A brain tumor is the development of abnormal units in your brain. There are various types of brain cancer. Some brain tumors are (benign) noncancerous, and some of them are (malignant) cancerous. Cancerous tumor are further classified into two types-
- Primary Tumor grows within the brain
- The secondary tumor grows in other parts of the human body and spreads to the brain. These tumors are also known as ‘Brain Metastasis Tumors’.
The growth rate of cancer differs significantly. The growth rate of cancer and its location indicates how the brain tumor will affect the nervous system. The location and size of the brain tumor decide the treatment, a person requires.
Symptoms of Brain Tumor
The symptoms and signs of brain tumors differ greatly. It depends on the brain tumor’s rate of growth, size, and location. However, certain symptoms of Brain tumor are-
- Change in the outline of headaches
- Difficulty in speaking
- Seizures
- Frequent and severe headaches
- Trouble with balance
- Hearing issues
- Vision issues like double vision, blurred vision, or peripheral vision
- Behavioral changes
- Inexplicable nausea and vomiting
- The puzzlement in everyday activities
- Steady failure of movement in leg or arm
Causes of Brain tumor
- Primary Brain Tumor
Primary brain tumors grow within the brain or inside the nearby tissues like in the brain-wrapping membranes (meninges), pineal gland, pituitary gland, and cranial nerves.
When the regular brain cells attain mutations (faults) in their DNA, primary brain tumor occurs. These alterations enable the cells to grow and split at an accelerated rate. It makes the transformed cells go on to live when healthy cells would expire. This results in a bunch of abnormal cells, which fabricates a tumor.
Secondary brain tumors are more common in adults when a tumor grows in other parts of the body and reaches the brain.
There are different types of primary brain tumors. These get a name after the abnormal cells they are fabricated from.
- Secondary brain tumor
Secondary brain tumor grows in other parts of the body and reaches the brain. These are also called metastatic brain tumors.
Secondary brain tumors are frequent in the people who have a cancer history. However, this type of brain tumor can be the first symptom of growing brain tumors elsewhere in the body. Adults are more prone to secondary brain tumors than the primary one.
Any tumor can reach the brain. However, the most common types are-
- Kidney cancer
- Melanoma
- Breast Cancer
- Lung cancer
- Colon cancer
Risk factors
The causes of primary brain tumors remain almost unknown in most of the people. However, doctor claim some of the risk factors of primary brain tumor-
- Exposure to radiation change
The people who remain in the contact of ionizing exposure are at more risk to be caught by a brain tumor. Radiation from atomic bombs or radiation therapy for cancer treatment can be taken as an instance.
- Family history
The people belonging to the family, who have a history of brain tumors, are more likely to get troubled by brain tumors.
Your doctor may conduct several tests to verify if you are suffering from a brain tumor. The tests include-
- Neurological test
This test deals with the examination of your reflexes, vision, balancing, and strength. Trouble in two or more areas change may provide a sign of brain tumor in your body.
- Imaging test
MRI (Magnetic resonance imaging) is most commonly used for imaging the brain tumor. Computerized tomography (CT) and Positron emission tomography (PET) are sometimes used for detecting if the tumor is spread from other parts of the body.
- Test for secondary tumor
Test like CT and PET, are conducted to detect that from which part of the body tumor has grown and spread, like and PET look for the symptoms of lung cancer.
- Biopsy
The process of biopsy takes a sample of your brain tissue. A small needle is put into the skull to take the sample.
The tissues are tested to see the presence of a tumor. CT scan and MRI scanning direct this procedure.
The treatment of a tumor depends upon the size, type, and location. This also relies upon your health conditions and other preferences.
- Surgery
Surgery depends on the location of the tumor. If the tumor is present in an area of the brain where the operation is approachable, your surgeon can safely remove the tumor as much as possible.
In some cases, the tumor is present in a tissue or area, which is very sensitive; it becomes difficult for your surgeon to take away the entire tumor. However, tumors can be removed as much as possible very harmlessly in this case also. Even the exclusion of a small part of the tumor can relieve the symptoms.
Surgery performed to take away the tumor has risks like bleeding or infections. It can also damage critical and sensitive nerves that connect to different parts of the body.
- Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy deals with killing the tumor cells using high rays like protons or X-rays. Radiation can be placed inside your body nearby your tumor; however, this is very rare. Many a time, radiation is sourced from a machine, which is kept outside your body.
The side effects of radiation therapy depend on the intensity of radiation, which is received. Common side effects may include headache, scalp irritation, fatigue, or memory loss.
- Radiosurgery
Radiosurgery deals with killing the tumor cells with multiple beams of light. It is generally used for killing the tumor cells from a very small change area. Not all the beams are powerful; however, the point where they all meet to eliminate the tumor cells becomes a heavy dose of radiation.
- Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy deals with fighting and eliminating the tumor with the use of drugs. These drugs are taken in the form of pills, or injected into your veins.
Tests establish whether chemotherapy would work for your tumor or not.
Side effects of chemotherapy depend on the drugs you take. Hair loss, vomiting, and nausea are general side effects of taking chemotherapy.
- Targeted drug therapy
This therapy tunes up on particular deformities found in your tumor cells. Targeted drug therapy blocks the deviations, and leads to the elimination of tumor cells. This therapy is available for various sorts of tumors.
Healing after treatment
Healing is essential after recovery, as to re-track your daily routines. Your doctor may suggest you-
- Physical therapy to recover muscle power and motor skills
- Occupational therapy to get back to your normal work and occupation
- Speech therapy to remove the difficulty in speaking, as it a symptom of tumor
- Counseling the children to help them coping up after a brain tumor
For online doctor consultation for brain tumor visit Daily Chemist web page and get medical advice from experts.
