[Eric A. Taylor (OP)]

Eric Taylor asked the Naked Scientists:
   
I heard a few weeks back that heart cancer is very rare because the heart doesn't replicate its cells.  The brain doesn't replicate its cells but brain cancer isn't all that rare.  Why is this?  

Is the cancer growing in cells other than neurons?  If so what other cells are in the brain that become cancer?

I listen to your podcast and I think it's, as you limeys would say, "BRILLIANT" I love that adjective!!!!!
What do you think?

[RD]

There also glial cells in the brain ...

Glia retain the ability to undergo cell division in adulthood, while most neurons cannot.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glial_cell

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glioma

Some 'Brain' tumours can actually be secondary tumours from cancer elsewhere in the body.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metastasis