What does the Central Nervous System (CNS) consist of?
The main parts of the central nervous system (CNS ) are the brain and spinal cord. The main areas of the brain include the cerebral hemispheres, basal ganglia, cerebellum, and brain stem Each of these parts has a special purpose. Tumors of different parts of the CNS disrupt different functions and cause different symptoms. These symptoms are not specific for brain cancer and may be caused by any disease involving that particular location within the brain. Also, tumors in different areas of the CNS may be treated differently and have a different prognosis (survival). How common is brain cancer? The American Cancer Society estimates that 16,500 malignant tumors of the brain or spinal cord (9,500 in men and 7,000 in women) will be diagnosed during 2000 in the United States. Approximately 13,000 people (7,100 men and 5,900 women) will die from these malignant tumors. This type of cancer accounts for approximately 1.4% of all cancers and 2.4% of all cancerrelated deaths. Both adults and chi
