A brain tumor, or tumour, is an intracranial solid neoplasm, a tumor (defined as an abnormal growth of cells) within the brain or the central spinal canal.

Brain tumors include all tumors inside the cranium or in the central spinal canal. They are created by an abnormal and uncontrolled cell division, usually in the brain itself, but also in lymphatic tissue, in blood vessels, in the cranial nerves, in the brain envelopes (meninges), skull, pituitary gland, or pineal gland. Within the brain itself, the involved cells may be neurons or glial cells (which include astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and ependymal cells). Brain tumors may also spread from cancers primarily located in other organs (metastatic tumors).

Any brain tumor is inherently serious and life-threatening because of its invasive and infiltrative character in the limited space of the intracranial cavity. However, brain tumors (even malignant ones) are not invariably fatal, especially lipomas which are inherently benign. Brain tumors or intracranial neoplasms can be cancerous (malignant) or non-cancerous (benign); however, the definitions of malignant or benign neoplasms differs from those commonly used in other types of cancerous or non-cancerous neoplasms in the body. Its threat level depends on the combination of factors like the type of tumor, its location, its size and its state of development. Because the brain is well protected by the skull, the early detection of a brain tumor occurs only when diagnostic tools are directed at the intracranial cavity. Usually detection occurs in advanced stages when the presence of the tumor has caused unexplained symptoms.

Kathi Goertzen (b. 1958-) is a longtime co-anchor of KOMO-TV along with Dan Lewis (the 6PM edition) and also the 5PM edition with Eric Johnson. She joined KOMO in June 1980, after the eruption of Mount St. Helens and since has done many newscasts including the fall of the Berlin Wall (she was the first local American TV news reporter to do so).

Kathi Goertzen was born in Seattle on April 30, 1958. She graduated from Queen Anne High School, and had initially set out to be a veterinarian. However, she changed her career goals after witnessing a dog necropsy, and then set out to be a journalist, enrolling at Washington State University. Kathi Goertzen graduated in 1980 from Washington State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications. She is a member of the Omega Chapter of Alpha Chi Omega sorority. She had served as the anchor of the WSU's newscast and interned as a beat reporter at KREM 2 in Spokane. During this time, she reported about the eruption of Mount St. Helens and also graduated from the Edward R. Murrow School of Communication at Washington State University.