Description:
A tumor that forms from cells called glial cells in the brain stem (the part of the brain that is connected to the spinal cord). Glial cells support and protect the nerve cells in the brain and help them work the way they should. Most brain stem gliomas are diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPGs), which are fast-growing tumors that form in a part of the brain stem called the pons. These tumors tend to spread throughout the brain stem and are hard to treat. Brain stem gliomas usually occur in children.
