An overview of Brain Cancer

A brain tumor is a growth of abnormal cells in the brain. The anatomy of the brain isvery complex, with different parts responsible for different nervous systemfunctions. Brain tumors can develop in any part of the brain or skull, including itsprotective lining, the underside of the brain (skull base), the brainstem, thesinuses and the nasal cavity, and many other areas. There are more than 120different types of tumors that can develop in the brain, depending on what tissuethey arise from.

Brain tumors can be malignant (cancerous) or benign (noncancerous). Some tumors growquickly, while others are slow growing.Only about one-third of brain tumors arecancerous. But whether they’re cancerous or not, brain tumors can impact brainfunction and your health if they grow large enough to press on surrounding nerves,blood vessels and tissue.

Researchers have identified more than 150 different brain tumors. Healthcareproviders categorize primary tumors as glial (composed of glial cells in your brain)or non-glial (developed on or in the structures of your brain, including nerves,blood vessels and glands) and benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous).

Many types of brain tumors can also form in your spinal cord or column.

Usually benign brain tumors

Types of brain tumors that are usually benign include:

Chordomas : These slowly developing tumors usually start near the base of theskull or the lower section of the spine. Most of them are benign.

Craniopharyngiomas : A section of your pituitary gland is where these tumorstypically develop. The proximity of these tumors to important brain areas makes themchallenging to remove.

Gangliocytomas, gangliomas and anaplastic gangliogliomas : These are uncommonneuronal tumors (nerve cells).

Glomus jugulare : These tumors are often seen at the head of your jugularvein, directly below the base of your skull (neck vein). They represent the mosttypical variety of glomus tumor.

Pineocytomas : These slow-growing tumors form in your pineal gland, which islocated deep in your brain and secretes the hormone melatonin.

Pituitary adenomas : These tumors form in your pituitary gland, which islocated at the base of your brain. Your pituitary gland makes and controls hormonesin your body. Pituitary adenomas are usually slow growing and they may releaseexcess pituitary hormones.

Schwannomas : These are common benign brain tumors in adults. They developfrom the Schwann cells in your peripheral nervous system or cranial nerves. Schwanncells assist the conduction of nerve impulses. Acoustic neuromas are the most commonschwannoma. These tumors occur on your vestibular nerve (the nerve that leads fromyour inner ear to your brain).

Cancerous (malignant) brain tumors

Approximately 78% of cancerous primary brain tumors are gliomas. These tumors developin glial cells, which surround and assist nerve cells. Types of gliomas include:

Astrocytoma : These tumors are the most common type of glioma. They form inthe star-shaped glial cells called astrocytes. They can form in many parts of yourbrain, but most commonly occur in your cerebrum.

Ependymomas : These tumors often occur near the ventricles in your brain.Ependymomas develop from ependymal cells (called radial glial cells).

Glioblastoma (GBM) : These tumors form in glial cells called astrocytes. GBMsare the fastest-growing astrocytoma.

Oligodendroglioma : These uncommon tumors begin in cells that create myelin (alayer of insulation around nerves in your brain).

Medulloblastoma is another type of cancerous brain tumor. These tumors are fastgrowing and form at the base of your skull. They’re the most common cancerous braintumor in children.

Primary brain tumors are those that develop from an expansion of brain cells. Theymay begin directly in the brain or in surrounding tissue. The meninges, which coverthe brain, may be among the nearby tissue. Nerves, the pituitary, and the pinealgland can all develop brain tumors.

Brain tumors develop when the DNA of cells in or around the brain is altered. Theinstructions that inform a cell what to do are stored in its DNA. When healthy cellswould naturally perish as a part of their life cycle, the alterations instruct thecells to proliferate swiftly and keep surviving. This produces a large number ofadditional brain cells. A tumor can develop from the cells.

The reason for the Genetic alterations that result in brain tumors is unknown. Thecause of brain tumors is unknown in many cases. The modifications could make havinga brain tumor more likely. These inherited brain tumors are uncommon. Inform yourhealthcare professional if there is a family history of brain tumors. If you want toknow whether your family history puts you at a higher risk of developing a braintumor, you might think about scheduling a consultation with a doctor who specializesin genetics.

Children are more prone to develop primary brain tumors when they develop a braintumor. Brain tumors in adults are more frequently cancers that originated elsewhereand progressed to the brain.

The symptoms of brain cancer depend on the size and location of the brain tumor.Brain cancer shares many symptoms with several less serious conditions, especiallyin the early stages. Common brain cancer symptoms include:

1. headaches that are usually worse in the morning

2. nausea

3. vomiting

4. A lack of balance and cordination

5. difficulty walking and thinking

6. speech problems

7. vision problems

8. unexplained passing out, or syncope

9. drowsiness

10. numbness or tingling in the arms or legs

11. seizures

12. personality changes

Regrettably, brain tumors cannot be stopped. Avoiding environmental risks likesmoking and excessive radiation exposure can lower your risk of getting a braintumor.

It's crucial to let your doctor know if you have a first-degree biological relative(parent, sibling, or other close relative) who has been diagnosed with a braintumor. To determine whether you have an inherited genetic condition linked to braincancers, they might advise genetic counseling.

If you have symptoms of a brain tumor, your doctor may perform one of the followingto make a diagnosis:

a brain biopsy, which is a surgical procedure in which a small amount of the tumor isremoved for diagnostic testing and to determine if your tumor is malignant

a lumbar puncture, which is a procedure that collects a small sample of the fluidthat surrounds your brain and spinal cord, to check for cancer cells

imaging tests, like CT, MRI, and positron emission tomography (PET) scans, to locatethe tumor

a neurological examination to determine if a tumor is affecting your brain

There are several treatments for brain cancer. Treatment for primary brain cancerwill be different from treatment for cancers that have metastasized from othersites. You may receive one or more treatments depending on the type, size, andlocation of your brain tumor. Your age and general health will also be factors.Brain tumor treatments include:

Brain surgery (craniotomy) : When possible, neurosurgeons remove the tumor.They work very carefully, sometimes performing surgery when you’re awake (you won’tfeel pain), to minimize damage to functional areas of your brain.

Radiation therapy : High doses of X-rays destroy brain tumor cells or shrinkthe tumor in this type of treatment.

Radiosurgery : This is a type of radiation therapy that uses very focusedbeams of radiation (gamma rays or proton beams) to destroy a tumor. It’s notactually surgery because it doesn’t require an incision (cut).

Brachytherapy : This is a form of radiation therapy. It involves surgicallyplacing radioactive seeds, capsules or other implants directly in or near thecancerous tumor.

Chemotherapy : This therapy consists of anticancer drugs that kill cancercells in your brain and throughout your body. You might receive chemotherapy throughan injection into a vein or take it as a pill. Your healthcare provider mayrecommend chemotherapy after surgery to kill any cancer cells left behind or toprevent remaining tumor cells from growing.

Immunotherapy : Immunotherapy, also called biological therapy, is a type oftreatment that uses your body’s immune system to fight cancer. The therapy mainlyconsists of stimulating your immune system to help it do its job more effectively.

Targeted therapy : With this treatment, drugs target specific features incancer cells without harming healthy cells. Your healthcare provider may recommendtargeted therapy if you have trouble tolerating the side effects of chemotherapy,such as fatigue and nausea.

Drugs such as mannitol and corticosteroids : These medications can help reducepressure within your skull. They reduce swelling around the tumor. Palliative care:This is a specialized form of care that provides symptom relief, comfort and supportto people living with serious illnesses. It also provides support to caregivers andthose impacted by a loved one’s condition.