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About the brain stem
The brain stem connects the brain to the spinal cord. It is the
lowest portion of the brain, located above the back of the neck. The
brain stem controls many of the body’s basic functions, such as motor
skills, sensory activity, coordination and walking, the beating of the
heart, and breathing. It has three parts:
- The midbrain, which develops from the middle of the brain
- The medulla oblongata, which connects to the spinal cord
- The pons, which is located between the medulla oblongata and the midbrain
About brain stem glioma
Brain stem glioma is a type of central nervous system (CNS; brain and spinal cord) tumor
that begins when normal cells in the brain stem change and grow
uncontrollably, forming a mass called a tumor. A tumor can be benign
(noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous, meaning it can spread to other
parts of the body). A glioma is a tumor that grows from a glial cell,
which is a supportive cell in the brain.
Brain stem glioma is most often diffuse (spread freely) through the
brain stem by the time it is found. This type of tumor is typically very
aggressive, meaning that it grows and spreads quickly. A small
percentage of brain stem tumors are very localized, called focal tumors.
A focal tumor is often a low-grade tumor (the tumor cells look similar
to normal cells) that is less likely to grow and spread quickly.
Brain stem glioma occurs most commonly in children between five and
10 years old. Most brain stem tumors develop in the pons and grow in a
part of the brain stem where it can be difficult to perform surgery,
making brain stem glioma challenging to treat (see the Treatment section).
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