How Brain Tumor Occurs?
How Brain Tumor Occurs?
Introduction
Cancerous conditions may occur at any organ or site. Timely detection enables successful outcomes; however, conditions diagnosed at an advanced stage may pose limitations in treatment options. Long-term survival rates are on the rise – thanks to advanced pathways available for treatment of cancers. But the signs of cancers at the early stage can be misleading. Most signs may resemble a common ailment.
If a close relative of yours had cancer or if you had had prior spells of tumors, it is a safe thing to consult with your caregiving team on a proactive basis. Typical diagnostic tests done to detect cancers include a blood count test. At times, a scan or a biopsy is taken to confirm the condition. Of such tests, biopsy is done on samples of tissues. Examining tissues under a powerful microscope can provide added clarity on risks of cancerous conditions.
Brain Tumor
Tumors may occur at any place in your system. Of the many types of cancers, brain tumor is an autoimmune condition which involves multiplication of cells at an exponential rate in your brain. There are many sub-types of brain tumors; depending on which type has afflicted you, rate of growth is either slow or quick. Very rapid multiplication of cancer cells in brain can result in cysts forming in your brain.
Reasons why one gets brain tumors are many. Key reasons are turning elderly – especially, those above 60 years of age, medical history of cancers in cerebral system among family members or blood relatives, use of tobacco foods – chiefly, smoking, etc. Moreover, odds of brain tumor are high among people infected by Epstein Barr virus or viral strands of a similar genre.
If you are working in an area where there is a pronounced exposure to metals like lead, or items like rubber or plastic – room for getting brain tumor is more. Beware of being employed in herbicidal factories; these places carry environmental risks of brain tumor in them.
Secondary Brain Tumor
At this juncture you need to know there are two broad types of brain tumors – namely, the primary and secondary forms. Factors listed above contribute to onset of primary form of brain cancers. The there is a secondary form of brain tumor. Such cancers occur in people who are living with other types of tumors in their system. Such secondary brain tumors may show up because of cancers – from other sites – spreading to your brain.
This process is referred as metastasis or in simple terms, cancerous conditions turning rife. Cancers that are likely to spread to your cerebral system may form in kidneys, urinary tract -including the urethra, bladder, etc., breasts-based tumors, etc. There are also instances wherein cancers that formed in lungs as well as melanoma type of skin tumors too have metastasised to reach the cerebrum. Cutting across these two broad categories of primary and secondary brain tumors, there are many sub-classes of cancers.
These are referred by their distinctive names – based in their intensity and the location in which they show up inside your brain. These include glioma, ganglioglioma, meningioma, astrocytoma, schwannomas, medulloblastoma and craniopharyngiomas.
Among such sub-classes, glioma show up in cells of glial genre. These cancers take a lion’s share of nearly 24% of total incidence of brain tumors. Meningioma is a cancerous condition affecting the tissues of your brain; in some cases, it can be seen in your spine as well. Many adults with brain tumors may have meningioma.
You also need to know of craniopharyngiomas – this is diagnosed in brain, closer to your pituitary. As these can pressurise the optic nerve, you tend to have troubles viewing objects – however close they be. Such tumors are marked by their extremely slow rate of growth.
You must also become familiar with medulloblastoma; this multiplies at a quicker rate. Brain tumors in kids are mostly of this genre. If left untreated, these cancers may soon metastasise to your nerves.
A diametrically opposite condition is ganglioglioma – known for its growth at snail’s pace. This condition also forms in nerve cells associated with your cerebral system.
How To Diagnose A Brain Tumor?
Caregiving teams use a set of investigative methods to diagnose the incidence of tumors in your cerebral system. Methods used for detecting brain tumors are imaging / radiology-based scanning, tests done on tissue samples – known as biopsy, puncture of your lumbar region, etc. In case of biopsies to diagnose brain tumors, tissues from your cerebral system are taken for analysis.
These tests are accompanied by a thorough assessment of your system. In case of imaging and radiology-based scans, procedures are conducted with the aid of modern developments in computer tomography – CT scanning, magnetic resonance imaging – MRI scanning and positron emission tomography – also known as PET.
