What is a brain tumor?
A brain tumor is primarily the growth of a mass of abnormal cells that begins in the brain. They can be either benign, i.e. non-cancerous, or malignant, containing very fast growing cancer cells.
Some tumors are primary, i.e. their origin is in the brain itself. On the other hand, there are tumors that originally appeared in one part of the body and have metastasized to the brain.
The speed with which a brain tumor grows and progresses varies according to the type and the person, and its growth speed and location will determine how it affects the nervous system. There are a number of types of brain tumors:
- Astrocytoma
- Choroid plexus carcinoma
- Craniopharynginoma
- Glioma
- Gliobastoma
- Ependymoma
- Meningioma
- Medulloblastoma
- Brain metastasis
- Acoustic neuroma
- Oligodendroglioma
- Pineblastoma
- Oligodendroglioma
- Childhood or pediatric brain tumor
- Embryonal tumor
- Pituitary tumor
Prognosis of brain tumor
If the tumor is cancerous, it is a serious disease with a guarded prognosis. The success rate in treating the tumor will vary depending on the individual, the location of the tumor, the type of tumor, the…
Symptoms of brain tumor
The symptoms of brain tumors vary widely depending on the size, speed of growth and exact location of the tumor.
The most general signs of a brain tumor may include any of the following:
- Onset of pain or a change in its pattern.
- Headaches that become progressively more severe and intense.
- Nausea and vomiting
- Vision problems, loss of peripheral vision and double vision
- Gradual loss of sensation or movement of an arm or leg
- Difficulty maintaining coordination and balance
- Difficulty with speech
- Confusion and disorientation in dealing with everyday issues and topics
- Personality and/or behavioral changes
- Seizures
- Hearing problems
Medical tests for brain tumors
In the event that the presence of a brain tumor is suspected, the specialist may order a series of tests to diagnose the presence of the tumor and begin – if necessary – immediate treatment. The main tests to diagnose the tumor are the following:
- Neurological examination: vision, hearing ability, balance or coordination are checked… If the patient has difficulties in one or more areas, clues can be given as to the affected area
- Imaging tests or diagnosis: magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is usually used to help with the diagnosis. Sometimes other tests such as CT scans are recommended.
- Tests to find cancer in other parts of the body: in case the specialist considers that the tumor may be the origin of another cancer that has spread, CT scans or PET scans may be done to look for lung cancer.
- Collection and analysis of a sample: these are the famous biopsies. A sample of the tissue to be analyzed is obtained and sent to laboratories.
Top view and lateral image of a brain tumor
What are the causes of brain tumors?
There are tumors that originate in the brain itself, which are called primary tumors. On the other hand, tumors that originate in another part of the body, but that end up affecting the brain are called secondary or metastatic tumors.
Primary tumors originate when their cells have mutations in their DNA. These mutations allow the cells to divide and grow faster, these cells will continue to live while healthy cells will die. The result is a mass of abnormal cells that form the tumor.
In adults, the primary brain tumor is less frequent than the secondary one. There are different types of primary tumors:
- Gliomas: begin in the brain or medulla and include astrocytomas, ependymomas, oligoastrocytomas, oligodenfrogliomas and gliobastomas.
- Meningiomas: arise from the membranes that form around the brain and spinal cord, called meninges.
- Acoustic neurinomas are benign tumors that appear in the nerves that control balance and hearing from the inner ear to the brain.
- Pituitary adenomas: these are benign tumors that appear in the pituitary gland, that is, at the base of the brain.
- Medulloblastomas are very common cancerous tumors in children. It starts in the back of the brain and spreads through the cerebrospinal fluid.
- Germ cell tumors develop during childhood, when testicles and ovaries form, although they sometimes affect other parts of the body.
- Craniopharyngiomas are rare non-cancerous tumors, although as they grow they can affect other parts of the body.
On the other hand, metastatic or secondary tumors are those that appear originally due to another cancer that appears in another part of the body but that ends up manifesting in the brain.
These are more frequent in people who have had cancer. Any type of cancer can spread to the brain, although the most frequent are breast cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, kidney cancer and melanoma.
Can brain tumors be prevented?
There is no way to prevent brain cancer, with early diagnosis being the most effective way to prevent its occurrence. Some risk factors are the level of radiation to the head, HIV infections or environmental toxins.
Avoiding exposure to factors such as vinyl chloride, maintaining a healthy diet or limiting alcohol consumption can help keep tumors from forming.
Treatments for brain tumor
Brain tumor treatment depends on the type, exact location and size of the tumor.
There are different ways to deal with the tumor, by surgery, radiation therapy, radiosurgery, chemotherapy and drug therapy.
- Surgery: If the tumor is accessible for surgery, as much of the tumor as possible will be removed. Complete surgical removal may be given and in others parts may be removed.
Sometimes partial removal of a tumor can help reduce symptoms.
- Radiation therapy: energy beams such as X-rays or protons are used to kill tumor cells. Side effects may include headache, fatigue, memory loss or scalp irritation.
- Radiosurgery: Beams of radiation are used to kill cells in a very small area.
- Chemotherapy: drugs are used to kill tumor cells. Side effects vary depending on the medication received and may include nausea, vomiting and hair loss or loss of hair.
- Targeted drug therapy. These target specific abnormalities in the cancer cells which, once blocked, allow the cancer cells to be destroyed.
Once treatment has been received, the patient can be referred to physiotherapists, therapists, speech therapists…
Which specialists treat the brain tumor?
There are different specialists who can treat this problem, from Neurosurgeons and Neurologists, to specialists in Internal Medicine, Oncologists, Radiation Oncologists and Radiologists. Physiotherapists, Physical Rehabilitators and Psychologists can be very important to face and/or overcome the disease.