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Brain Tumor - Causes, Symptoms & Treatment
Brain Tumor is a mass or growth of abnormal cells in your brain. There are two types of brain tumors: primary brain tumors that originate in the brain and metastatic (secondary) brain tumors that originate from cancer cells that have migrated from other parts of the body. Nearly 1 in 4 people with cancer will get a secondary brain tumor. Historically, the prognosis for patients with these tumors was bleak; people were expected to survive only several weeks after diagnosis. More aggressive surgical treatments, innovative radiation approaches, and new approaches to chemotherapy and other drugs now allow survival with a good quality of life that is measured in several months to years. Brain tumors are often classified as benign or malignant. Truly benign tumors are composed of noncancerous cells that don't invade brain or other tissues. A malignant brain tumor may contain benign-appearing cells that invade normal tissue or contain cancerous cells either from the brain or other body cancers. The latter are typically life-threatening tumors, as they can spread throughout the brain or to the spinal cord. Even some benign tumors can be life-threatening. Primary brain cancer rarely spreads beyond the central nervous system, and death results from uncontrolled tumor growth within the limited space of the skull. Metastatic brain cancer indicates advanced disease and has a poor prognosis. Primary brain tumors can be cancerous or noncancerous. Both types take up space in the brain and may cause serious symptoms (e.g., vision or hearing loss) and complications (e.g., stroke). All cancerous brain tumors are life threatening (malignant) because they have an aggressive and invasive nature. A noncancerous primary brain tumor is life threatening when it compromises vital structures (e.g., an artery). Causes of Brain TumorFind common causes and risk factors of Brain Tumor:
Signs and Symptoms of Brain TumorSymptoms caused by a brain tumor vary, depending on the tumor's type, size, and location. They are usually caused by damage to tissue and increased pressure on the brain as the tumor grows.They may be caused by swelling and a buildup of fluid around the tumor, a condition called edema. Symptoms also may be due to hydrocephalus, which occurs when the tumor blocks the flow of cerebrospinal fluid and causes a build-up in the ventricles. If a brain tumor grows very slowly, its symptoms may not appear for some time. These symptoms may be caused by brain tumors or by other problems. Diagnostic tests can be performed to determine if the cause of your symptoms is a brain tumor and if it is a primary or secondary one.Sign and symptoms may include the following :
Treatment for Brain TumorTreatment may include: Treatment strategies are based on the kind of tumor, the stage of the cancer and the needs of the patient. Treatment usually consists of surgery, radiation, chemotherapy or a combination of those treatments. New surgical and radiation techniques that lessen the risk and discomfort associated with traditional brain surgery may be available. These procedures might allow patients with primary brain tumors to avoid or postpone traditional surgery and often produce similar results. Treatment for children may be different from treatment for adults. Some of the treatments that are tolerated by an adult's brain can prevent normal development of a child's brain.
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