A mass or growth of abnormal cells in the human brain is called a Brain tumor. There are different types of brain tumors that exist, some are benign i.e, noncancerous while some brain tumors are malignant i.e, cancerous.
Brain tumors can begin in the brain or can begin in other parts of the body and spread to the brain.
Treatment options for brain tumors depend on the type of brain tumor, its size, and location in the body.
Signs and Symptoms OF Brain tumors
The signs and symptoms of a brain tumor depend on the brain tumor’s size, location, and rate of growth. Typical signs and symptoms caused by brain tumors include:
- Headaches that become more frequent and more severe with time
- A change in the pattern of headaches
- Vision problems including blurred vision in some cases or double vision in some cases.
- Loss of movement or sensation in an arm or a leg
- Problems with hearing capacity
- Difficulty with balancing the body
- Difficulties in speech
- Confusion in everyday matters
- Seizures, especially in those who do not have a history of seizures
- Unexplained nausea or vomiting
- Changes in behavior
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Causes of Brain tumors
PRIMARY BRAIN tumorS: Brain tumors that originate in the brain are termed primary brain tumors.
There are a few different types of primary brain tumors, each is named after a type of cells involved. Such Primary tumors include:
- Gliomas. These tumors begin in the brain or spinal cord and include astrocytomas, ependymomas, glioblastomas, oligoastrocytomas, and oligodendrogliomas.
- Meningiomas. A meningioma is a tumor that arises from the membranes surrounding our brain and spinal cord (meninges).
- Acoustic neuromas. These are benign tumors that develop on the nerves that control balance and hearing leading from the inner ear to the brain.
- Pituitary adenomas. These are mostly benign tumors that develop in the pituitary gland at the base of the brain.
- Medulloblastomas. These are the most common cancerous brain tumors in children while less common in adults. A medulloblastoma starts in the lower back part of the brain and tends to spread through the spinal fluid.
- Craniopharyngiomas. These type of tumors start near the brain’s pituitary gland that secretes hormones which control many body functions. As the craniopharyngioma grows, it can affect the pituitary gland and other structures near the brain.
SECONDARY BRAIN tumorS: Cancer that begins elsewhere and spreads to the brain are termed as secondary brain tumors. These types of tumors affect people having a history of cancer.
A few cancers that can spread to the brain include:
- Kidney cancer
- Lung cancer
- Breast cancer
- Colon cancer
- Melanoma
Risk Factors of Brain tumors
Some factors are responsible and are identified as risk factors to develop a brain tumor. These include:
- Exposure to radiation. People who are exposed to a type of radiation called ionizing radiation are at more risk of developing brain tumors. Ionizing radiation includes radiation used to treat cancer and radiation released by atomic bombs.
- Family history of brain tumors. People with a family history of brain tumors are at higher risk of brain tumors.
Diagnosis of Brain tumor
- A neurological exam: A neurological exam involves an examination of vision, hearing, balance, coordination, strength, and reflexes. Difficulty or abnormality in one or more areas may indicate which part of the brain could be affected by a brain tumor.
- MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging of the Brain is commonly used as an essential diagnostic tool for brain tumors.
- CT Scans: computerized tomography, Positron emission tomography (PET) may be used for brain imaging.
- BIOPSY: A biopsy can be performed as part of an operation to remove the brain tumor, or a biopsy can be performed using a needle. The biopsy sample is then viewed under a microscope to determine if it is cancerous or benign.
Treatment options available for Brain tumors at Oncoplus Hospital, Delhi
Treatment for a brain tumor is decided on the basis of the type, size, and location of the tumor, as well as the patient’s overall health.
Surgery
If the tumor is located in a place that is accessible for the surgery, Onco-Surgeon removes as much of the brain tumor as possible. As in some cases, tumors are small, in addition, can be separated easily from surrounding brain tissue, such tumors can be removed completely. While in some cases, tumors are located near sensitive areas in the brain or are difficult t separate from surrounding tissue make the surgical intervention risky. In such tumors, Onco-Surgeon removes as much of the tumor as safe. Removal of even a small portion of the tumor may help lessen the signs and symptoms.
Minimally Invasive Scarless Brain Surgery
At Oncoplus Hospital, Delhi, Neurosurgeons are experts in minimally invasive techniques. Our surgical team is able to successfully and safely remove the tumor. Minimal invasive surgeries for brain tumors reduce hospital stay also the recovery is fast.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy uses high-energy X-rays or protons to destroy the cancerous cells.
External beam radiation focuses on that area of the brain where the tumor is located, or in some cases radiation therapy can be focused on the entire brain.
Stereotactic radiosurgery
Stereotactic radiosurgery is not a form of traditional surgery, radiosurgery uses multiple beams of radiation to give a highly focused form of radiation treatment to kill the tumor cells in a very small area. Each beam of radiation is not powerful particularly, but the point where all the beams meet at the brain tumor receives a very large dose of radiation to kill the tumor cells effectively.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy uses medicines to destroy cancerous tumor cells. Chemotherapy medicines can be taken orally as pills or can be injected into a vein. Many other chemotherapy medicines are available and may be used depending on the type of cancer.
Targeted Drug Therapy
Targeted drug treatments focus on specific abnormalities present within cancer cells. By blocking these abnormalities, targeted drug treatments can cause cancer cells to die.
Rehabilitation after Brain tumor Treatment
Since brain tumors can affect those parts of the brain that control motor skills, speech, vision, and thinking, hence rehabilitation is a necessary part of the recovery. A few essential therapies are required after brain tumor treatment:
- Physiotherapy to help regain lost motor skills including muscle strength and pain while joints movement.
- Occupational therapy helps the patient get back to his/her normal daily activities including work, after a brain tumor or other related ailment.
- Speech therapy by professional therapists to overcome the difficulty in speaking because of brain tumor.
- Tutoring for school-going children to help children copes with changes in their memory and concentration after a brain tumor.