A brain tumor is a collection of unusual, abnormal cells that have grown out of control in your brain. Some brain tumor cells are benign, which means they aren’t cancerous. Others are malignant, which means they are cancerous. The term “Primary Tumor” refers to a brain tumor that starts in the brain. They’re categorized as secondary if they started elsewhere in your body and spread to your brain.
Types of Brain Tumors
Primary brain cancers arise from the brain and central nervous system’s cells. They get their name from the type of cell in which they first appear. There are above 100 different types of brain tumors. The following are the prevalent varieties in adults:
Gliomas: Glial cells, which help maintain nerves healthy, are where these tumors begin. The most common cause is cancer. Gliomas are classified into different groups based on the cells they attack. Adults are the most common victims of astrocytomas. The most dangerous type of glial tumor is glioblastoma.
Meningiomas: The meninges, a thin layer of tissue surrounding the brain and spinal cord, form these. They aren’t cancer, but by pressing on your brain, they can cause difficulties.
Schwannomas. They aren’t cancer, but they can cause hearing loss or balance issues. The protective coating of nerve cells is harmed as a result of this.
Pituitary adenomas: These develop on the pituitary gland, which is located near the base of the brain. It is responsible for the production of essential hormones. These tumors are usually benign and slow-growing.
Benign vs. Malignant Brain Tumors
Benign brain tumors aren’t aggressive and usually don’t spread to surrounding tissues, although they can be severe and even life-threatening. Benign brain tumors usually have well-defined borders and aren’t firmly embedded in the brain. If they’re in a range of the brain where surgery is safe, this makes them easier to remove surgically. They can, however, return. Cancerous tumors are more prone to recur than benign tumors.
Even a benign brain tumor can be dangerous to one’s health. By producing inflammation and increasing pressure on neighboring tissue, as well as inside your skull, brain tumors can harm the cells around them.
Malignant primary brain tumors occur in the brain, grow more swiftly than benign tumors, and invade surrounding tissue quickly. Although brain cancer seldom spreads to other organs, it does have the potential to spread to other areas of the brain and central nervous system.
Brain tumors that have spread to other parts of the brain are cancerous. They result from cancer that began elsewhere in your body and spread (metastasized) to your brain. A secondary brain tumor affects about one out of every four cancer patients.
Brain Tumor Symptoms
The signs of brain tumors vary depending on the nature and location of the tumor. Because different brain parts govern different bodily activities, the tumor’s location influences the symptoms you encounter.
Some tumors are asymptomatic till they reach a specific size, at which point they cause a severe and quick deterioration in health. Other cancers may have slow-developing symptoms.
Common symptoms of brain tumor include:
- Headaches that don’t seem to respond to traditional headache treatments. You might find that you have them more frequently or that they’re more severe than usual.
- History of seizures
- Speech and hearing issues
- Vision challenge
- Balance issues
- Walking problems
- Numbness or tingling arms/ legs
- Memory problem
- Personality changes
- Lack of concentration
- Body weakness (In one part)
- Morning vomit, no nausea
Many illnesses can cause these symptoms. If you experience some of the signs of a brain tumor, don’t assume you have one. Consult your physician. The majority time, doctors are unable to determine the source of a brain tumor. In adults, there are just a few identified risk factors for brain tumors.
Radiation exposure: Children who get head radiation are more likely than adults to acquire a brain tumor.
Family History: Neurofibromatosis and Li-Fraumeni syndrome are two rare hereditary diseases connected to brain malignancies.
Age: The population most likely to be diagnosed with a brain tumor is between 65 and 79.
Chickenpox: According to one study, those who have had chickenpox are less likely to develop gliomas.
Brain Tumor Diagnosis
Your doctor will begin by examining your symptoms, overall health, and family health history to detect a brain tumor. Then they’ll conduct a physical examination, which will include a neurological examination. If a brain tumor is suspected, the doctor may order one or more of the following tests:
- To see detailed images of the brain, imaging techniques such as a CT scan or an MRI are used.
- Angiogram or MRA uses dye and X-rays to check for evidence of a tumor or aberrant blood arteries in the brain.
The doctor may request a biopsy to determine whether the tumor is cancerous. They’ll take a sample of your brain tissue. That’s possible they’ll do it while removing the tumor. They could also pierce your head with a needle through a small hole drilled into it. They’ll submit the sample to a laboratory for analysis.
Brain Tumor Treatment
When selecting how to treat your brain tumor, your doctor will evaluate the following factors:
- The tumor’s location
- The tumor’s size
- Tumor classification
- Whether or not cancer has spread
- Your general well-being
Potential complications
When a brain tumor is discovered, the initial action is usually surgery to remove the tumor. However, due to their position in the brain, some tumors cannot be surgically removed. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy may be used to destroy and shrink the tumor in certain circumstances.
Following surgery, you may receive chemotherapy or radiation to eradicate any leftover cancer cells. Gamma knife therapy, a highly targeted radiation therapy type, may treat cancers deep in the brain or in difficult-to-reach locations.
Because cancer treatment might harm healthy tissue, you should discuss the long-term implications of whatever treatment you are receiving with your doctor. They can explain the dangers of losing specific abilities as well as the possibilities of losing them. The doctor might also discuss the necessity of making plans for post-treatment rehabilitation.
Summary
If somebody has any of the symptoms indicated above, they should see a doctor. Many of the symptoms are similar to those of other conditions and could indicate another health problem.
Keeping track of any symptoms can assist a doctor in making a diagnosis. Keeping track of when and how often symptoms occur can also be beneficial. If a person has symptoms that indicate a brain tumor, it is critical to get a diagnosis and treatment as soon as possible to help prevent the tumor from expanding. Visit University Cancer Centers and consult a professional cancer specialist today.
