Resource library
A gentle starting point
These are links we’ve curated to trusted non-profit and government sources. Pick what feels useful for where you are right now — you don’t need to read all of them.
Reading by tumor type
From ABTA, NBTS, and the National Cancer Institute.
Glioblastoma
3 links
Glioblastoma
3 links- Glioblastoma (GBM) overview
American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA)
A patient-friendly walk through what glioblastoma is, how it's treated, and what to expect.
- Glioblastoma (IDH-wildtype)
National Brain Tumor Society (NBTS)
A clear, up-to-date overview of glioblastoma — what it is, how it's treated today, and what to expect — written for patients and families.
- Adult Central Nervous System Tumors Treatment (PDQ®) — Patient Version
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
The federal government's comprehensive, physician-reviewed patient summary.
Astrocytoma / glioma
3 links
Astrocytoma / glioma
3 links- Astrocytoma overview
American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA)
Explains how astrocytomas are graded and what each grade typically means.
- Brain tumor types (browsable index)
National Brain Tumor Society (NBTS)
NBTS's hub of tumor-type overviews — handy when you want to compare astrocytoma to nearby diagnoses like oligodendroglioma or glioblastoma.
- Adult Central Nervous System Tumors Treatment (PDQ®) — Patient Version
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Covers treatment options by tumor grade — useful for low- and high-grade astrocytomas.
Oligodendroglioma
2 links
Oligodendroglioma
2 links- Oligodendroglioma overview
American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA)
Explains why molecular markers (like 1p/19q codeletion) matter so much for this tumor.
- Adult Central Nervous System Tumors Treatment (PDQ®) — Patient Version
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
NCI's treatment summary, including the role of chemotherapy for oligodendroglioma.
Meningioma
2 links
Meningioma
2 links- Meningioma overview
American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA)
Most meningiomas are benign — this page explains watch-and-wait vs. surgery vs. radiation.
- Meningioma
National Brain Tumor Society (NBTS)
Plain-language information about meningiomas — usually slow-growing tumors of the brain's protective lining — including symptoms, grades, and treatment choices.
Metastatic brain tumor
2 links
Metastatic brain tumor
2 links- Metastatic brain tumors
American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA)
Explains why treatment often focuses both on the brain lesion and the original cancer.
- Metastatic cancer: when cancer spreads
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
NCI's plain-language explanation of how and why cancer spreads beyond its original site — useful context when the brain lesion started somewhere else in the body.
Primary CNS lymphoma
2 links
Primary CNS lymphoma
2 links- Primary CNS lymphoma
American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA)
Primary CNS lymphoma is treated very differently from other brain tumors — start here.
- Primary CNS Lymphoma Treatment (PDQ®) — Patient Version
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Patient-oriented NCI summary on methotrexate-based chemotherapy and response assessment.
Pituitary tumor
2 links
Pituitary tumor
2 links- Pituitary tumors overview
American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA)
Covers functioning vs. non-functioning pituitary tumors and the role of hormone testing.
- Pituitary tumor information
National Brain Tumor Society (NBTS)
Includes endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery and endocrinology follow-up expectations.
Vestibular schwannoma (acoustic neuroma)
1 link
Vestibular schwannoma (acoustic neuroma)
1 link- Acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma)
American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA)
Explains hearing, balance, and facial-nerve considerations that come up in treatment choices.
Medulloblastoma
2 links
Medulloblastoma
2 links- Medulloblastoma overview
American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA)
Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant pediatric brain tumor; this is an accessible overview.
- Childhood Medulloblastoma & Other CNS Embryonal Tumors Treatment (PDQ®) — Patient Version
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
NCI's patient summary covering medulloblastoma alongside related childhood CNS embryonal tumors, including molecular subgroups and current treatment approaches.
Ependymoma
1 link
Ependymoma
1 link- Ependymoma overview
American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA)
Ependymoma can occur anywhere along the CNS; this page explains location-specific considerations.
Brain tumors (general)
3 links
Brain tumors (general)
3 links- Brain tumor information — by type
American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA)
A browseable index of all primary brain tumor types, with patient-friendly overviews.
- Types of brain tumors
National Brain Tumor Society (NBTS)
Broad reference page. Useful when the specific tumor type is still being worked out.
- Brain and spinal cord tumors — Patient Version
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
The federal government's central hub for brain tumor patient information.
Caregiver, support, and practical help
Hand-picked resources for the harder parts beyond the images.
For caregivers
- Caregiver Resource Center
American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA)
Practical guides for the people looking after someone with a brain tumor — logistics, emotions, and self-care.
- Patient & Caregiver Toolkit
National Brain Tumor Society (NBTS)
NBTS's hub of patient- and caregiver-facing resources — diagnosis guidance, questions to ask your care team, and support navigation.
Getting a second opinion
- Getting a second opinion
American Cancer Society (ACS)
Plain-English explanation of when and how to ask for a second opinion — and why it's normal.
- NCI-designated cancer centers
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Directory of federally-recognized comprehensive cancer centers if you want a tertiary opinion.
Peer support & community
- Patient & Caregiver Mentor Support Program
American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA)
ABTA's one-to-one mentor matching — pairs patients and caregivers with trained volunteers who've walked the same road.
Financial & practical help
- Financial and practical support
CancerCare
Free professional support services, including limited financial assistance for cancer-related costs.
Finding a clinical trial
If you’re curious about trials — whether standard-of-care or experimental — these are reliable starting points.
U.S. National Library of Medicine
The authoritative registry of clinical trials running worldwide. Filter by location and phase.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
NCI-curated clinical-trial search with a friendlier interface than ClinicalTrials.gov.
National Brain Tumor Society (NBTS)
Brain-tumor-specific trial matching, maintained by a patient-advocacy non-profit.
Musella Foundation for Brain Tumor Research & Information
Long-running, patient-curated brain-tumor trial database with plain-language summaries — run by a brain-tumor non-profit.
University of California, San Francisco
Trials open at UCSF's neuro-oncology program — useful if you're in the western U.S. or willing to travel for a single specialized center.
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Trials open at MD Anderson, a comprehensive cancer center with a large neuro-oncology program. Useful for patients in or willing to travel to Houston.
A note before you begin
This tool is for education and orientation only — it is not a medical diagnosis. The AI behind it is a general-purpose model, not a trained radiologist, pathologist, neuro-oncologist, or pharmacist, and it can be wrong in important ways. Use what you learn here to ask better questions of your care team, never to replace their judgment.