Visit The New York Brain Tumor Center for in-depth treatment information.

A brain tumor is a growth caused by abnormal cells in the tissues of the brain. Understanding what treatment is right for you starts with understanding what kind of tumor you have. Some are benign, others malignant. These growths get their names from either the types of cells they are or from where they tend to occur.

Our team of top, interdisciplinary brain treatment specialists combines the best in technology and modern medicine with the most personal attention possible. The location of your tumor helps us determine which team that is best for your treatment. The result is an integrated treatment plan designed just for you, to attack your specific tumor from many angles that all work together to speed your recovery.

Below are brief descriptions of the most common brain tumors, with more descriptions provided by the National Cancer Institute.

Acoustic neuroma: A benign tumor affecting the vestibular nerve and causing hearing loss, a ringing in the ear and occasionally unsteadiness. Meet your acoustic neuroma treatment team.

Colloid Cyst: The most common tumor located within the third ventricle. A colloid cyst is a benign tumor that can cause a blockage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), leading to increased intracranial pressure.

Ependymoma: A type of brain tumor that originates from the ventricular lining of the brain.

Glioma: A brain cancer that begins in the glial cells that surround and support nerve cells.

Hemangioblastoma: A usually non-cancerous tumor made up of stem cells that the body uses to make blood vessels or blood cells.

Meningioma: A slow-growing tumor that forms in the thin layers of tissue that cover and protect the brain and spinal cord.

Metastatic: Any tumor resulting from the spread of cancer to another part of the body from where it started.

Pituitary: A normally benign tumor that forms in the pituitary gland, a pea-sized organ at the base of the brain above the back of the nose that makes hormones that affect other glands and many body functions, especially growth.

Skull base: Any tumor that starts at the base of the skull through which the spinal cord and major blood vessels and nerves pass.

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