Brain Tumor

What is Brain Tumor?

Brain Tumor refers to an abnormal growth of a mass or cells in the brain. These tumors are also known by the name of central nervous system tumor. These tumors may either be benign or malignant depending on whether they are slow growing or fast growing. According to studies, only one third of all brain tumors are cancerous. However, even though they may not be cancerous, their growth can cause pressure to build up inside the skull causing life threatening brain damage.

What are the different Types of Brain tumors?

There are two categories of brain tumors- primary or secondary. Properties of both these tumors can be listed as follows:

Primary Brain Tumors

The tumors that originate in the brain are primary brain tumors. These can be benign or cancerous and can develop from brain cells, nerve cells, glands or even the membranes surrounding the brain. Common primary brain tumors are as follows:

• Gliomas: When glial cells cause development of tumors, they are known as gliomas. These include astrocytic tumors, oligodendroglial tumors, and glioblastomas.
• Pituitary Tumors which are commonly benign
• Pineal Gland tumors
• Ependymomas
• Craniopharyngiomas
• Meningiomas
• Shwannomas
• Primary germ cell and central nervous system lymphomas

Secondary Brain Tumors

They often start from one part of the body and metastasize to the brain. These include breast cancer, lung cancer, skin cancer and kidney cancer. They are almost always malignant as benign tumors do not spread from one part body part to another.

What are the risk factors of brain tumors?

Common risk factors of brain tumors are as follows:

• Age: Risk increases with increasing age
• Family History: many cancers are genetically inherited though the same is not really true for brain tumors. For better advice, it is best to consult a genetic counselor for the same.
• Race: Brain tumors are more commonly found in Caucasians though African American people are more prone to getting meningiomas.
• Chemical exposure: Exposure to certain chemicals increases the risk of brain tumor in people. This may happen due to hazardous work environment.
• Radiation Exposure: People who get exposed to ionizing radiation either through cancer therapies or nuclear fallouts are also at an increased risk of brain tumors.

What are the common symptoms of Brain Tumors?

There is a great variation between the symptoms and signs of brain tumors in different people. Some general ones can be as follows:

• Frequent and severe headaches
• Weakness or loss of sensation in any part of body
• Unexplained nausea or vomiting
• Visual symptoms like blurring, double vision
• Difficulty in speech or comprehension
• Seizures without having any history of the same
• Hearing problems
• Difficulty or imbalance in walking
• Behavioral changes or personality changes
• Poor feeding or excessive unexplained crying in children.

How are brain tumors treated?

The treatment for brain tumors depend on their size, type and location along with the patient’s overall health and preferences. Common treatment options available are:

• Surgery
• Radiation therapy using X-rays or protons for killing the tumor cells
• Radiosurgery
• Chemotherapy

In order to choose the right treatment plan for your tumor, it is good to consult with the best Neurosurgeon at Accord Hospital for the same. Not only will they be able to give you the best treatments available within Delhi/NCR, they also develop a customized post surgery rehabilitation plan for physical, occupational and mental well being of your patient.