Brain Cancer

Overview

Any abnormal growth within the brain cells is described as the brain cancer. Although these abnormal growths are often referred to as brain tumors, not all brain tumors are cancerous. The term brain cancer is actually intended to describe brain tumors that are either malignant or cancerous in nature. Malignant brain tumors tend to grow and spread intensely that causes healthy cells to be overpowered, because the space, nutrients and blood are used by the tumor cells. When a brain tumor is present, but not aggressively spreading, they are known as benign brain tumors.

Types

The brain is composed of a number of different cells and brain cancers develop due to various reasons. Some brain cancers occur when cells transform from normal trait into new characteristics. Upon transformation these cells grow and multiply into a tumor or an abnormal mass of cells.

The most common type of primary brain tumors include: astrocytomas, choroid plexus papillomas, ependymomas, gliomas, meningiomas, pituitary adenomas, primitive neuron ectodermal tumors or medulloblastomas, oligodendrogliomas and vestibular schwannomas. Most of these types of primary tumors are named after the place the cancer cell originates in the brain or brain cell.

Symptoms

Not all brain tumors cause noticeable signs or symptoms and some brain tumors do not show any symptoms until death. The symptoms associated with brain tumors are not only numerous, but they also tend to be non-specific to brain cancer, which means other associated illnesses can occur. The only way that you can determine the symptoms are caused by brain cancer, is to undergo diagnostic testing and screening with a trained physician or cancer specialist. The symptoms that are caused are typically due to the swelling in the brain or the tumor encroaching on or pressing on other parts of the brain, which leads to malfunctioning of the specific organ. The most common symptoms associated with brain cancer include headaches, clumsiness, seizures, difficulty in walking and overall weakness.

Causes/Risk Factors

Tumors are found almost everywhere in the human body, the exact cause for most types of brain tumors and brain cancer is currently unknown. There are risk factors that have been linked to brain cancers including environmental toxins, genetic factors, radiation as well as cigarette smoking, although there is no clear cause as of yet.

Tests/Diagnosis

In case if your medical interview or physical examination indicates some problem in the brain or brain stem, you need to undergo additional tests. Computerized tomographies, or CT scans, are often done in most cases. MRI scans and x-rays show the 3D structure of the tumor, and a harmless dye is injected into your bloodstream to highlight abnormalities or tumor growth on the scan and many other routine laboratory tests. Most of these diagnostic techniques will only be explored if your basic examination indicates that you may have a problem with your brain or your brain stem.

Treatment

Treatment for brain tumors and brain cancer is something that needs to be completely customized and individualized for you. There are a number of different treatment options that can be chosen by you and your cancer specialist depending on the type of tumor, the location of the tumor in your brain and the size of the tumor. In most cases, the best course of action is surgery to remove the brain tumor, but this is largely dependent on whether or not the tumor can be excised without harming your brain in the process. Other than that, radiation therapy and chemotherapy is carried. New therapies and treatments are developed. When these therapies shows promising results in lab level, it will be tested on people with cancer; these kinds of tests are called as clinical trials.