy.  Focused radiation – so called radiosurgery – is becoming an important way to treat patients with brain metastasis. 

What is stereotactic radiosurgery?
Stereotactic radiosurgery is essentially a way to deliver a very high dose of radiation very precisely to a small area in the brain.  The radiation is focused on the tumor and avoids delivering high doses to the surrounding normal brain or other important structures.