• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Front Range Spine
and Neurosurgery
  • Bill PayRequest Appointment
    (303) 790-1800
Denver Hip & Knee Clinic
  • Home
  • Meet the Team
    • Meet the Surgeons
  • Conditions & Surgeries
    • Colorado Artificial Disc Institute
    • Cranial Conditions & Tumors
    • Minimally Invasive Surgery
    • Spine & Nerve-Related Conditions
    • Hip & Knee Conditions
  • Treatments
    • Hip & Knee Treatments
    • View All Treatments
  • Patient Resources
    • New Patient Forms
    • Opiod Consent Form
    • Post-Op Care
    • Preparing for Surgery
  • Contact & Locations
    • Lone Tree
    • Parker
    • Colorado Springs
    • Castle Rock – Trail Boss Drive
    • Castle Rock – Limelight Ave

Common Types of Brain Tumors

September 20, 2019

A brain tumor quite simply is a growth or mass of abnormal cells in your brain. With brain tumors, the two most common words associated are “malignant” and “benign.” But how the tumor is treated not only depends on whether it is cancerous or not; treatment depends on whether it is a primary brain tumor, meaning it started in the brain; or secondary, meaning it has metastasized (spread) to the brain. With tumors, size and location also matter, as well as the type of tumor it is determined to be. Here are some of the more common types of brain tumors.

Malignant vs. Benign

There are no cancer cells in benign brain tumors, which usually grow at a slower rate than cancerous tumors and are for the most part operable. However, these types of brain tumors can be problematic, for example, should they press on other areas within the brain. Benign tumors aren’t always life threatening as they relate to cancer, but can become so, depending on where it is situated. When a tumor is malignant, it means it is cancerous and will be treated as such.

Grading Brain Tumors

This grading system permits your doctor to determine how to move forward with treatment.

  • Grade 1. Persons with grade 1 tumors have a better chance of long-term survival, since these cells grow slowly and appear almost normal.
  • Grade 2. The cells are a little less normal than grade 1 and also grow slowly. However, at grade 2, the tumor might spread, increasing the chance of reoccurrence, at which point the grade will increase.
  • Grade 3. By this stage, actively growing cells invade brain tissue and start to appear abnormal and grow rapidly. After treatment, the tumor may recur.
  • Grade 4. These cells are obviously abnormal and spread quickly. Stage 4 tumors are the most difficult to treat and the prognosis can be quite dire.

Commonly Treated Brain Tumors

  • Approximately 80 percent of malignant brain tumors are gliomas and originate in the brain or spine within the glial cells. As these tumors start to grow, patients may experience nausea and vomiting, headaches, and seizures. Their vision may become blurred if the tumor starts to press on the optic nerve.
  • The most common type of primary brain tumor in adults, meningiomas tend to develop in the lining of the brain and mainly affect the elderly. The good news – while they have a tendency to recur, even after being treated – they are benign and tend to grow slowly.
  • Astrocytoma (common CNS tumor). These extremely common types of tumors vary in type and severity, and may or may not be malignant. These tumors can affect your brain function, meaning you may not be able to think as clearly as you had before the tumor, and it could affect your senses as well as create mood or personality changes. Depending on their grade, location and type, they can be treated with surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or a combination of all three.
  • More common in young adults, these tumors often run in the family and are characterized by fluid-filled cysts. While comprising only about 2 percent of brain tumors, they rarely become cancerous and don’t tend to spread.
  • Oligodendrogliomas are a type of glioma and occur primarily in young adults. These tumors grow in the covering that protects nerves, specifically in the cells of the covering. Oligodendrogliomas grow slowly and do not spread; in fact, there are many treatment options and those who do undergo treatment have a higher survival rate than those with other common types of brain tumors.

Spine and Neurosurgery Experts in Colorado

Since 2003, Front Range Spine and Neurosurgery has focus on advanced microsurgical treatments for a wide range of neurological conditions. Our team of neurosurgeons are renowned for their professionalism, experience and compassion. With three convenient locations in the Colorado Springs area, we are ready to treat your neurological condition.  Call us today at (303) 790-1800 or request an appointment online

Filed Under: Brain Tumor Tagged With: brain surgery, Brain Tumor, brain tumor symptoms, Front Range Spine & Neurosurgery

Primary Sidebar

Categories

  • Acupuncture
  • Arachnoid Cysts
  • Artificial Disc Replacement
  • Back Pain
  • Back Surgery
  • Brain Surgery
  • Brain Tumor
  • Chronic Pain
  • Concussion
  • Disc Replacement Surgery
  • General
  • Lower Back Pain
  • Lumbar Spine
  • Minimally Invasive Surgery
  • Neck Pain
  • Nerve Pain
  • Neurological Conditions
  • Neurosurgeon
  • Neurosurgery
  • Spinal Cord
  • Spinal Fusion
  • Spinal Surgery
  • Spine Surgeon
  • Stereotactic Radiosurgery
  • Stroke
  • Tumor
  • Upper Back Pain
  • Workers Compensation
September 2019
M T W T F S S
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
30  
« Aug   Oct »

Tags

artificial disc replacement artificial disc replacement Colorado Springs CO artificial disc replacement Denver CO artificial disc replacement Lone Tree CO artificial disc replacement near me Artificial Discs artificial spinal disc replacement back pain back pain treatment near me Back Surgery Best Spine Surgeon near me Brain Surgeon in Colorado brain surgery Brain Tumor brain tumor symptoms Chronic Pain Concussion Front Range Spine & Neurosurgery Front Range Spine and Neurosurgery Lower Back Pain minimally invasive spinal surgery minimally invasive spinal surgery Colorado Springs CO minimally invasive spinal surgery near me Neurological Disorders neurologist neurosurgeon neurosurgeon colorado neurosurgeon Colorado Springs neurosurgeon Colorado Springs CO Neurosurgeon Denver CO Neurosurgeon experts Near Me neurosurgeon Lone Tree CO neurosurgeon near me neurosurgery neurosurgery Aurora CO spinal discs spinal disorders spinal fusion Spinal Surgery spine surgeon Lone Tree CO spine surgeon near me spine surgery spine surgery Aurora CO Spine Surgery near me traumatic head injury

Footer

Read Our Blog

Get the most up-to-date information about our practice and the latest advances in neurosurgery with our exclusive blog.

Learn More

Patient Education

Broaden your knowledge of the conditions we treat with our comprehensive patient education library.

Learn More

  • Home
  • Meet the Surgeons
  • Conditions & Surgeries
  • Treatments
  • Patient Resources
  • Contact & Locations
  • HIPAA Privacy Policy
  • ADA Disclaimer
  • Sitemap

Phone: (303) 790-1800
Fax: (303) 790-1809

Copyright © 2023 Front Range Spine and Neurosurgery. All Rights Reserved

iHealthspot Medical Website Design and Medical Marketing by iHealthSpot.com

The neurosurgeons at Front Range Spine and Neurosurgery specialize in Colorado Artificial Disc Institute, Cranial Conditions & Tumors, Minimally Invasive Surgery, and Spine & Nerve-Related Conditions.