Brain Cancer
The body normally forms new cells only when they are needed to replace
old or
damaged ones. If something happens to disturb this controlled process,
abnormal
or excessive cells are produced. When this occurs a tumor is
developed. This is
known as cancer. When a tumor is developed on the brain,
it is called a brain
tumor or brain cancer. Brain tumors can be benign or
malignant (benign being not
cancerous and malignant being cancerous). Both
types can be deadly when dealing
with the brain. Benign brain tumors consist
of very slow growing cells. They
have distinct borders and rarely spread to
other locations. When viewed under a
microscope, the cells of a benign tumor
have an almost normal appearance. Even
though these tumors sound harmless
they can be life-threatening when located in
such a vital area. Since the
skull is unable to expand when the tumor grows it
puts’ pressure on the
brain. This results in damaged brain tissues and if left
untreated a person
could die. A malignant tumor is a tumor that could
potentially invade and
destroy important tissues and cells. They can also spread
to other parts of
the body (metastasize). Brain tumors can initially start in
the brain. They
can also spread to other parts of the body from the brain but
this rarely
happens. Some tumors may be worse than others. Tumor staging is used
to
determine the extent of cancer. The stage indicates if the cancer has
spread
and how far. The stages are listed below: T = Primary tumor
size/extent T0:
Primary tumor not present T1, T2, T3, T4 The higher the
number, the larger the
size/extent of the tumor. N = Regional lymph node
involvement N0: No lymph node
involvement N1, N2, N3 The higher the number,
the more lymph node involvement. M
= Distant metastasis M0: no metastasis M1:
Metastasis present The cause of brain
cancer is unknown. It is likely they
are caused by many factors. Some of these
factors are genetic damage,
inheritance, electromagnetic fields, weak immune
system, viruses, injury,
diet, chemicals, hormones, environmental factors, and
occupational factors.
The most common and often first symptoms of brain tumors
are headaches and
seizures. Later symptoms include nausea, vomiting, fever,
change in pulse,
and trouble breathing. Mental changes may also occur such as
difficulty in
communication and speech. In general symptoms greatly depend on
the location
of the tumor. For example if the tumor is on the occipital lobe,
you would
have problems with your vision. Treatment of a tumor depends on its
location
and type, but surgical removal of the tumor if the primary treatment
for
cancer. Some tumors can be removed without harm to any part of the
brain
while others are in areas that make surgical removal impossible. Most
tumors are
treated with a combination of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and
surgery. A
new procedure is being tried called gamma knife, which is a type
of radio
surgery. It uses precise radiation to isolate and kill the tumor.
One positive
aspect of this procedure is that it limits the amount of
radiation that the
entire brain receives so less normal brain cells are
destroyed. Some Statistics
? Within the next year, over 100,000 people in the
U.S. will be diagnosed
with brain cancer. ? Brain tumors are the second
leading cause of death
in the age group 15-34. ? Brain tumors are the second
fastest growing
cause of cancer death among those over age 65. ?
Approximately 44 percent
of all primary brain tumors are benign. ? Unlike
most benign tumors when
located on the brain they can cause death. ? Because
of their location
brain, tumors are difficult to treat. ? Brain cancer
research is
underfunded. ? The cause of brain cancer is still unknown. ?
The
cure rate for brain cancer is lower than that of most other types of
cancer.