Brain Cancer

Basics

There are two basic types pf brain tumors, one is primary brain tumor, which develop in brain directly and metastatic or secondary brain tumors which is originated in brain from any other cancer affected organ of the body through blood circulation. These tumors are rarely spread in to the other parts of the body, and the death is caused due to extra growth of tumor within the limited space of skull. Primary brain tumors can be cancerous or noncancerous but both of their sub types can cause some serious symptoms like, vision or hearing loss and stroke. All brain tumors are life threatening or in the medical terminology they are called malignant because they posses aggressive nature. A noncancerous primary brain tumor is life threatening when it compromises vital structures like when they acquire an artery.

Symptoms

A brain tumor can obstruct the flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which results in the accumulation of CSF (hydrocephalus) and increased intracranial pressure (IICP). Nausea, vomiting, and headaches are common symptoms.

To create a better understanding for reader I should explain cerebrospinal fluid in rather detailed way. This fluid is present between brain and skull and works as cushion for brain, it can be said that this is the primary thing, which isolate brain function from the entire body.

Brain tumors are the big threat for vital neurological pathways and they could also take compress brain tissues to a rampage. This is not certain that all these symptoms or sign develop together, but in most of the cases it has been observed that these symptoms develop time to time as the growth of tumor increases, it also depends on the location of the tumor. A brain tumor in the frontal lobe may cause the following:

• Behavioral and emotional changes
• Impaired judgment
• Impaired sense of smell
• Memory loss
• Paralysis on one side of the body (hemiplegia)
• Reduced mental capacity (cognitive function)
• Vision loss and inflammation of the optic nerve (papilledema)

Another very complex classification of tumor is the one, which is located both right and left hemisphere of the front lobe, it can seldom cause behavioral changes, cognitive changes, and a clumsy, uncoordinated gait.

A tumor in the parietal lobe may cause the following symptoms:

• Impaired speech
• Inability to write
• Lack of recognition
• Seizures
• Spatial disorders

Tumor located in occipital lobe may cause loss of vision in either both or one eye.

Discussing almost all types of tumors, we should not forget the one, which is develop in temporal lobe. These are quite risky because they normally do not show any of their symptom but sometimes they may cause impaired speech and seizures.

A tumor in the brainstem may produce the following symptoms:

• Behavioral and emotional changes
• Difficulty speaking and swallowing
• Drowsiness
• Headache, especially in the morning
• Hearing loss
• Muscle weakness on one side of the face (e.g., head tilt, crooked smile)
• Muscle weakness on one side of the body Uncoordinated gait
• Vision loss, drooping eyelid or crossed eyes.
• Vomiting

Ependymoma

It originates in the lining of the ventricles and the spinal canal and may damage cranial nerves. When this happens, hydrocephalus, stiff neck, head tilt, and weakness may result.

This tumor may cause meninges (meningioma) depend on which area of the brain is being compressed. They include:

• Headache
• Hearing loss
• Impaired speech (i.e., dysphasia)
• Incontinence
• Mental and emotional changes (e.g., indifference, disinhibition)
• Prolonged drowsiness (somnolence)
• Seizures
• Vision loss

A tumor located in the pituitary gland (i.e., pituitary adenoma) may increase the secretion of hormones and cause discontinuation of menstruation (i.e., amenorrhea) and excess secretion of milk (i.e., galactorrhea) in women. Impotence may occur in men.

Metastatic brain cancer

It tends to invade the brain tissue indiscriminately. Some symptoms include the following:

• Bleeding
• Headache
• Impaired mental function
• Motor dysfunction
• Nausea
• Seizures
• Swelling
• Vomiting

Prevention

Well, it is fact that there is no prevention of any type of brain tumor generally, but still early diagnosis and proper treatment of metastatic tumors may reduce the risk factor of primary brain tumor.

The following factors have been suggested as possible risk factors for primary brain tumors. Avoiding the factors that can be avoided may reduce your risk.

• Radiation to the head
• Certain inherited conditions
• HIV infection

Causes

Unfortunately, even after the rapid improvement of medical science we cannot explain or define the main causes, which lead to brain cancer or tumor. Medical can only blame genetic factors, various environmental toxins, radiation, and cigarette smoking have all been linked to cancers of the brain, but they do not have any proper justification of any particular reason, which can cause brain tumor.

The following factors have been proposed as possible risk factors for primary brain tumors. Whether these factors actually increase your risk of a brain tumor is not known for sure.

