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Patient education: High-grade glioma in adults (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: High-grade glioma in adults (Beyond the Basics)
Author:
Tracy Batchelor, MD, MPH
Section Editor:
Patrick Y Wen, MD
Deputy Editor:
April F Eichler, MD, MPH
Literature review current through: Jun 2025.
This topic last updated: Jan 31, 2025.

HIGH-GRADE GLIOMA OVERVIEW

Primary brain tumors originate in the brain. These tumors are very different from secondary (or metastatic) brain tumors, which originally developed elsewhere in the body and spread (metastasized) to the brain.

Primary brain tumors mainly develop from glial cells. Glial cells provide the structural backbone of the brain and support the function of the neurons (nerve cells), which are responsible for thought, sensation, muscle control, and coordination.

This article will discuss the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of high-grade (ie, malignant) gliomas, the largest subset of brain gliomas. Primary low-grade gliomas are discussed separately. (See "Patient education: Low-grade glioma in adults (Beyond the Basics)".)

CLASSIFICATION OF PRIMARY BRAIN TUMORS

Primary brain tumors are tumors that are classified by a pathologist according to their appearance under the microscope and by certain molecular and genetic markers. Gliomas are classified into four grades (1, 2, 3, and 4), and the treatment and prognosis depend upon the tumor grade.

Grade 1 or 2 tumors are termed low-grade gliomas. The term malignant or high-grade glioma refers to tumors that are classified as:

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