Brain tumor typing is a major task in the daily practice of clinical neuropathologists. For more than 100 years, brain tumors have been classified on the basis of a histogenetic concept, with the definition of more than 120 brain tumor entities over time. In the past decades, biomedical research on brain tumors has led to the identification of clinically meaningful diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive molecular markers. Taking this progress into account, the 2016 update of the World Health Organization classification of tumors of the central nervous system has incorporated for the first time molecular markers for definition of brain tumor entities. This development has resulted in integrated diagnostics on the basis of histologic and molecular characteristics. This chapter summarizes essential features of brain tumors in the light of integrated diagnostics. To provide a comprehensive view on the individual tumor entities, we included crucial epidemiologic, clinical, and neuroradiologic aspects as well. In addition we illustrate neuroimaging and histologic characteristics of the various tumor types. In this way we aim to provide concise up-to-date insight into the nature and classification of brain tumors.
Keywords: Brain tumor typing; Clinical neuropathology; Integrated diagnostics; Molecular markers; WHO classification.
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