| Brain cancer is a disease of the brain
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| | that suppress the development of
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| where cancer cells (malignant) grow in
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| | malignant cells) increase the risk for
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| the brain tissue. Cancer cells grow to
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| | some types of brain cancer.
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| form a mass of cancer tissue (tumor) that
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| | Symptoms
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| interferes with brain tissue functions
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| | The signs and symptoms of a brain tumor
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| such as muscle control, sensation,
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| | vary greatly and depend on the brain
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| memory, and other normal body functions.
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| | tumor's size, location and rate of
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| Tumors composed of cancer cells are
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| | growth.
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| called malignant tumors, and those
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| | Depending on the location and size of the
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| composed of noncancerous cells are called
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| | tumor, symptoms experienced by each
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| benign tumors. Cancer cells that develop
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| | patient may vary. Most of the common
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| from brain tissue are called primary
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| | symptoms are due to increased
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| brain tumors. Statistics suggest that
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| | intracranial pressure as the growing
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| brain cancer is not rare and is likely to
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| | tumor affects surrounding structures:
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| develop in about 20,000 people per year.
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| | Frequent headaches (reported by 50% of
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| There are two main types of brain cancer.
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| | patients)
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| Primary brain cancer starts in the brain.
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| | Blurry vision
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| Metastatic brain cancer starts somewhere
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| | Nausea and/or vomiting
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| else in the body and moves to the brain.
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| | Personality or cognitive changes
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| Brain tumors can be benign, with no
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| | Treatment
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| cancer cells, or malignant, with cancer
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| | Treatment for brain cancer depends on the
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| cells that grow quickly.
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| | age of the patient, the stage of the
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| Although such growths are popularly
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| | disease, the type and location of the
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| called brain tumors, not all brain tumors
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| | tumor, and whether the cancer is a
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| are cancer. Cancer is a term reserved for
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| | primary tumor or brain metastases. The
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| malignant tumors.
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| | treatment plan is developed by the
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| Malignant tumors grow and spread
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| | oncology team and the patient. Treatment
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| aggressively, overpowering healthy cells
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| | involves any combination of surgery,
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| by taking their space, blood, and
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| | radiation, and chemotherapy. Some tumors
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| nutrients. (Like all cells of the body,
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| | require several different surgical
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| tumor cells need blood and nutrients to
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| | procedures, and some can be treated with
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| survive.)
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| | radiation alone.
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| Primary tumors
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| | Before treatment begins, most patients
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| The brain is made up of many different
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| | are given steroids, drugs that relieve
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| types of cells.
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| | swelling or edema. Your may receive
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| Some brain cancers occur when one type of
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| | anticonvulsant medicine to prevent or
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| cell transforms from its normal
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| | control seizures. If hydrocephalus is
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| characteristics. Once transformed, the
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| | present, you may need a shunt to drain
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| cells grow and multiply in abnormal ways.
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| | cerebrospinal fluid. A shunt is a long,
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| As these abnormal cells grow, they become
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| | thin tube placed in a ventricle of the
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| a mass, or tumor.
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| | brain and then threaded under the skin to
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| Causes and Risk Factors
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| | another part of the body, usually the
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| Aside from a known association with
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| | abdomen. It works like a drainpipe.
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| exposure to vinyl chloride, there are no
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| | Excess fluid is carried away from the
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| known chemical or environmental agents
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| | brain and is absorbed in the abdomen. In
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| that lead to the development of brain
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| | some cases, the fluid is drained into the
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| tumors. Genetic mutations and deletions
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| | heart.
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| of tumor suppressor genes (i.e., genes
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