A brain tumor is an abnormal growth around the brain. This growth is usually the unwanted mass of cells. Together spinal tumors and brain tumors are called central nervous system (CNS) tumors.
Brain tumors may be malignant (cancerous) or benign (noncancerous). Moreover, a few tumors may grow quickly while others may grow slowly. According to Mayo Clinic, only about one-third of brain tumors are cancerous but irrespective of whether them being cancerous or not, they can impact brain function and your health if they press on surrounding nerves, blood vessels, and tissue.
Tumors that develop in your brain are called primary tumors while tumors that spread to your brain after forming in a different part of your body are called secondary tumors, or metastatic brain tumors. Let's know the symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment for brain tumors.
Brain Tumor: Symptoms
According to Cleveland Clinic, some people with brain tumors may experience no symptoms and the severity of symptoms depends on the tumor’s location, size, and type. They can include:
Headaches that may be more severe in the morning
Difficulty thinking, speaking, or understanding language.
Personality changes.
Weakness or paralysis in one part or one side of your body.
Balance problems or dizziness.
Vision issues.
Hearing issues.
Facial numbness
Nausea or vomiting.
Confusion and disorientation.
Brain Tumor: Causes
According to US NIH, here are a few causes of brain tumors:
Brain tumors develop when certain genes on the chromosomes of a cell are damaged and no longer function properly but there is no reason so as to why this may happen. The DNA in your chromosomes directs the cells throughout your body and tells them when to grow, when to divide or multiply and/or when to die.
As the brain cell DNA changes, it gives your brain cells new instructions thus your body develops abnormal brain cells that grow and multiply faster than normal and sometimes live longer than normal.
There are a few rare, inherited genetic syndromes that may be behind brain tumors:
Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1 gene).
Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2 gene).
Turcot syndrome (APC gene).
Gorlin syndrome (PTCH gene).
Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC1 and TSC2 genes).
Li-Fraumeni syndrome (TP53 gene).
Brain Tumor: Diagnosis
Brain MRI or CT scan can show the tumor’s size and exact position. Your healthcare provider may also test other parts of your body, such as your lungs, colon, or breasts to check if the tumor has spread.
Biopsy means the removal of a sample of the tumor for examination under a microscope which helps identify the type of tumor and confirm if it's cancerous.
Spinal tap is a procedure in which the doctor uses a small needle to remove cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from around your spine and examines this fluid to look for cancer cells.
Specialized tests may help check your blood and cerebrospinal fluid for substances that certain tumors release called tumor markers.
Brain Tumors: Treatment
The treatment of the brain tumor depends on factors like the size, location, and type of tumor. It also depends on your age, overall health, and the number of tumors.
Benign (noncancerous) brain tumors can be removed with surgery and they usually grow back. Radiation therapy may also be helpful but it may prevent the normal development of a child’s brain.
The right treatment options include:
Brain surgery (craniotomy) in which the doctors remove the tumor to minimize damage to functional areas of your brain.
Radiation therapy is a procedure in which high doses of X-rays destroy brain tumor cells or shrink the tumor.
Radiosurgery is a type of radiation therapy that uses focused beams of radiation to destroy a tumor.
Brachytherapy involves surgery in which radioactive seeds, capsules or other implants are placed directly in or near the cancerous tumor.
Chemotherapy
Immunotherapy
Targeted therapy
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