Types Of Brain Tumor
What are types of brain tumor are there? There are very many types of brain tumor depending on the type of brain cells affected. A tumor is an abnormal growth which occurs in the brain cells. Just like cancer, the name given to the various types of tumor will depend on the type of brain cells affected. Brain tumor is divided into major categories. These include the primary brain tumor and the secondary brain tumor.
Primary brain tumor grows from the brain tissues. Gliomas are an example of primary brain tumor. They are found in the supportive tissues of the brain or the glial cells. Examples of gliomas brain tumor are:
The astrocytoma
They grow in the star – shaped cells called the astrocytes. It affects the cerebrum in adults while in children it affects the brain stem, cerebrum and the cerebellum. These types of brain tumor also exist in two grades:
• Grade three astrocytoma / anaplastic astrocytoma
• Grade four/ glioblastoma multiform
The brain stem gliomas affect the lowest part of the brain. These types of brain tumor are chronic and cannot be removed. It majorly affects the brain stem which plays a very significant role in controlling various functions within the brain. The brain stem gliomas are higher grade astrocytomas.
Ependymomas types of brain tumour affects the thin lining of the ventricles. Sometimes, they may also occur in the spinal cord. Although these types of brain tumor affect people of any age, they are mostly common during childhood and adolescence periods.
Oligodendrogliamas is another type of brain tumor common amongst the middle-aged people. It’s characterized with low growth rate and does not any brain tissue around it. Myelin is one of the regions which are prone to these types of brain tumor. It is not a very common type of brain tumor.
Medulloblastomas also called the primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) is another type of brain tumor common in boys although it also affects girls. It affects the cerebellum. It normally develops from the primitive nerve cells.
Other type of brain tumor is the meningiomas which occurs in the meninges and mostly common in women of ages 30yrs to 50yrs although it can also be found in men as well. It has very slow growth rate and in most situations, brain can always adjust to its presence.
Schwannomas brain tumor starts from the Schwann cells. Even though these types of brain tumour affect adults of all gender, research has proved that women are always at a higher risk of suffering from Schwannomas brain tumour.
Craniopharyngiomas brain tumor affects children and those in adolescent periods. They occur in the pituitary glands.
The second types of brain tumor are the secondary brain tumor. This term is used to describe tumors which originate from other parts of body cells. These tumors can either develop in the lungs but later spread to the brain and thus referred to as brain tumors. This process is referred to as metastatic. For instance the metastatic liver cancer is a type of cancer which develops in the liver but later spreads to affect the brain.
