Brain Stem Gliomas
Pineal Astrocytic Tumors
Pilocytic Astrocytomas
Diffuse Astrocytomas
Anaplastic Astrocytomas
Glioblastoma
Oligodendroglial Tumors
Mixed Gliomas
Ependymal Tumors
Medulloblastoma
Pineal Parenchymal Tumors
Meningeal Tumors
Germ Cell Tumors
Craniopharyngioma
Recurrent Adult Brain Tumor
Metastatic Brain Tumors

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.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with adult brain stem glioma.

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.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with adult pineal gland astrocytoma.

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

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with adult pilocytic astrocytoma.

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.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with adult diffuse astrocytoma.

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.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with adult anaplastic astrocytoma.

Treatment of glioblastoma may include the following:

1. Surgery plus radiation therapy.
2. Surgery plus radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
3. Chemotherapy placed into the brain (Gliadel Wafer) during surgery.
4. Radiation therapy given together with chemotherapy.
5. A clinical trial of external radiation therapy plus hyperthermia therapy or new methods of delivering radiation therapy.
6. A clinical trial of new anticancer drugs or biologic therapy following radiation therapy.
7. A clinical trial of chemotherapy and new methods of delivering radiation therapy.
8. Clinical trials of new treatments.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with adult glioblastoma.

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. Chemotherapy using more than one drug.
3. Radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy using more than one drug.
4. Clinical trials of new treatments.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with adult oligodendroglial tumors.

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.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with mixed gliomas.

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.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with adult ependymal tumors.

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.

(Refer to the PDQ summary on Childhood Medulloblastoma Treatment for more information.)

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with adult medulloblastoma.

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.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with adult pineal parenchymal tumor.

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.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with adult meningeal tumor.

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.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with adult central nervous system germ cell tumor.

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.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with adult craniopharyngioma.

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.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with recurrent adult brain tumor.

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.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with adult tumors metastatic to brain.

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