Treatment of Primary Adult Brain Tumor by Type of Tumor

For information about the treatments listed below, see the Treatment Option Overview section.

Astrocytic Tumors

Brain Stem Gliomas

Treatment of brain stem gliomas may include radiation therapy.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

Pineal Astrocytic Tumors

Treatment of pineal astrocytic tumors may include surgery and radiation therapy. For high-grade tumors, chemotherapy may also be given.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

Pilocytic Astrocytomas

Treatment of pilocytic astrocytomas may include surgery to remove the tumor. Radiation therapy may also be given if some of the tumor remains after surgery.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

Diffuse Astrocytomas

Treatment of diffuse astrocytomas may include the following:

• Surgery with or without radiation therapy.
• Surgery followed by radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

Anaplastic Astrocytomas

Treatment of anaplastic astrocytomas may include the following:

• Surgery and radiation therapy. Chemotherapy may also be given.
• Surgery and chemotherapy.
• A clinical trial of chemotherapy placed into the brain during surgery.
• A clinical trial of a new treatment added to standard treatment.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

Glioblastomas

Treatment of glioblastomas may include the following:

• Surgery followed by radiation therapy and chemotherapy given at the same time, followed by chemotherapy alone.
• Surgery followed by radiation therapy.
• Chemotherapy placed into the brain during surgery.
• Radiation therapy and chemotherapy given at the same time.
• A clinical trial of a new treatment added to standard treatment.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

Oligodendroglial Tumors

Treatment of oligodendrogliomas may include surgery with or without radiation therapy. Chemotherapy may be given after radiation therapy.

Treatment of anaplastic oligodendroglioma may include the following:

• Surgery followed by radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy.
• A clinical trial of a new treatment added to standard treatment.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

Mixed Gliomas

Treatment of mixed gliomas may include surgery and radiation therapy. Sometimes, chemotherapy is also given.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

Ependymal Tumors

Treatment of grade I and grade II ependymomas may include surgery to remove the tumor. Radiation therapy may also be given if some of the tumor remains after surgery.

Treatment of grade III anaplastic ependymoma may include surgery and radiation therapy.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

Medulloblastomas

Treatment of medulloblastomas may include the following:

• Surgery and radiation therapy to the brain and spine.
• A clinical trial of chemotherapy added to surgery and radiation therapy to the brain and spine.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

Pineal Parenchymal Tumors

Treatment of pineal parenchymal tumors may include the following:

• For pineocytomas, surgery and radiation therapy.
• For pineoblastomas, surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

Meningeal Tumors

Treatment of grade I meningiomas may include the following:

• Active surveillance for tumors with no signs or symptoms.
• Surgery to remove the tumor. Radiation therapy may also be given if some of the tumor remains after surgery.
• Stereotactic radiosurgery for tumors smaller than 3 centimeters.
• Radiation therapy for tumors that cannot be removed by surgery.

Treatment of grade II and III meningiomas and hemangiopericytomas may include the following:

• Surgery and radiation therapy.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

Germ Cell Tumors

There is no standard treatment for germ cell tumors (germinoma, embryonal carcinoma, choriocarcinoma, and teratoma). Treatment depends on what the tumor cells look like under a microscope, the tumor markers, where the tumor is in the brain, and whether it can be removed by surgery.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

Craniopharyngiomas

Treatment of craniopharyngiomas may include the following:

• Surgery to completely remove the tumor.
• Surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible, followed by radiation therapy.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.