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Treatment of Primary CNS Tumors by Tumor Type
Source: Central Nervous System Tumors Treatment (PDQ®)–Health Professional Version, National Cancer Institute.
Source updated: March 28, 2025 · Captured 2026-09-09.
Selected source text with whitespace normalised. This Triangle page is not an NCI PDQ summary.
| Tumor Type | Treatment Options |
|---|---|
| Astrocytic tumors: | |
| —Brain stem gliomas | Radiation therapy |
| —Pineal astrocytic tumors | Surgery plus radiation therapy |
| Surgery plus radiation therapy and chemotherapy for higher-grade tumors | |
| —Pilocytic astrocytomas | Surgery alone |
| Surgery followed by radiation therapy | |
| —Diffuse astrocytomas (WHO grade II) | Surgery with or without radiation therapy |
| Surgery followed by radiation therapy and chemotherapy | |
| —Anaplastic astrocytomas (WHO grade III) | Surgery plus radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy |
| Surgery plus chemotherapy | |
| —Glioblastomas | Surgery plus radiation therapy and chemotherapy |
| Surgery plus radiation therapy | |
| Carmustine-impregnated polymer implant | |
| Radiation therapy and concurrent chemotherapy | |
| Oligodendroglial tumors: | |
| —Oligodendrogliomas | Surgery with or without radiation therapy |
| Surgery with radiation therapy and chemotherapy | |
| —Anaplastic oligodendrogliomas | Surgery plus radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy |
| Mixed gliomas | Surgery plus radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy |
| Ependymal tumors: | |
| —Grades I and II ependymal tumors | Surgery alone |
| Surgery followed by radiation therapy | |
| —Anaplastic ependymoma | Surgery plus radiation therapy |
| Embryonal cell tumors: | |
| —Medulloblastomas | Surgery plus craniospinal radiation therapy |
| Pineal parenchymal tumors | Surgery plus radiation therapy (for pineocytoma) |
| Surgery plus radiation therapy and chemotherapy (for pineoblastoma) | |
| Meningeal tumors: | |
| —Grade I meningiomas | Active surveillance with deferred treatment |
| Surgery | |
| Stereotactic radiosurgery | |
| Surgery plus radiation therapy | |
| Fractionated radiation therapy | |
| —Grades II and III meningiomas and hemangiopericytomas | Surgery plus radiation therapy |
| Germ cell tumors: | Depends on multiple factors |
| Tumors of the sellar region | |
| —Craniopharyngiomas | Surgery alone |
| Debulking surgery plus radiation therapy | |
Source links and citations
- Radiation therapy
- Surgery plus radiation therapy
- Surgery plus radiation therapy and chemotherapy for higher-grade tumors
- Surgery alone
- Surgery followed by radiation therapy
- Surgery with or without radiation therapy
- Surgery followed by radiation therapy and chemotherapy
- Surgery plus radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy
- Surgery plus chemotherapy
- Surgery plus radiation therapy and chemotherapy
- Surgery plus radiation therapy
- Carmustine-impregnated polymer implant
- Radiation therapy and concurrent chemotherapy
- Surgery with or without radiation therapy
- Surgery with radiation therapy and chemotherapy
- Surgery plus radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy
- Surgery plus radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy
- Surgery alone
- Surgery followed by radiation therapy
- Surgery plus radiation therapy
- Surgery plus craniospinal radiation therapy
- Surgery plus radiation therapy
- Surgery plus radiation therapy and chemotherapy
- Active surveillance with deferred treatment
- Surgery
- Stereotactic radiosurgery
- Surgery plus radiation therapy
- Fractionated radiation therapy
- Surgery plus radiation therapy
- Depends on multiple factors
- Surgery alone
- Debulking surgery plus radiation therapy
Continue within this section
Astrocytic Tumors Treatment →Oligodendroglial Tumors Treatment →Mixed Gliomas Treatment →Ependymal Tumors Treatment →Embryonal Cell Tumors (Medulloblastomas) Treatment →Pineal Parenchymal Tumors Treatment →Meningeal Tumors Treatment →Germ Cell Tumors Treatment →Treatment of Tumors of the Sellar Region →Treatment Options Under Clinical Evaluation for Primary CNS Tumors →
Preserved source evidence · Not medical advice