Brain tumors: What you should know

Primary brain tumors originate in the brain or tissues close to the brain, such as in brain-covering membranes, cranial nerves, or the pituitary or pineal glands. There are many types of primary brain tumors, and over 84,000 people will receive a primary brain tumor diagnosis in 2021, according to the National Brain Tumor Society. The median age for these diagnoses is 60.  

The most common cancerous, or malignant, brain tumor is the glioblastoma, a type of glioma that begins in the brain or spinal cord. The most common primary noncancerous, or benign, brain tumor is the meningioma, which arises from the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord.

On this "Mayo Clinic Q&A" podcast, Dr. Alyx Porter, co-chair of the Central Nervous System Tumor Disease Group at Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, discusses the various types of brain tumors and how they are diagnosed and treated:

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A version of this article originally appeared on the Mayo Clinic News Network.

Learn more

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Join the Brain Tumor Group on Mayo Clinic Connect.

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