Understanding Brain Tumor

A brain tumor is a mass or growth of abnormal cells in your brain

Different types of brain tumors exist; some tend to be noncancerous, i.e. benign, or cancerous, i.e. malignant.

Brain tumors can begin in your brain which is primary brain tumors.

Or cancer can begin in other parts of your body and spread to the brain as secondary or metastatic brain tumors.

However, how quickly a tumor grows can vary greatly.

The growth rate, as well as the location of the brain tumor, helps to determine how it will affect the function of the nervous system.

Moreover, tumor treatment depends on the type of brain tumor you have, its size, and its location as well.

Keep on reading to learn more about a brain tumor in detail.

Brain Tumor

A brain tumor is a collection or mass of abnormal cells in your brain.

The skin, which encloses your brain is very rigid and any growth inside such a restricted space can cause problems.

Moreover, a tumor can be cancerous i.e. malignant, or noncancerous, i.e. benign.

When benign or malignant tumors grow, they can cause the pressure inside your skull to increase.

This causes brain damage and can also be life-threatening.

Doctors and experts categorize brain tumors as primary and secondary:

• a primary brain tumor originates in the brain and many primary brain tumors are benign
• while a secondary brain tumor or metastatic brain tumor occurs when the cancer cells spread to the brain from another organ like your lung or breast

Benign vs. Malignant Brain Tumors

Although tumors can cause a number of serious issues, they are not cancerous.

This means that they grow slowly and do not spread to other tissues.

Moreover, they also have more clearly defined borders, making them remove surgically, and they do not usually come back after removal.

On the other hand, malignant brain tumors can be cancerous, grow rapidly, and can spread to other parts of your brain or central nervous system.

This can cause life-threatening complications.

Let’s discuss the types of tumors:

Primary Brain Tumors

These tumors originate in your brain and can develop from your:

• brain cells
• nerve cells
• glands, like the pituitary of the pineal
• the membranes that surround your brain which is meninges

Also, primary tumors can be both, benign and cancerous.

In adults, the most common types of brain tumors are gliomas and meningiomas.

Gliomas

These tumors develop from glial cells and these cells normally:

• support the structure of the central nervous system
• provide nutrition to the central nervous system
• clean cellular waste
• break down dead neurons

Also, gliomas can develop from different types of glial cells.

The types of tumors that begin in glial cells are:

• astrocytic tumors like astrocytomas which originate in the cerebrum,
• oligodendroglial tumors that are often found in the frontal-temporal lobes,
• glioblastomas, which originate in the supportive brain tissues and are the most aggressive type.

Othe Primary Brain Tumors

Some other primary tumors are:

Pituitary tumors are benign, pineal gland tumors that can be benign or malignant. ependymomas that are often benign, and primary central nervous system, CNS lymphomas that are malignant.

Furthermore, other tumors are:

• craniopharyngiomas which occur in children and are benign, however, can have clinical symptoms like changes in vision and premature puberty
• primary germ cell tumors of the brain which can be benign or malignant
• meningiomas which can originate in the meninges
• schwannomas can originate in cells that produce the protective cover of your nerves, i.e. myelin sheath or Schwann Cells

Meningiomas are more often diagnosed in women than in men, according to a study that grouped participants into men and women.

Additionally, schwannomas occur equally in both men and women.

These can be benign, however, can cause complications because of their size and location.

Cancerous meningiomas and schwannomas are rare, but can also be very aggressive.

Secondary Brain Tumors

Secondary brain tumors make up the majority of brain cells.

These types begin in one part of the body and spread or metastasize to the brain.

The following can metastasize to the brain:

• lung cancer
• breast cancer
• kidney cancer
• skin cancer

It is important to note that secondary brain tumors are always malignant.

Benign tumors do not spread from one part of your body to another.

Risk Factors of Developing a Brain Tumor

Some risk factors for a brain tumor are:

Family History

Only about 5 to 10% of all cancers are genetically inherited or hereditary.

It is rare for a brain tumor to be genetically inherited.

Thus, talk with your doctor or seek medical advice if people in your family have been diagnosed with a brain tumor.

Your doctor can recommend a genetic counselor for you.

Age

The risk of most types of brain tumors tends to increase with age.

Chemical Exposure

Exposure to certain chemicals like those you may find in a work environment can increase your risk of brain cancer.

Moreover, the National Institue for Occupational Safety and Health keeps a list of potentially cancer-causing chemicals found in workplaces.

Exposure to Radiation

In case you have exposure to ionizing radiation it can increase the risk of a brain tumor.

You can be exposed to ionizing radiation through high-radiation cancer therapies.

Also, you can also be exposed to radiation from nuclear fallout.

The nuclear power plant incidents in Fukushima and Chornobyl are examples of how people can be exposed to ionizing radiation.

No History of Chickenpox

According to a review in Cancer Medicine, having a history of childhood chickenpox is associated with a 21% lower risk of developing glioma.

Symptoms of a Brain Tumor

Symptoms of a brain tumor depend on the location and size of the tumor.

Some tumors cause direct damage by invading brain tissue and some tumors can cause pressure on the surrounding brain.

Moreover, you will have noticeable symptoms when a growing tumor puts pressure on the brain tissue.

