Pediatric central nervous system neoplasms include a spectrum of both glial and 
nonglial tumors that differ significantly in location and biological behavior 
from those of adults. Brain tumors in infants and children most often arise from 
central neuroepithelial tissue, whereas a significant number of adult tumors 
arise from central nervous system coverings (e.g., meningioma), adjacent tissue 
(e.g., pituitary adenoma), or metastases. Most adult brain tumors are 
supratentorial malignant gliomas, whereas the most common malignant pediatric 
brain tumor is the cerebellar primitive neuroectodermal tumor (medulloblastoma). 
This article reviews neuropathological characteristics of the more common 
pediatric brain tumors. Entities, such as the brainstem glioma, and less common 
neoplasms like the desmoplastic infantile ganglioglioma and the central nervous 
system atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor are reviewed because they occur almost 
exclusively in children. Known cytogenetic and molecular characteristics of 
childhood brain tumors are also reviewed.