Brain Tumors & Its Types
A brain tumor is a collection, or mass, of abnormal cells in your brain. They can be primary or secondary.Brain tumors can be cancerous (malignant) or noncancerous (benign). When benign or malignant tumors grow, they can cause the pressure inside your skull to increase. This can cause brain damage, and it can be life-threatening.
Primary brain tumors originate in your brain and many are benign. Secondary brain tumor, also known as a metastatic brain tumor, occurs when cancer cells spread to your brain from another organ, such as your lung or breast.
Benign brain tumors grow slowly and don’t typically spread to other tissues. Also have more clearly defined borders, making them easier to remove surgically, and they don’t usually come back after removal. On the other hand, malignant brain tumors are cancerous, grow rapidly, and can spread to other parts of your brain or central nervous system, which can cause life-threatening complications.
What are the Risk factors :
- Family history : Only about 5 to 10 percent of all cancers are genetically inherited, or hereditary. It’s rare for a brain tumor to be genetically inherited.
- Age : The risk for most types of brain tumors increases with age.
- Chemical exposure : Being exposed to certain chemicals, such as those you might find in a work environment, can increase your risk for brain cancer.
- Exposure to radiation : People who have been exposed to ionizing radiation have an increased risk of brain tumors. You can be exposed to ionizing radiation through high-radiation cancer therapies. You can also be exposed to radiation from nuclear fallout.
What are symptoms of Brain Tumors?
The signs and symptoms of a brain tumor depend on the brain tumor's size and location. Symptoms also might depend on how fast the brain tumor is growing, which is also called the tumor grade.
- Headache or pressure in the head that is worse in the morning
- Nausea or vomiting
- Eye problems, such as blurry vision, seeing double or losing sight on the sides of your vision
- Trouble with balance
- Speech problems
- Memory problems
- Personality or behaviour changes
- Seizures, especially if there is no history of seizures.
- Hearing problems
- Dizziness or a sense that the world is spinning, also called vertigo
Brain tumors that are non cancerous tend to cause symptoms that develop slowly. They might cause subtle symptoms that you don't notice at first. The symptoms might get worse over months or years. Cancerous brain tumors cause symptoms that get worse quickly. They cause symptoms that come on suddenly. They get worse in a matter of days or weeks.
Treatment options for Brain Tumor
The treatment of a brain tumor depends on the type of tumor, size of the tumor, location of the tumor. The most common treatment for malignant brain tumors is surgery. The goal is to remove as much of the cancer as possible without causing damage to the healthy parts of the brain. It can be combined with other treatments, such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy can help you recover after neurosurgery.