Headaches are common symptoms of a brain tumor and you may have headaches that:

• are worse in the morning when you wake up
• occur while you are sleeping
• are made worse by coughing, sneezing, or exercise

You can also experience vomiting, blurred vision, or double vision. confusion, especially in adults, weakness of a limb or part of the face, and a change in mental functioning.

While other common symptoms are clumsiness, memory loss, confusion, difficulty writing or reading, changes in the ability to hear, taste or small, and difficulty swallowing.

Furthermore, some other symptoms are:

• decrease in alertness which can also include drowsiness and loss of consciousness
• dizziness or vertigo
• eye problems like drooping eyelids and unequal pupils
• uncontrollable movement
• hand tremors
• loos of balance
• loss of bladder or bowel control
• numbness or tingling on one side of the body
• trouble speaking or understanding what others are saying
• changes in mood, personality, emotions, and behavior
• difficulty walking
•  muscle weakness in the face, arm, or leg

Symptoms of Pituitary Tumors

The symptoms of pituitary tumors are nipple discharge, or galactorrhea, lack of menstruation in women, development of breast tissues in men, i.e. gynecomastia, and enlargement of the hands and feet.

Moreover, sensitivity to hot or cold, increase in amounts of body hair or hirsutism, low blood pressure, obesity, and changes in vision, like blurry vision or tunnel vision.

Diagnosing Brain Tumors

Diagnosis of a brain tumor begins with a physical examination and a look at your medical history.

The physical exam includes a detailed neurological examination and your doctor will conduct a test to see if your cranial nerves are intact.

These are the nerves that originate in your brain.

Moreover, your doctor will look inside your eyes with an ophthalmoscope.

It is an instrument that shines a light through your pupils and onto your retina.

This will allow your doctor to check how pupils react to light and allows them to look directly into your eyes to see if there is any swelling of the optic nerve.

When pressure increases inside the skull, changes in your optic nerve can also occur.

The doctor can also evaluate your muscle strength, coordination, memory, and ability to do mathematical calculations.

Additional Tests

Also, your doctor can also order more tests after they finish the physical exam and including:

CT Scan of the Head

CT scans are ways for the doctor to get a more detailed scan of your body than with an X-ray machine.

They can do this with or without contrast.

Contrasts that they will achieve in a CT scan of the head using a special dye will help your doctor to see some structures, like blood vessels more clearly.

MRI of the Head

If you have an MRI of the head, your doctor can use a special dye to help your doctor detect tumors.

An MRI is different from a CT scan as it does not use radiation and generally provides a more detailed picture of the structures of the brain itself.

Angiography

This study will use a dye that your doctor will inject into the artery, often in the groin area.

The dye will travel to the arteries in your brain and allows your doctor to see what the blood supply of the tumors looks like.

Moreover, this information is useful at the time of surgery.

Shull X-rays

Brain tumors can cause breaks or fractures in the bones of your skull and specific X-rays can show if this occurs.

With X-rays, your doctor can also pick up calcium deposits, which are sometimes contained within a tumor.

Calcium deposits can be in your bloodstream in case the cancer moves to your bones.

Biopsy

During a biopsy, your doctor will obtain a small piece of the tumor.

A specialist, i.e. neuropathologist will examine it and a biopsy will help identify if the tumor cells are benign or malignant.

Also, it will help determine whether cancer originates in the brain or another part of your body.

Treatment Options

The treatment of the brain tumor depends on:

• type of the tumor
• size of the tumor
• location of the tumor
• your general health

The most common treatment option for malignant tumors is surgery and the goal is to remove as much cancer as possible without causing damage to the healthy parts of the brain.

While the location of some tumors allows for safe removal, others may be present in the area that limits how much tumor your doctor can remove.

Even partial removal of the brain cancer can b beneficial.

The risk of brain surgery is infection and bleeding.

Moreover, clinically dangerous benign tumors are also surgically removed.

Metastatic brain tumors are treated according to the guidelines for the type of original cancer.

Your doctor can also combine surgery with other treatments like radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

Physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy can help you to recover after neurosurgery.

What you should ask your Doctor?

In case your doctor diagnoses you with a brain tumor, there are several questions you may want to ask your care team before, during, and after treatment.

Some of the following are the questions you may want to consider:

• What type of Brain Tumor do you have?
• Is the brain tumor benign or malignant?
• Where is the tumor located and has it spread to any other areas?
• Should you get a second opinion?
• What are your options for treatment?
• How long will treatment take and what should you expect?
• How can you manage any side effects you may experience during treatment?
• What is the outlook for your condition?
• Is there anything you should do to prepare for treatment?
• Can your doctor recommend a mental health professional to talk to if you feel overwhelmed, anxious, or depressed?

Outlook

Treatment for benign brain tumors is often successful and is also possible to fully recover. However, the outlook of a brain tumor can depend on different factors like the type of tumor, size of the tumor, location of the tumor, and general health.

Seeking treatment or medical advice can help prevent complications that can occur as a tumor grows and puts pressure on the skull and brain tissue. Moreover, it can also help to prevent malignant tumors from spreading to other tissues in the brain.