Of these procedures, PET-based scanning is often done with a few other investigations such as MRI or CT scanning procedures. Such combinations are usually referred to as a CT – PET method or as an MRI – PET procedure. This innovative combination is known to produce high-resolution images in a fusion. These images work for the creation 3-D reports. Needless to state, these reports shed added light into finer detailing. In most cases, a very high precision diagnosis is possible with the use of these modern technologies.
On the other hand, brain tumor biopsy is performed on samples of tissues; these are sampled off the brain – it may be done with the help of a surgical intervention. Lumbar puncture is done for drawing a sample of cerebrospinal liquid . This fluidic substance is seen to run all through the spinal cord; it also tuns inside your cerebral system.
Brain Tumor Surgery
Of the several treatment methodologies available for brain tumors, surgeries are a widely used way to treat these autoimmune conditions. Such incisive interventions work towards surgical excision – read: removal – of tumors. While performing these surgeries, utmost care is taken to ensure unaffected parts / tissues of the cerebral system are not disturbed.
Along with a brain surgery, tumors of the cerebral system are treated with drug-based procedures like chemotherapy; there are also plans wherein treatment has been accorded with the support of linear accelerator – linac, which forms part of radiotherapy. It is quite a widely known fact that surgeries are offered as a combinatory offering with radiation and chemo drugs.
Craniotomy – surgical procedure cutting open the cranium – remains a common form of surgery to treat brain tumor. Other modes of surgeries include laser-based ablation, endoscopy through endonasal pathways, MRI-guided surgeries, etc. Of all these endoscopy and laser ablation are known for their minimally invasive nature. In case of laser-based procedures, small hole(s) is done on the head region. Through this hole, a source of laser is placed deep inside. The source of laser turns into a heat generator, and this increased temperature enables the decimation of cancerous tissues found inside the patient’s head.
Endonasal-route of endoscopy is a procedure that lets caregivers have access to the brain through your nose. This is distantly related to a pathway known as neuro-based route of endoscopy. Such treatments are offered to people living with cancers – mainly for conditions such as obstructive forms of hydrocephalus in the cerebral system.
So, What Are The Typical Brain Tumor Symptoms?
Brain tumors show some distinctive symptoms as the cancer grows in size. Caveat: the signs experienced by two persons with cerebral cancers are never the same. In other words, each person develops / witnesses a unique set of signs, depending on their body and the type of cancer he / she is living with.
A basic thing to know is – many of the symptoms associated with brain cancers are quite commonly witnessed discomforts. This is a key reason for consulting with a qualified caregiving team; yes, it does take an experienced physician to diagnose a brain tumor.
Widely experienced symptoms include slurred speech function, headaches – often recurrent spells and with growing intensity of pain, being nauseated, involuntary muscular twitches, seizures or fits, losing your balance often, accidental falls, unstable movement of eyes, difficulties to concentrate on things, etc.
In a few instances, people with brain tumors may witness abnormal and sudden shifts in their personality, numbing or arms and legs, a tingling sensation in your toes and fingers. Upon witnessing one or more of these symptoms, consult with a doctor without any further delay. Those who took timely treatment are known to survive longer than those who took it in a delayed manner. In order to know more about brain tumor, what causes it, how to diagnose brain tumors, and what is brain tumor surgery – you are advised to consult with a caregiving professional.
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Education: Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm) from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai Experience: Agarwal is a seasoned pharmacist with over 7 years of experience in the pharmaceutical field. She has worked in various settings, including hospital pharmacies and community clinics, where she has excelled in medication management, patient counseling, and clinical support. Agarwal is known for her expertise in drug therapy optimization and patient safety. In addition to her practical experience, she contributes to health journalism, focusing on pharmaceutical advancements and health policy, and is involved in research projects aimed at improving medication practices and health outcomes. is known for her expertise in drug therapy optimization and patient safety. In addition to her practical experience, she contributes to health journalism, focusing on pharmaceutical advancements and health policy, and is involved in research projects aimed at improving medication practices and health outcomes.