A mass or growth of abnormal cells in the brain is called a brain tumor. There are over 120 different types of brain tumors that strike over 200,000 people annually in the United States.
Brain tumors typically are categorized as either primary or secondary.
- Primary brain tumors originate in your brain and can be noncancerous (benign) or cancerous (malignant).
- Secondary brain tumors result from cancer that began elsewhere and spread to your brain.
Primary brain tumors are less common than secondary brain tumors.
Benign Brain Tumors
Benign brain tumors are usually slower growing, easier to remove (depending on their location), and less likely to recur than are malignant brain tumors. Benign brain tumors don't invade the surrounding normal brain or other nearby structures, but they can still place pressure on sensitive areas of your brain.
Malignant Brain Tumors
Malignant brain tumors can grow more rapidly, invading or destroying nearby brain tissue. However, unlike cancers elsewhere in your body, primary malignant brain tumors rarely spread from your brain.
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