Types of brain tumours

Primary brain tumours start in the brain. Secondary brain cancer spreads to the brain from somewhere else in the body.

Gliomas start in the glial cells and are the most common type of brain tumours. Astrocytomas, oligodendroglioma and glioblastomas are all types of glioma.

Ependymoma is a rare type of brain tumour that starts from ependymal cells. It can develop in children and adults.

Oligodendrogliomas develop from glial cells called oligodendrocytes. They are a type of glioma. 

Vestibular schwannoma is a benign brain tumour. It is also called acoustic neuroma.

Craniopharyngioma is a non cancerous (benign) brain tumour that can affect children and adults.

Haemangioblastomas start in the cells lining the blood vessels in the brain, spinal cord and brain stem. They are non cancerous (benign) tumours.

This is also called primary CNS lymphoma. It starts in the lymph tissue of the brain or spinal cord.

Meningiomas are tumours that start in the layers of tissue (meninges) that cover the brain and spinal cord. 

Pituitary tumours are also called pituitary adenomas. There are different types of pituitary gland tumours. 

There are different types of tumours that start in the pineal region. The most common type are germ cell tumours.

Embryonal tumours are a type of brain tumour. They used to be called primitive neuroectodermal tumours (PNETs).

Tumours that start in the spinal cord are called primary spinal cord tumours. There are different types.