Overview

Desmoplastic infantile ganglioglioma (DIG) is a rare type of brain tumor that can occur during childhood. A tumor begins when normal cells begin to change and grow uncontrollably, forming a mass. A tumor can be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous, meaning it can spread to other parts of the body). DIG is a type of glioma, a tumor that arises from the glial cells, which are supportive cells in the brain. It usually occurs on one side of the brain, can be very large, and is usually found in children younger than one year old. DIG is comprised of more than one type of cell and also contains cysts. It is thought that DIG begins before a baby is even born.

DIG was originally classified as a low-grade, slow-growing tumor that is usually benign (noncancerous). However, in some instances, the tumor grows more rapidly and is more aggressive in spreading to other parts of the brain or body; this is called a high-grade tumor.

Statistics

Brain and spinal cord tumors are the second most common type of childhood cancer, after leukemia. However, DIG is a rare type of childhood brain tumor, found mainly in very young children.

Survival statistics should be interpreted with caution. It is not possible to tell a person how long he or she will live after being diagnosed with a brain tumor, as the actual risk for a particular person is based on many factors.

Find out more about basic cancer terms used in this section.