Abstract: Translational medicine is a new discipline that organically combines basic research and clinical study. It focusses on interactions among different disciplines, as well as communication and cooperation among clinicians in different fields. The purpose of translational medicine is to apply findings of basic research to clinical practice in order for more patients to benefit. Mathematical models are a new concept that aim to summarize variables obtained from clinical and basic research using emerging statistical analyses and design a function that reflects clinical information to some degree. With the development of translational medicine and bioinformatics technology, mathematical models are now widely used in tumor diagnosis, growth prediction, invasion and development, and prognosis. In neurosurgery, brain tumors are a prevalent condition with poor prognosis and are a considerable threat and burden to patients' health and society. This study reviews the application of mathematical models in the development and prognosis of brain tumors. We aimed to emphasize the role of mathematical models in translational medicine and assess the current application of mathematical models for brain tumors.