ABSTRACT
The rapidity with which technical advances in the investigation of human tissues were productively applied to studies of the brain, its function and diseases, serves as a testament to the persistence and insight of our dedicated forebears in neuropathology. With regard to adjustments in classification systems, it remains a challenge not to hang onto concepts, and instead remold our terminology to new findings or yield to new paradigms. In order to understand the present system adopted by the WHO consensus committee (Kleihues and Cavenee, 2000), a brief exploration of the history of brain tumor classification systems is useful.
