Nanoparticles are likely to play a key role in the future diagnosis and treatment of CNS malignancies. Nanoparticles have the potential to revolutionize both preoperative and intraoperative brain tumor detection. In addition, nanoparticles may also serve as novel, targeted delivery devices for chemotherapy, gene therapy, photodynamic therapy and thermotherapy. The translation of current research in nanotechnology into a clinically relevant component of brain tumor management will rely on solving challenges related to the pharmacology of nanoparticles.