Treatment Options by Type of Adult Brain Tumor

by National Cancer Institute

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Brain Stem Gliomas

Treatment of brain stem gliomas may include the following:

1. Hyperfractionated radiation therapy.
2. A clinical trial of new anticancer drugs and/or biologic therapy.

Pineal Astrocytic Tumors

Treatment of pineal astrocytic tumors may include the following:

1. Surgery and radiation therapy, with or without chemotherapy.
2. A clinical trial of external radiation therapy plus hyperthermia therapy or new methods of delivering radiation therapy.
3. A clinical trial of new anticancer drugs and biologic therapy following radiation therapy.

Pilocytic Astrocytomas

Treatment of pilocytic astrocytoma is usually surgery with or without radiation therapy.

Diffuse Astrocytomas

Treatment of diffuse astrocytoma may include the following:

1. Surgery, usually with radiation therapy.
2. A clinical trial of surgery and radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy for tumors that cannot be completely removed by surgery.
3. A clinical trial of radiation therapy delayed until the tumor progresses.
4. A clinical trial comparing high-dose and low-dose radiation therapy.

Anaplastic Astrocytomas

Treatment of anaplastic astrocytoma may include the following:

1. Surgery plus radiation therapy, with or without chemotherapy.
2. A clinical trial of external radiation therapy plus hyperthermia therapy or new methods of delivering radiation therapy.
3. A clinical trial of new anticancer drugs and biologic therapy following radiation therapy.
4. A clinical trial of chemotherapy combined with different methods of delivering radiation therapy.

Glioblastoma

Treatment of glioblastoma may include the following:

1. Surgery plus radiation therapy, with or without chemotherapy.
2. A clinical trial of chemotherapy placed into the brain during surgery.
3. A clinical trial of radiation and concurrent chemotherapy.
4. A clinical trial of external radiation therapy plus hyperthermia therapy or new methods of delivering radiation therapy.
5. A clinical trial of new anticancer drugs and biologic therapy following radiation therapy.
6. A clinical trial of chemotherapy and new methods of delivering radiation therapy.
7. Clinical trials of new treatments.

Oligodendroglial Tumors

Treatment of oligodendrogliomas may include the following:

1. Surgery, usually with radiation therapy.
2. A clinical trial of surgery and radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy for tumors that cannot be completely removed by surgery.
3. A clinical trial of chemotherapy using one or more drugs.

Treatment of anaplastic oligodendroglioma may include the following:

1. Surgery plus radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy.
2. A clinical trial of external radiation therapy plus hyperthermia therapy or new methods of delivering radiation therapy.
3. A clinical trial of new anticancer drugs and biologic therapy following radiation therapy.

Mixed Gliomas

Treatment of mixed gliomas may include the following:

1. Surgery plus radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy.
2. A clinical trial of external radiation therapy plus hyperthermia therapy or new methods of delivering radiation therapy.
3. A clinical trial of new anticancer drugs or biologic therapy following radiation therapy.

Ependymal Tumors

Treatment of grade I and grade II ependymomas is usually surgery with or without radiation therapy.

Treatment of anaplastic ependymoma may include the following:

1. Surgery plus radiation therapy.
2. A clinical trial of surgery followed by chemotherapy before, during, and after radiation therapy.
3. A clinical trial of chemotherapy and/or biologic therapy.

Medulloblastoma

Treatment of medulloblastomas may include the following:

1. Surgery plus radiation therapy to the brain and spine.
2. A clinical trial of surgery and radiation therapy to the brain and spine for tumors that are more difficult to treat successfully.
3. A clinical trial of chemotherapy.

Pineal Parenchymal Tumors

Treatment of pineal parenchymal tumors may include the following:

1. Surgery plus radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy.
2. A clinical trial of external radiation therapy plus hyperthermia therapy or new methods of delivering radiation therapy.
3. A clinical trial of new anticancer drugs and biologic therapy following radiation therapy.

Meningeal Tumors

Treatment of meningiomas may include the following:

1. Surgery with or without radiation therapy.
2. Radiation therapy for tumors that cannot be removed by surgery.

Treatment of malignant meningioma may include the following:

1. Surgery plus radiation therapy.
2. A clinical trial of external radiation therapy plus hyperthermia therapy or new methods of delivering radiation therapy.
3. A clinical trial of new anticancer drugs and/or biologic therapy following radiation therapy.

Germ Cell Tumors

Treatment of central nervous system germ cell tumors depends on the type of cancer cells, the location of the tumor, whether the cancer can be removed in an operation, and other factors.

Craniopharyngioma

Treatment of craniopharyngiomas may include the following:

1. Surgery to remove the entire tumor.
2. Surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible, followed by radiation therapy.

Recurrent Adult Brain Tumor

Treatment of recurrent adult brain tumors may include the following:

1. Surgery with or without chemotherapy.
2. Radiation therapy, if not used during previous treatment, with or without chemotherapy.
3. Internal radiation therapy.
4. Chemotherapy.
5. A clinical trial of new anticancer drugs.
6. A clinical trial of chemotherapy placed into the brain during surgery.
7. A clinical trial of biologic therapy.

Metastatic Brain Tumors

Treatment of a single metastatic brain tumor is usually surgery followed by radiation therapy to the brain.

Treatment of more than one metastatic brain tumor may include the following:

1. Radiation therapy to the brain.
2. Surgery, for large tumors that are pressing on areas of the brain and causing symptoms.

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