Your ultimate osteopathy resource on the net


deosteopathic.org keyword stats



Most current MSN search phrases:

calcium causes of diabetes mellitus type 1
spine cancer pagents disease
gum abcess cancer in the spine of dogs
cancer in the spine in dogs why conventional medicine failed
pics bruises from leukemia top medical schools in america

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

Malignant brain tumors occur in about 4.5covering around the brain or spinal cord,
people per 100,000 population, they may occuraccount for about 20% of brain cancers and
at any age but brain cancer is the leadingare  generally  more  benign.
cause of cancer-related death in patients
younger than age 35. In adults, incidence isTREATMENT  OF  BRAIN  TUMORS
generally  highest  between  ages  40  to 60.
How to treat brain tumors depends on the age
There are two main types of brain cancer.of the patient, the stage of the disease, the
Primary brain tumors start in the brain.type and location of the tumor, and whether
Metastatic brain tumours start somewhere elsethe cancer is a primary tumor or brain
in the body and moves to the brain. The mostmetastases. Brain cancer and brain tumors are
common tumor types in adults are gliomas andsomewhat unique because of the blood brain
meningiomas. In children, incidence isbarrier, which severely restricts the types
generally highest before age 1 and againof substances in the bloodstream that are
between ages 2 and 12. The most common typesallowed by the body into the brain and makes
of brain tumour in children are astrocytomas,drug treatment extremely difficult. Because
medulloblastomas, ependymomas and brain stemof this more and more research is being
gliomas.undertaken in delivering medication by means
of nanoparticles, amongst the properties of
CAUSES  OF  BRAIN  CANCERnanoparticles that make them ideal candidates
for recognizing and treating brain cancer,
What causes brain cancer is not exactly knowntheir ability to deliver a wide variety of
but there has recently been a great deal ofpayloads across the blood-brain barrier is
speculation on the role of cell phoneperhaps  the  most  important.
radiation in the development of brain cancer.
In fact, while studies generally have shownBrain cancer's location and ability to spread
no link between cell phones and brain cancer,quickly makes treatment with surgery or
there is some conflicting scientific evidenceradiation like fighting an enemy hiding out
that may be worth additional study, accordingamong minefields and caves, and explains why
to  the  FDA.the term brain cancer is all too often
associated  with  the  word  inoperable.
More accepted risk factors for brain cancer
include; exposure to vinyl chloride andBrain cancer survival statistics for the
individuals with risk factors such as havingdeadliest of tumors such as gliomas have not
a job in an oil refinery, as a chemist,improved significantly over the past two
embalmer, or rubber industry worker showdecades and the clinical armamentarium is, to
higher rates of brain cancer. Other riska large extent, still dependent on surgery
factors such as smoking, radiation exposure,and radiation therapy, treatments known to
and viral infection (HIV) have been suggestedleave survivors with devastating cognitive
but not proven to cause brain cancer.deficits. Gamma knife surgery is a
Patients with a history of melanoma, lung,radiosurgery technique used to treat people
breast, colon, or kidney cancer are at riskwith brain cancer and other neurological
for  secondary  brain  cancer.disorders
SIGNS  AND  SYMPTOMS  OF  BRAIN  CANCERThe most deadly form of brain cancer may be
treatable with a vaccine that uses proteins.
Onset of symptoms is usually insidious andUnlike measles or mumps vaccines, which are
brain tumors are often misdiagnosed. Brainmeant to prevent disease, the brain cancer
Cancers cause central nervous system changesvaccine turns on the patient's own immune
by invading and destroying tissues and bysystem so it will help kill the tumor. When
secondary effects such as pressure on thethe vaccine is injected, it stimulates the
brain. Symptoms vary but in general, brainimmune system to kill off brain cancer cells
cancer symptoms include: Abnormal pulse andand prevent the regrowth of tumors that have
breathing rates, deep, dull headaches thatalready  been  treated.
recur often and persist without relief for
long periods of time, difficulty walking orPROGNOSIS
speaking, dizziness, eyesight problems
including double vision, seizures, vomitingThe chances of surviving for a person with a
and at the late stages of the disorderbrain tumor: Prognosis greatly depends on all
dramatic changes in blood pressure may occur.of the following: type of tumor extent of the
Although headaches are often a symptom ofdisease size and location of the tumor
brain cancer, it is important to rememberpresence or absence of metastasis the tumor's
that most headaches are due to less seriousresponse to therapy, age, overall health, and
conditions such as migraine or tension, notmedical history, tolerance of specific
cancer.medications, procedures, or therapies.
Metastatic brain cancer indicates advanced
DIAGNOSIS  OF  BRAIN  CANCERSdisease and has a poor prognosis.
Unfortunately, the most common form of
In most cases a definitive diagnosis is madeprimary brain cancer, glioblastoma, is also
by a tissue biopsy. Other diagnostic toolsthe most aggressive and lethal but teratomas
include; patient history, a neurologicand other germ cell tumors although they have
assessment, skull x-rays, a brain scan, CTthe capacity to grow very large may have a
scan, MRI, a lumbar puncture and cerebralmore favorable prognosis.
angiography. Meningiomas, arising from the



1 A B C 50 51 52 53 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 70 71 73 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 100 101 102 103