Brain Cancer - Causes, Diagnosis, Symptoms, Treatment and Prognosis

Malignant brain tumors occur in about 4.5 people peraround the brain or spinal cord, account for about
100,000 population, they may occur at any age but20% of brain cancers and are generally more benign.
brain cancer is the leading cause of cancer-relatedTREATMENT OF BRAIN TUMORS
death in patients younger than age 35. In adults,How to treat brain tumors depends on the age of
incidence is generally highest between ages 40 to 60.the patient, the stage of the disease, the type and
There are two main types of brain cancer. Primarylocation of the tumor, and whether the cancer is a
brain tumors start in the brain. Metastatic brainprimary tumor or brain metastases. Brain cancer and
tumours start somewhere else in the body andbrain tumors are somewhat unique because of the
moves to the brain. The most common tumor typesblood brain barrier, which severely restricts the types
in adults are gliomas and meningiomas. In children,of substances in the bloodstream that are allowed by
incidence is generally highest before age 1 and againthe body into the brain and makes drug treatment
between ages 2 and 12. The most common types ofextremely difficult. Because of this more and more
brain tumour in children are astrocytomas,research is being undertaken in delivering medication
medulloblastomas, ependymomas and brain stemby means of nanoparticles, amongst the properties
gliomas.of nanoparticles that make them ideal candidates for
CAUSES OF BRAIN CANCERrecognizing and treating brain cancer, their ability to
What causes brain cancer is not exactly known butdeliver a wide variety of payloads across the
there has recently been a great deal of speculationblood-brain barrier is perhaps the most important.
on the role of cell phone radiation in the developmentBrain cancer's location and ability to spread quickly
of brain cancer. In fact, while studies generally havemakes treatment with surgery or radiation like
shown no link between cell phones and brain cancer,fighting an enemy hiding out among minefields and
there is some conflicting scientific evidence that maycaves, and explains why the term brain cancer is all
be worth additional study, according to the FDA.too often associated with the word inoperable.
More accepted risk factors for brain cancer include;Brain cancer survival statistics for the deadliest of
exposure to vinyl chloride and individuals with risktumors such as gliomas have not improved
factors such as having a job in an oil refinery, as asignificantly over the past two decades and the
chemist, embalmer, or rubber industry worker showclinical armamentarium is, to a large extent, still
higher rates of brain cancer. Other risk factors suchdependent on surgery and radiation therapy,
as smoking, radiation exposure, and viral infectiontreatments known to leave survivors with
(HIV) have been suggested but not proven to causedevastating cognitive deficits. Gamma knife surgery is
brain cancer. Patients with a history of melanoma,a radiosurgery technique used to treat people with
lung, breast, colon, or kidney cancer are at risk forbrain cancer and other neurological disorders
secondary brain cancer.The most deadly form of brain cancer may be
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF BRAIN CANCERtreatable with a vaccine that uses proteins. Unlike
Onset of symptoms is usually insidious and brainmeasles or mumps vaccines, which are meant to
tumors are often misdiagnosed. Brain Cancers causeprevent disease, the brain cancer vaccine turns on
central nervous system changes by invading andthe patient's own immune system so it will help kill
destroying tissues and by secondary effects such asthe tumor. When the vaccine is injected, it stimulates
pressure on the brain. Symptoms vary but in general,the immune system to kill off brain cancer cells and
brain cancer symptoms include: Abnormal pulse andprevent the regrowth of tumors that have already
breathing rates, deep, dull headaches that recur oftenbeen treated.
and persist without relief for long periods of time,PROGNOSIS
difficulty walking or speaking, dizziness, eyesightThe chances of surviving for a person with a brain
problems including double vision, seizures, vomitingtumor: Prognosis greatly depends on all of the
and at the late stages of the disorder dramaticfollowing: type of tumor extent of the disease size
changes in blood pressure may occur. Althoughand location of the tumor presence or absence of
headaches are often a symptom of brain cancer, it ismetastasis the tumor's response to therapy, age,
important to remember that most headaches areoverall health, and medical history, tolerance of
due to less serious conditions such as migraine orspecific medications, procedures, or therapies.
tension, not cancer.Metastatic brain cancer indicates advanced disease
DIAGNOSIS OF BRAIN CANCERSand has a poor prognosis. Unfortunately, the most
In most cases a definitive diagnosis is made by acommon form of primary brain cancer, glioblastoma,
tissue biopsy. Other diagnostic tools include; patientis also the most aggressive and lethal but teratomas
history, a neurologic assessment, skull x-rays, a brainand other germ cell tumors although they have the
scan, CT scan, MRI, a lumbar puncture and cerebralcapacity to grow very large may have a more
angiography. Meningiomas, arising from the coveringfavorable prognosis.