Tumors of the central nervous system

Malignant cerebral tumors represent a small percentage (approximately 2%) of all malignancies, but have severe prognosis due to high morbidity and mortality. According to the American Cancer Society, in 2007 there were 23,300 new benign cerebral tumors and 20,500 new malignant cerebral tumors diagnosed in the United States, with an estimated number of resulting deaths of 12,760. Malignancies of the central nervous system (CNS) are the second most common malignancy in patients under the age of 20 (after hematologic malignancies) and are the leading cause of death from solid tumors in children and the third leading cause of death from cancer in the 15- to 34-year-old age group.