Brain Tumors: Types, Diagnostic Biomarkers, and New Therapeutic Approaches

Brain tumors, both primary and secondary, are highly diverse and aggressive illnesses. The prognoses for these tumors are related to several factors, such as the age of the patient and the location and histology of the tumor. Unfortunately, we still lack effective treatments for most types of brain tumors. However, the past decade has witnessed an explosion in the understanding of the early molecular events in malignant primary brain tumors, and oncologists are seeking for new therapies targeting these molecular events and new methods for neuroradiological assessment are incorporated into both the diagnosis and follow-up processes. This book chapter will review the most common brain tumors with an emphasis on their diagnosis and oncologic management.