Brain
tumor is a disease that refers to the abnormal growth of cells in the tissues
of the brain. They can be cancerous (malignant) or non-cancerous (benign). Both
malignant and benign tumors have symptoms and they need treatment. They can
occur in both children and adults.
There
are many types of brain tumors and they can form in different parts of the
brain. When a tumor grows and presses on a specific area of the brain, it can
stop that part of the brain from functioning in an effective manner. One of the
important things that you need to remember is that some tumor locations may
cause more damage than the others and they may also be harder to treat.
Types of brain tumor
Grade I – This is a separate group of tumors
commonly known as juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma (JPA). Juvenile does not refer
to the age of the patient but a type of cell. It includes lesions with low
proliferative potential.
The
tumor often forms in the dura mater. The tumor cells look similar to the normal
cells and it does not spread to the nearby tissues. It is a non-cancerous slow
growing tumor that is often cured with surgery.
Grade II – It includes lesions that generally
infiltrate and low in mitotic activity. They occur more frequently than Grade I
tumors and some may progress fast to higher grades of malignancy. They may
spread to nearby tissues too.
Grade III – The tumor cells look different from
normal cells and they grow quickly. They are most likely to spread to nearby
tissues. Actively reproduces abnormal cells and is most likely to come back as
a higher grade tumor.
Grade IV – It grows fast and is the most
malignant. It actively reproduces abnormal cells and spread fast to other
normal parts of the brain. New blood vessels are formed by the tumor to
maintain rapid growth. The tumor has dead cells areas in the center known as necrosis.
The
staging for the tumors is performed based on CT scans and MRI images.
Symptoms of brain tumor
General symptoms
Early
symptoms include headaches and feeling sick. This can be due to increased
pressure on the skull. The symptoms may be moderate to severe and are most
likely to be worse in the morning. The headaches may get worse when you cough
and sneeze. Seizures may also occur at times. As the tumor enlarges drowsiness
may increase.
Symptoms based on the
location of the tumor in the brain
When
the abnormal cancer cells reproduce and multiply it may spread to other normal
parts of the brain and damage the tissue. Different functions of the body are
controlled by different parts of the brain and the symptoms may vary depending
on which part of the brain is affected. The size of the affected area also
matters. The symptoms may develop gradually.
- Confusion and dizziness
- Difficulty in speech, hearing, vision, communication
and swallowing.
- Problems related to balance and coordination
- Loss of smell
- Personality changes
- Weakness in the muscles or numbness in parts of the
body
- Hormonal changes (pituitary tumor)
Treatment
The treatment
for different types of brain tumor needs to be individualized for each patient.
The treatment may vary depending on the age and health status of the patient. Grade,
type, location and size also determine the treatment that is prescribed. Surgery,
chemotherapy and radiation are the main types of treatment and more than one
type may be used depending on the nature of the tumor.
Surgery
The surgery
is done to remove the tumor. If it cannot be completely removed then the
surgeon removes a part of it to ascertain its type and grade. In the case of
benign tumors, surgery can completely cure the disease. The common symptoms
after surgery are pain and headache and they may subside after some days. If
the pain or discomfort persists, you may have to contact the doctor.
Radiation
Radiation
helps kill tumor cells and this usually follows surgery. In some cases surgery
may not be possible and radiation is recommended as the first form of
treatment. Internal and external radiation is used to treat brain tumors.
External radiation therapy – A machine is used to direct beams
of radiation on specific parts of the brain. The radiation schedule may vary
depending on the age of the patient, type and size of the tumor. Some doses of
radiation are given each day and the total dose that needs to be given may be
spread over several weeks.
Internal radiation therapy – It is not a common method of
treatment and it is still under study. Small implants called seeds are used for
radiation. They are placed inside the brain so that they can give radiation at
specific places in an accurate manner.
Chemotherapy
In
chemotherapy doctors used drugs to kill the brain tumor cells. They are usually
administered intravenously (mouth or vein) and the drugs enter the bloodstream and
kill the harmful cells. For some adult patients, wafers are implanted in the
brain. These wafers contain drugs that dissolve over a period of time and kill
the brain tumor cells.
It is
important that the patient takes adequate care both during and after the different
treatment processes to avoid infection. Regular checkups may also be necessary
to determine the next course of action depending on the severity of the
disease.
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