# BRAIN TUMOURS BRAIN TUMOURS The term ‘brain tumour’ applies to more than 100 distinct pathologies detailed in the World Health Organization (WHO) classification. Many are malignant, but even histologically benign tumours may carry a grave prognosis when they encroach on key structures that also limit surgical access. The commonest brain tumour is a metastasis. Primary brain - tumours represent 1.5% of all cancers, with an incidence of 19 per 100 /uni00A0 000 person-years. Nevertheless many , especially glial, tumours present commonly in younger age groups and are incurable, so that they are a leading cause of life-years lost to cancer. Pituitary tumours Craniopharyngioma Tumour-like Colloid malformations cyst Dermoid/epidermoid Pineal tumours Astrocytomas Oligodendrogliomas Figure 48.20 Brain tumour classi /f_i cation. A simpli /f_i ed schema encompassing some of the key brain tumour categories. Highlighted in bold are the pathologies discussed in more detail in this chapter. BRAIN TUMOURS The term ‘brain tumour’ applies to more than 100 distinct pathologies detailed in the World Health Organization (WHO) classification. Many are malignant, but even histologically benign tumours may carry a grave prognosis when they encroach on key structures that also limit surgical access. The commonest brain tumour is a metastasis. Primary brain - tumours represent 1.5% of all cancers, with an incidence of 19 per 100 /uni00A0 000 person-years. Nevertheless many , especially glial, tumours present commonly in younger age groups and are incurable, so that they are a leading cause of life-years lost to cancer. Pituitary tumours Craniopharyngioma Tumour-like Colloid malformations cyst Dermoid/epidermoid Pineal tumours Astrocytomas Oligodendrogliomas Figure 48.20 Brain tumour classi /f_i cation. A simpli /f_i ed schema encompassing some of the key brain tumour categories. Highlighted in bold are the pathologies discussed in more detail in this chapter. BRAIN TUMOURS The term ‘brain tumour’ applies to more than 100 distinct pathologies detailed in the World Health Organization (WHO) classification. Many are malignant, but even histologically benign tumours may carry a grave prognosis when they encroach on key structures that also limit surgical access. The commonest brain tumour is a metastasis. Primary brain - tumours represent 1.5% of all cancers, with an incidence of 19 per 100 /uni00A0 000 person-years. Nevertheless many , especially glial, tumours present commonly in younger age groups and are incurable, so that they are a leading cause of life-years lost to cancer. Pituitary tumours Craniopharyngioma Tumour-like Colloid malformations cyst Dermoid/epidermoid Pineal tumours Astrocytomas Oligodendrogliomas Figure 48.20 Brain tumour classi /f_i cation. A simpli /f_i ed schema encompassing some of the key brain tumour categories. Highlighted in bold are the pathologies discussed in more detail in this chapter.