• Radiation to the head
• Certain inherited conditions
• HIV infection

These are the same reasons as mentioned under the header of prevention, this is due to the fact that medical science is speechless regarding either the prevention or the causes of Brain Tumors.

Diagnosis

One should immediately concern his/her health professional if feel any of the following symptoms:

• Unexplained, persistent vomiting
• Double vision or unexplained blurring of vision, especially on only one side
• Lethargy or increased sleepiness
• New seizures
• New pattern or type of headaches

Headaches are known to be felt from the initial phase of Brain Tumor, in the other words it can be called that they are one of the most common symptoms of Brain Tumor. Specially after feeling of a significant change in the pattern of headache one should immediately visit his/her health professional without any delay.

If you have a known brain tumor, any new symptoms or relatively sudden or rapid worsening of symptoms warrants a trip to the nearest hospital emergency department. Be on the lookout for the following new symptoms:

• Seizures
• Changes in mental status, such as excessive sleepiness, memory problems, or inability to concentrate
• Visual changes or other sensory problems
• Difficulty with speech or in expressing yourself
• Changes in behavior or personality
• Clumsiness or difficulty walking
• Nausea or vomiting (especially in middle-aged or older people)
• Sudden onset of fever, especially after chemotherapy

Exams and Tests

Findings of your medical interview and physical examination will probably suggest to your health professional, whether your primary care provider or an emergency department physician, that you have a problem with the brain or brain stem.

• In most cases, you will have a CT scan of the brain.
• This test is like an x-ray but shows more detail in 3 dimensions.
• Usually, a harmless dye is injected into your bloodstream to highlight abnormalities on the scan.

Fortunately, it has been a common observation that people have brain cancer often have other medical complications, which result in regular medical treatments and laboratory tests.

• These include analysis of blood, electrolytes, liver function tests, and a blood coagulation profile.
• If you have mental status change as the main symptom, blood or urine tests may be done to detect drug use.

More and more, the MRI scan is being used instead of CT scan for suspected brain tumors.

• This is because MRI has a higher sensitivity for detecting the presence of, or changes within, a tumor.
• Currently, however, most institutions still use the CT scan as the first diagnostic test.

Skull x-rays are not widely used any longer to diagnose brain cancer.

If your scans indicate the presence of a brain tumor, you will be referred to a specialist in cancer (oncologist). If one is available in your area, you should be referred to a specialist in brain tumors (neuro-oncologist).

The next step in diagnosis is confirmation that you have a cancer. A small sample of the mass (a biopsy) is taken to identify the type of tumor.

• The most widely used technique for obtaining a biopsy is surgery. The skull is opened, usually with the intention of removing the whole tumor if possible. A biopsy is then taken from the tumor.
• If the surgeon is unable to remove the entire tumor, a small piece of the tumor is removed.
• In some cases it is possible to collect a biopsy without opening the skull. The exact location of the tumor in the brain is determined stereotactically, that is, by using CT of MRI scan while the head is held still in a frame. A small hole is then made in the skull and a needle guided through the hole to the tumor. The needle collects the biopsy and is removed. This technique is called stereotaxis, or stereotactic biopsy.
• The biopsy is examined under a microscope by a pathologist (a physician who specializes in diagnosing diseases by looking at cells and tissues).

Home Care Suggestions

It is the primary duty of one’s health care professional to discuss home care suggestions and provide him/her latest research regarding the issue, because it better to know every bit of information of your opponent. Following are the main points, which one should consider after suffered by Brain Tumors:

• Home care usually includes supportive measures according to your symptoms.
• For example, if you have trouble walking, you probably should have a walker available at home when you need to walk.
• If you have mental status changes, a care plan should be directed to your individual needs.

If your prognosis is poor, it is appropriate to discuss options of hospice care, advance directives to doctors, and provisions for a living will.

• Home hospice care is a way of providing pain and symptom relief, as well as emotional and spiritual support for the patient and the family, at home rather than in the hospital. It involves a multidisciplinary approach that may include a physician or other care provider, nurses, a pharmacist, aides, a social worker, a spiritual caregiver, and counselors.
• Advance directive and living will are legal documents that spell out specifically which treatments are to be given and which are to be withheld. For example, a person with advanced brain cancer may not want to be put on a ventilator (breathing machine) if he or she stops breathing. You have the right to make these decisions for yourself as long as you are mentally competent.