What is it?
Brain tumours can be either primary or secondary. Primary brain tumours develop in the brain while secondary brain tumours happen when cancer cells start somewhere else in the body spread to the brain.
Central Nervous System tumours are classified by the type of cell they develop from:
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Gliomas are more frequent and begin in the glial cells, which are the supporting cells of the brain.
- Medulloblastomas start in the cerebellum (the back of the brain) and can spread to other parts of the brain or spinal cord.
There are many more types of Central Nervous System tumours, most of which are very rare.
Who does it affect?
Brain and spinal cord tumours are can be collectively known as Central Nervous System (CNS) tumours.
They are the most common form solid tumours found in children with around 400 being diagnosed each year in the UK, approx. 1/4 of all childhood cancers.
Find out more
You can read more about the types of Brain & Spinal Tumours and it’s treatment.