Brain and Central Nervous System Tumors

Primary brain and central nervous system (CNS) tumors are formed by the abnormal growth of cells and may begin in different parts of the brain or spinal cord. They can be benign (not contain cancer cells) or malignant (contain cancer cells) and can occur in both adults and children.

Primary brain and CNS cancer is rare. The chance that a person born today will develop a cancer of the brain or spinal cord in his or her lifetime is less than 1 percent.

Sometimes cancers that start elsewhere in the body spread to one or more parts of the brain. These are called metastatic brain tumors or brain metastases. Metastatic brain tumors are more common than primary brain tumors.

It is estimated that more than 22,000* people in the United States will be diagnosed with primary brain and other CNS cancers in 2012.

Treatment options for brain and central nervous system tumors vary depending on the type of cancer, stage of the disease, previous treatment, and other medical conditions. Talk with your doctor about what treatment options may be available for you.

*American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts and Figures 2012. Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2012

Brain Cancer Clinical Trials

The NCI Center for Cancer Research (CCR) conducts clinical trials at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. CCR is currently conducting the following trials for patients with brain and central nervous system cancers. Click on the trials below for additional details, including a summary of key eligibility criteria, study outline, and information on how to contact the principal investigators and their staff directly. For information on a particular trial or to discuss a screening visit, contact a member of the research team listed on the trial’s summary.

If you need further assistance, call our toll-free number at 1-888-NCI-1937 (1-888-624-1937) to be connected to a referral coordinator appropriate for your diagnosis.