Whenever possible, treatment should include surgery to remove the entire glioma. Following surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy may be used to decrease the risk of recurrence.
Some tumors are deeply embedded in the brain and surrounded by vital structures or blood vessels. This makes many tumors impossible to remove without damaging other parts of the brain.
Some gliomas may require the placement of a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt to correct hydrocephalus (increased fluid pressure inside the brain). A VP shunt is a tube that drains extra fluid from around the brain, into the abdominal cavity. The tube runs from the head to the abdomen, under the skin.
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- Laperriere N, Zuraw L, Cairncross G; Cancer Care Ontario Practice Guidelines Initiative Neuro-Oncology Disease Site Group. Radiotherapy for newly diagnosed malignant glioma in adults: a systematic review. Radiother Oncol. 2002 Sep;64(3):259-73. 
- Salvati M, Caroli E, Orlando ER, Frati A, Artizzu S, Ferrante L. Multicentric glioma: our experience in 25 patients and critical review of the literature. Neurosurg Rev. 2003 Oct;26(4):275-9. 
- Stewart LA. Chemotherapy in adult high-grade glioma: a systematic review and meta-analysis of individual patient data from 12 randomised trials. Lancet. 2002 Mar 23;359(9311):1011-8.