Primary brain cancers are cancer that originates from the brain cells, generally named after the tissue which they originate from. Majority are glima arising from glial cells in the brain. These include:
The other forms of brain cancers are:
Brain cancers can be fast growing (high grade), such as glioblastoma - or slow growing (low grade), such as low grade astrocytoma.
Cancers from other organs can spread to the brain and are called brain metastases. Brain metastases comprise cancer cells from the original site of cancer, such as lung cancer cells and breast cancer cells.
This is an uncommon cancer in Singapore. Between 1968 and 2007 there were about 1903 cases reported. The most common cancer in the brain are brain metastases that originate from other organs. Among primary brain cancer, the most common are the astrocytomas of which glioblastoma predominates.
Infants have been reported to have brain cancers as well. However, the risk increases after the age of 35 years. During the childhood years, primary brain and spinal cord cancers are the second leading cause of death from solid cancer.
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