What are neuronal and mixed neuronal-glial tumors?

Also known as: brain tumor, brain cancer, ganglioma, Dysembryoplastic Neuroepithelial Tumor (DNET), Central Neurocytoma.

The brain and spinal cord contain many neurons (specialized cells that send messages from the brain/spinal cord to the brain and rest of the body) and supporting cells (glial cells). Neuronal and mixed neuronal-glial tumors are a rare group of tumors made up of cells of both types, which vary in degree of aggressiveness. Some are low grade (grade 1 or 11) which grow slowly with almost-normal looking cells (benign, noncancerous), while others (grade 111 and 1V) may grow more quickly (malignant, cancerous). Neuronal and mixed neuronal-glial tumors can vary in size, location and severity.

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Reviewed by: Jack Wolfsdorf, MD, FAAP

This page was last updated on: 1/29/2019 3:21:13 PM