© 2005-2012 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). All
rights reserved worldwide. Desmoplastic infantile ganglioglioma
(DIG) is a rare type of brain tumor that can occur during
childhood. A tumor begins when normal cells 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
starts in 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 more common for children younger than one year
old. DIG is made up of more than one type of cell and also
contains cysts. It is thought that DIG begins even before a baby
is born. DIG was originally classified as a low-grade, slow-
growing tumor that is usually 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 (see Staging/Grading